Not Another Love Story

Chapter 5

Two hours later, I was sitting on the couch pondering if I should call Kevin or if I should go and pay a visit to my cop neighbor. I wasn't sure how involved Kevin was and how much he knew. Maybe not so much. But I chose to take a couple of alcoholic chocolate boxes and visit Steven, pretending that I am being grateful for his support, while I check out his apartment and find out more about what he was doing with Tom Goldman. Yep, how hard could that be? Wait, no, I am not sure I want to find out how hard it could be. Hm... I wonder how easy this could be? Much better.

And so here I was, two floors below my apartment, knocking on Steven's door and praying that he wasn't home. Will I ever recognize how terrified I was? Never. And then he opened the door, with a grin on his face.

I was starting to hate that he was one of the sexy good looking neighbors.

"I think I promised you a party. And I wasn't sure what kind of alcohol you prefer, so..." I lifted the two boxes of chocolates in front of him.

"They're great! Thank you!" he smiled and I knew immediately that he was lying. Oh well, more for me. "Come inside. Perfect timing."

"Hm?" I was wondering what he was talking about when I entered the living room and saw who was there.

Sitting in a big chair, with his face at me was Tom Goldman. Right in front of him, sitting on a similar chair was Chris, and on the right, sitting on the sofa was Kevin. In one second I saw my whole life right in front of my eyes, while planning to run for my life while remembering every martial art move that I learned during one year when I was a teenager. Yep, I was fucked, and not in a good way!

"Well, hello!" I smiled while looking at everyone and also checking every escape route that I had available.

I could run into the bathroom but even if I could lock myself inside, it didn't seem like a good idea. I could jump out the window, fall down five floors and most probably die. Or run to the front door, but Steven was right behind me. Yay me! So I chose to do what I knew best at that moment. Say nothing and look at everyone in the room. Someone will get nervous and start to talk. That was Steven.

"Please, sit down" he invited me and I sat down in the middle of the couch in front of the one Kevin was sitting on, clearly making my point that I don't want anyone else to sit next to me. So Steven got the message and sat next to Kevin.

I started opening a box of chocolates while keeping my mouth shut and smiling at everyone in the room. If they were feeling intimidated or uncomfortable, they weren't showing it. Keving kept staring at my hands opening the box of chocolates, while the others were looking directly at me. I remembered when I was on the stage, in highschool during the winter ball and how imagining everyone as naked cartoons seemed to make me less uncomfortable, so I did the same, and my smile grew until I had to do my best not to laugh out loud. Now everyone was more intimidated and I congratulated myself while putting a chocolate in my mouth.

"Who would like some?" I asked, pointing at the box of chocolates.

"I will have one."

Of course you do, mister Tom Goldman.

This whole situation felt more and more like a scene from a movie, so I did my best to keep imagining everyone as cartoon characters and stay calm, cool and collected. I lifted the box towards Tom Goldman and he took a chocolate and started eating, then Steven cleared his throat.

"How are you feeling, Jen?"

"Awesome!" I smiled at him, then put another chocolate inside my mouth. My plan was working well, everyone seemed uncomfortable and I was sure that I might be able to run away soon enough. "So, is this a party, or what? Because I would love some music!"