Betrayal Scars

I would like to say I’ve gotten over it, but in truth, I haven’t. He still plagues my dreams – nightmares really. The memories come rushing back as soon as my heavy, tired eyelids flutter shut. Memories of me and Leonard dancing together at clubs, memories of us holding hands as we walk through the serene park, memories of him looking deeply into my eyes as he leans in to kiss me… Those are the happy, pleasant memories, the ones I don’t mind remembering. Then comes the onslaught of the dreadful, painful memories. Leonard and I fighting, Leonard lying to me about where he’d been, and the worst one of them all: catching Leonard in bed with my so-called best friend. Naked. Their bodies entangled in each other, the distinct smell of sex heavy in the room. I fight with myself, telling my brain I don’t ever want to relive the horrendous events of that fateful day ever again. Not surprisingly, my brain ignores me and I’m forced to watch myself in my mind’s eye, waking up all those weeks ago to begin the day that would end up tearing my very soul apart.

Three months ago

“Michelle, phone for you!” my younger sister yells.

“Coming! Be there in a sec.” I yell back.

I quickly scramble off my comfy bed and run downstairs to the kitchen to pick up the phone.

“Thanks Lex. I’ll take it from here” I grin at her and she shrugs and leaves.

“Hello?” I say into the phone.

“Hey Shelly. What up?” I hear Pearl say.

“Nothing much. Just reading The Mediator again. Well I was reading until a certain someone called and interrupted me,” I laugh.

“Well I was gonna invite you to join the guys and my charming self at the movies, but since you’re so busy…”

“Movies? What movies! Man, I’ve been cooped up inside for the past three days. I’d go and study paint drying on the wall if it meant getting out of the house” I exclaim.

Pearl laughs.

“I take it you’ll be joining us then?”

“Yup! By the way, what movie are we watching?” I ask.

“I dunno yet. Whatever’s good I suppose. It was a whimsical decision, y’know?”

“Yeah. Ok, well, I better call Leonard and see if he wants to go too then. When and where are we meeting?”

“AMC Mercado 20 at 5:00” Pearl replies.

I look at the large mahogany clock hanging on the light turquoise kitchen wall. 3:08 P.M. it says. ‘Oh man, how the hell am I gonna make it all the way across town in such a short amount of time? Whatever. If she ends up having to wait for me under the blistering hot California sun, it will be her own fault. She should have called me sooner.’

“Alright, see ya then, sexy” I say, laughing. I then dial Leonard’s number.

“Hello?” Asks an agitated Leonard. He sounds breathless. ‘Wonder what that’s about.’

“Hey honey. Just callin’ to invite you to hang out with me and the guys at the movies. Can you make it to AMC 20 by 5:00?” I ask.

“Woaw, hold on there Shell. I didn’t even say I’d go yet. In fact I can’t. I’m uhh… busy. Right. So I guess I’ll talk to you later then. Ok? Bye” Leonard said. ‘He hung up on me’ I realized. He didn’t even wait for my response! ‘Something isn’t right here’ I thought. I could feel the ominous ball of energy in the pit of my stomach. Leonard’s been “busy” almost every day for the past two weeks. It started the day after school finally let out for summer…

The day school finally let out for summer

Leonard picked me up from my house and drove me to Lacey’s party. The whole way there he was very animated. He kept cracking jokes and laughing. Clearly he was very excited about the party and the fact that school was over for the summer. I was too. We got to the party, and almost immediately, I lost him. I didn’t worry about it though, because all those people at the party were our friends. I knew that wherever he was, he was having fun.

Another four or five hours later, I realized it was getting late and that I had to get home. Also, it occurred to me that I hadn’t seen Leonard ever since we got there. I tried asking people if they’d seen him but no one has. I started to panic. ‘Dammit! Fine, I’ll try asking Lace. She’s the hostess; she might’ve seen him’ I tried to console myself. Speaking of Lacey… ‘Now that I think about it, I haven’t seen her in ages. Where is she?’ I wondered. ‘Great. Now I have to find my boyfriend and my best friend. That’s just wonderful!’ I thought in agitation.