Page 44 of Torn Between Two Worlds

“Sorry. One sec. I thought I would be faster, but I can't find the damned thing,” she shouted as her hand finally wrapped around the fire-lily red polish. She narrowly avoided slamming her head into the counter when she popped up. “I'm just grabbing some polish. You have a minute?” She sat down on the bed and rolled the polish bottle in her hands to make sure it would spread evenly before putting her feet up and leaning forward to start her nails.

“Well shit, I didn't, but if you've grabbed nail polish, I know I need to.”

She heard the sound of keys and a bag being set down. “Thanks, G. I just need a few minutes.” The polish was completed on one foot and the red color shined against the white of her skin.

“Well, all you'll have is a few minutes because I'm going to be late for work. I would point out you are too, but it's been so long since you've bothered going in, I bet they don't even think you want to work there anymore.”

She cursed, dropped the polish brush on the blanket and cursed again. “Damn it. Come get me? Please? I promise to be ready, and we can talk in the car. Please, G, I can't afford to lose the job. I hadn't realized I'd missed so many shifts.” She had missed too many work shifts, and she couldn't afford to lose anymore pay and still make rent. She was annoyed but couldn't have called out of work when Stryder had first appeared and told them she'd been held hostage by a sexy demon or that she'd been so filled with doom and gloom the last few days and skipped work because he had vanished.

“Fine. Five minutes, and you'd better be outside.”

The phone call ended with a click, and Ciara jumped up to grab polish remover to clean the blanket before she left. Frowning since she'd only done one foot, she sat on the floor and quickly did the other before tugging on a pair of jeggings and a sequin tank. As Ciara fumbled with the keys to lock her door, she heard a car pull up to the building. Looking over the railing she smiled as she spotted Gina waving behind the wheel. Taking the steps two at a time she closed the door to Gina's Impala right on time. She felt her friend’s eyes look her up and down before pulling away.

“So what's up?”

“I didn't tell you this because I was afraid of how you would react. But, well I need to talk to someone. Stryder is out of town.”

Gina didn't take her eyes off the road but made a sound of acknowledgment.

“Well, I can't get a hold of him.”

Gina looked away from the road for a second, her face a mix of concern and annoyance.

“Ci, I warned you about getting involved with someone new and still talking to Derrick. So why do I know that this conversation is going to involve both?”

She winced at the tone of her friend’s voice. She and Gina had grown up together and had pledged a sorority together. To have her disapprove so strongly was like a knife to the stomach. However, the trip was planned, and if she just reminded everyone involved it was just an excuse to see Italy, there shouldn't be a big deal.

“A little while ago, Derrick asked me to come to Italy. I was hesitant, but G, I really need something fun. I miss Stryder. A little Mediterranean vacation is a good thing.”

The car miraculously didn't fly into the median, but she could tell by Gina's silence, she was counting to ten, so she did not flip out.

“That is such a can of worms. Such a big, fat, nasty can of worms.”

“It's not like I planned it, Gina. Besides, that wasn't what I meant. He's military, and he's deployed. I didn't want to say anything because I know how much you disapprove of war.” None of it was a lie. Well, not completely anyway, but it felt wrong to be lying to a friend who she'd known so long, and who was helping her.

“I see. So, what do you want, Ci? You want me to tell you to ditch the Italy trip? Fine, I will. Because even if you're crazy over this other guy, you and Derrick aren't right for each other, and you don't need to go to Italy and screw something up. So, if all you want is some approval, well fine. If you want to go to Italy to double check, but don't want to admit it, that's fine too.”

“That's not exactly what I meant. I mean maybe it was,” Ciara shook her head, trying to wade through the thoughts properly. “No, it wasn't. I just thought it would be a good idea, to get away and recharge. He asked me and offered to pay, G, which yea, I know does sound a little off, but he's doing really well for himself. I think he just wants a friend to celebrate with. I was pretty cold to him when he came here too. Trust me, what I feel for Stryder...holy shit is all I can say.”

She was shocked her friend even thought the trip to Italy would spell a relationship with Derrick. Going there wouldn't change anything because they'd realized while sharing an apartment that they were ill-suited. Going to Italy would only emphasize that, they'd never really had a vacation prior because his parents hadn't approved of bringing her along, due to her lack of social status. She frowned, thinking about it, and wondered again, why they hadn’t broken up sooner than they had.

“G, when the heck did we grow up?”

Gina let out a laugh and pulled the car off the freeway at their exit. “Well, who the hell said I grew up? You've been grown up and practically married to Derrick for ten years. I, for one, hate to see you doubt yourself but am glad to see you live. But I mean really? You couldn't stay single for bar hopping with me? Honestly?” The joke made them both laugh.

She groaned when they clocked in and saw the featured book on the whiteboard. They always had a book to focus on when a customer asked if there was anything good out. Walking up to the board, she looked at the book and groaned again.

“Fifty ways to overcome tough challenges,” she grumbled and tossed her bag into a cubby. “Great, why don't I just air my dirty laundry every time a customer asks me if it ever helped me overcome any of my great challenges? I can see it now, 'Oh, no, ma'am. It didn't help me at all. You see, I was deciding between a visit to Italy to see an ex-boyfriend or not.' Marvelous.”

Gina had the nerve to laugh and smirk. “Well, no one told you to be honest with them. Pretty ironic, if I do say so.”

“If we weren't late already, I'd throw this book at you, but then I'd have to hang it back up on the whiteboard, and I have some serious ass kissing to do to keep this job.”

Still teasing each other, they walked out to the front, and Ciara went to find her manager, prepared to beg.

Work passed by with a sense of ease once she knew she was able to keep her job. It felt good to interact with people and to chat about books and authors. That was something she would never tire of. On break, she'd grabbed a space travel book to read. Nothing popped out at her, and she wondered if it was because there were no evil things in it. She may have found a loophole, read things where nature is the opposing force.

“Drinks?”

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