Princess °° Freddie Highmore [dd/lg]

chapter ten:

-- C H A P T E R
T E N --

"Amanda," Freddie spoke, his voice seeming raspy and quiet. It sounded like he'd just woken up. "it's Freddie Highmore."

I roll my eyes. "What do you want?" I ask.

"Listen, Amanda," he begins. "I'm calling because I wanted to apologize to you." he pauses, then continues. "I realize that I should not have treated you the way I did, and for that I'm sorry." he sighs. "I'm sorry for forcing you to drink with me, and I'm sorry for kissing you on both occasions."

Don't be sorry. I thought to myself. I liked it when you kissed me the first time.

"Is there another reason why you called me?" I asked him. I wasn't sure if I was ready to say I forgave him. He did pressure me into doing things I didn't want to do, and threatened to fire me if I didn't consent to drinking. Unfortunately, his tactic worked because now I am without a job.

Static wavered on the other end of the line. Then, Freddie piped up, snapping me out of my trance. "I also called to try and make it up to you," he states. "if you wish to decline, I will not bother you again, but, I was wondering if I could take you out to lunch this upcoming Tuesday?"

My heart stopped. Was he asking me out on a date?

"Is that a date, Mr. Highmore?" I ask.

"I don't date, Ms. Helgard," he quips simply. "I negotiate, and I shag if I choose to. That is all." He then continues. "So, would you like to join me for lunch?"

I thought about it for a moment. Surely nothing would come out of this -- especially now that I know it would be nothing more than just a business transaction to him. So I nodded, then replied.

"Sure," I said. "I'd love to."

"Text me your class schedule so tha' way I know what time I should arrive at yer campus." He replies, his English accent ringing smoothly through my ears.

"Will do."

And with that, we hang up.

°°

I hear a knock on my bedroom door. I looked at the time: 3:23a.m. I groggily get up from my bed after laying in it for thirty minutes and open the door to see Jade standing in front of me; her cheeks soaked in a waterfall of tears.

"Hey," I say quickly. "what's going on? Are you okay?"

"He broke up with me!" Jade sobbed. "The ass hat broke up with me!" She collapsed into my arms, and that's when I held her tight. I looked at the wall in sympathy, feeling sorry that Jade was going through this. I knew she loved Eric. They were together for nearly a year.

I pull away from her and remove a strand of loose hair behind her ear. "You want to sleep in my room tonight?" I ask. "We can watch The Vampire Diaries like you've been begging me to."

She nods, and then we reenter my room; spending the rest of the night watching a few episodes of The Vampire Diaries while Jade cried her eyes out.

°°

It turns out that Eric broke up with Jade because he was seeing someone else. He had been seeing her for the entirety of their relationship. How did she find out about this, you may ask? She snooped through his phone. There were text messages exchanged, and according to Jade, Eric had feelings for the other woman. He told her things he had told Jade, and if that doesn't scream messed up then I don't know what does.

"I... I just can't believe he did that," Jade said as we got up for breakfast the next morning. "I mean, all the memories we shared..." She takes a bite of her scrambled egg I made her, looking away as she batted her eyes to prevent herself from crying.

"You know what, Jade?" I say as I take a bite of my cream cheese toast. "He's a real idiot for doing that to you. You deserve someone better."

She gives me a small smile. "Thanks, Am." she says. "I really appreciate it." She takes a swig of her milk and puts the glass down. "So," she begins again. "how is it working for Mr. Sexy  Highmore?" she smirks.

I stay silent for a few minutes, finishing up the egg that was in my mouth. "I, uh, actually don't work for him anymore..." I scratch my ear nervously.

"What?!' she exclaims, her eyes widening. "What do you mean you don't work for him anymore?"

I sit back, sigh, and begin to tell her everything that happened.

°°°