Lost Love

18. The Blame Game

A/N: Fun fact, the song on the side 'Shockwaves' was actually going to be the title instead of Lost Love. It's so evocative, so definitely check it out and see how it links to the story :) enjoy the chapter and please let me know what you think... xx

It’s safe to say that I‘m stressed.

Even a trip to my counsellor this week hasn’t helped to put my body and mind at rest and I’m struggling to pinpoint exactly what is overwhelming me. The anxiety is piling up and I’m struggling to knock it all down.

As I walk to hand in my final essay in the basement of my department, I spot Emma up ahead of me handing hers in and feel my internal organs squeeze together. I hope I can just walk past her, but obviously she has other plans. She catches my eye and narrows hers at me. I continue to walk by, but she walks beside me and I have to hide my groan at her stopping me.

‘Oh Imogen, you were sorely missed last night. Ozzy and I had a great time out together,’ she comments, brushing her blonde hair over her bare shoulder due to her bandeau dress, as she watches me find the correct box to put it in.

If she’s aiming to get me jealous, she’s got to try a lot harder than that. ‘Good, I’m glad. I don’t mind Ozzy spending time with girls. I trust him,’ I remark, hoping she gets the message.

I shove my essay into the correct box, before pushing past Emma and walking away, hoping I can make a quick escape. I walk up the stairs into the main foyer, but she doesn’t give up, she continues to follow me and I feel like turning around and punching her. ‘Emma, what the hell do you want?’ I snap, the pressure building from her stalking.

‘Tell me, whore; is your new squeeze satisfying you while Ozzy isn’t getting any?’

I replay her words and feel my heartbeat racing. How does she know I’ve not slept with Ozzy yet? Has he told her that? Why would he tell her that?

‘I feel sorry for Ozzy, his girlfriend is whoring herself out with someone new whilst being frigid with him. Tell me, what is it going to take until you break up with Ozzy? It’s painful to see someone so good with someone so undeserving,’ she remarks, and that’s when I flip out. I clench my fist and go to hit her right on the cheek and nose, but my wrist is grabbed and I’m pulled back into a firm torso.

‘Imogen,’ I hear Leon say, pulling me back from Emma. With him arm around my front, he leads me off, keeping me tightly against his body, before we’re outside and away from the people who had just seen the argument. Collapsing against his body, I begin to cry against Leon’s chest, sobs escape my body as the enormity of what just happened dawns on me. I feel his hand lose itself in my hair as he asks, ‘What’s wrong, Imogen?’

I can’t respond, so he just leads me off somewhere, until we come to a small house. He opens the door and leads me through to the small living room which is attached to the kitchen. It’s painted white with two sofas sitting nicely adjacent looking towards the TV placed at the left of the room, with a back door close to it, opening onto a small grassy garden. He drops his keys down on the side panel, before sitting on the sofa next to me and letting me resume crying on his shoulder.

It takes at least ten minutes until I’ve stopped crying and have spread out on Leon’s sofa, with my legs nestling in his lap as he massages my tired feet and my body flops back against the cushions.

‘So...what was wrong? I saw you taking a swing at that girl whilst I was getting a coffee. Though I have no doubt she must have deserved it, I thought I’d save you a bruised hand and disciplinary action,’ he tells me with a smirk, which makes me laugh a little, but that soon turns into a sigh.