Page 38 of The Final Straw

Barbi sneers. “I’ll have a Ranch Water.”

“I’ll be right back with that.”

Barbi turns her narrowed eyes back to me. “What about Olivia? She’s just okay with you being with her ex?”

“Well, she is my best friend. Plus, she found someone new as well. So it was whatever.”

Barbi snatches her drink from the server rudely and heads to the corner of the room where the DJ is set up. With all the subtlety of a sledgehammer, she flirts shamelessly with any man who so much as glances in her direction. She engages in every interaction with exaggerated movements, too-loud laughter, and a reckless intensity that borders on desperation.

I watch from the sidelines, my eyes narrowed as Barbi twirls and gyrates on the dance floor, her gaze locked on Van with a laser-like focus. It's clear that she's trying to make him jealous, to provoke some kind of reaction out of him. But Van remains unfazed. He is head over heels for Olivia still.

"It's like a bad '80s movie that won't turn off," Van groans beside me. "Does she really think this is what will get me going?"

I can't help but laugh, shaking my head in disbelief. "Yup," I reply, smacking Van's chest playfully before biting my bottom lip in amusement.

Leaning close, I whisper in his ear. "She's getting even more pissed watching us. It's definitely working. Just make sure if you get her alone and talking, hit record on your phone. Otherwise, this was all for nothing."

"I know," Van sighs.

"I need to tinkle, so be right back." With that, I lean up on my tiptoes and kiss the corner of Van’s mouth. But I’m hoping from Barbi’s view it looks like a full kiss on the lips.

I slip into the crowd, leaving Van alone to watch the spectacle unfold. As I make my way toward the restroom, I can't help but chuckle.

Barbi may think she has the upper hand, but little does she know, she's playing right into our hands. With each passing moment, her desperation becomes more palpable, her attempts at seduction growing more frantic.

Inside the restroom, I take a moment to collect myself, the adrenaline still coursing through my veins. But as I glance at my reflection in the mirror, a smirk tugs at the corners of my lips.

I slip into a stall, the door creaking softly shut behind me. As I sit down, the main door opens and I hear the sound of running water. I finish up and step out of the stall, not surprised to see I have company. Barbi leans against the door with a look of pure fury etched across her features.

Her eyes narrow into slits as she corners me, her voice dripping with venom. "I'll get rid of you just like I did that other slut," she hisses. "Van is mine. He was always supposed to be mine."

Despite the gravity of her words, I can't help but scoff. "I don't scare as easily as Olivia," I retort, my voice tinged with defiance. "So good luck with that."

Barbi's anger only seems to intensify at my response, her features contorting with rage. Without missing a beat, I reach into the pocket of my skirt, fingers brushing against the smooth surface of my phone. With a swift motion, I activate the recording function.

"Sorry, it was Olivia," I say nonchalantly, pretending to send a text message as I hold my phone close to my chest. "She wanted to know if we could have a double date next weekend. She’s wanting our men to meet each other.”

Barbi's expression darkens further. "He'll be mine soon," she spits. "Once he realizes that no one can give him what I can."

I roll my eyes at her arrogance, refusing to be intimidated by her. "An STD and a night he doesn't want to remember?"

Barbi lunges forward, her hand raised as if to strike me. But I'm quicker, grabbing her wrist and shoving her against the wall.

"Don't even think about it," I growl, low and dangerous. "I know exactly what you did to Van, and that shit won't fly with me."

Barbi laughs, a cold, heartless sound. "It was easy the first time," she admits. "So I'd like a challenge. A little temazepam, alcohol, and Van was putty in my hands."

My blood runs cold at her confession, the weight of her words sinking in like a stone. "That's rape," I hiss, trembling with anger. "You're absolutely disgusting."

But Barbi just sneers, her eyes glittering with crazy. "It's not rape if he enjoyed it," she retorts. "And he did. I made sure of that."

The bile rises in my throat at her words, and I feel a surge of righteous anger coursing through my veins. "I hope your next roommate shares your twisted views," I spit.

Letting her go, I leave the bathroom and head back to Van. When I reach him, I grab his hand and pull him with me. I throw another hundred on the bar to our server. “Thank you!”

“What happened? Why are we leaving?” Van asks.

“I got her.” I smile.

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