Page 41 of Cuffed By Love

“Overreacting?” She intones irritably. “Are you kidding me, Devin? One’s my sister and the other is supposed to be my best friend and they’re just spreading shit without even considering coming to me first and you think my annoyance isn’t justified?”

I sigh, “That’s not what I’m saying, Tinks. You have every right to be upset—”

“You should be too.” She pipes up, giving me a sharp look. “Why aren’t you more upset? You’re the one with the girlfriend after all.”

I scratch my temple and glance around the driveway before I look at her again, “Tinks, it’s just a simple misunderstanding. Ayla walked in and saw us in bed, sleeping in each other’s arms. It’s only natural for her jump to the wrong assumption, isn’t it? Any other person would have thought the same thing, you and I included.” I explain, reaching up and brushing her hair away from her face and lifting her gaze to mine when she lowers it to her feet. “Maybe we should talk about it?”

Mira’s eyes grow a little wider and she looks startled for a second before it vanishes and her features soften once again, she keeps her gaze locked with mine. “What’s there to talk about?”

“Well, it’s clearly got you all bothered, so maybe we should talk about it.” Mira chuckles, however it wasn’t one of amusement but one full or snark. She moves her face away from my hold and wets her lips.

“I think you’ve misconstrued what it is I’m bothered about, Devin.” She voices, reaching for the door again, but I step in front of it. I’m going to get this beautiful yet infuriatingly tenacious girl to open upto me if it fucking kills me. I can’t bear this standoffish attitude she’s got going on and it’s gone on long enough.

“Please, do enlighten me, Tinks. What is it that’s got you all bothered?” I look at her expectantly. She pokes up a brow and the gesture sends a gush of blood straight to my cock. What? Don’t judge me, she’s hotter than usual when she’s mad. Why do you think I spent the majority of our friendship annoying her? Not for the punches and kicks, I can tell you that. No, it was for her to look at me the way she is right now. Her golden eyes all lit up and fiery.

Mother have mercy.

“Is it the fact that people are gossiping about you that’s got you all bothered?” I question and she blinks up at me. “You’ve always hated being talked about.”

“Gossiping ruins lives or do I have to remind you of what happened to Lilly Abrahams back in school?”

I nod in understanding, “I agree, but that was completely different. Compared to what happened to her, ours is barely a situation, Tinks. It will blow over, be forgotten about by the end of the day.” I assure her, reaching over to brush my thumb along her jaw.

“That’s what they said about Lilly’s situation too and look what happened to her.” Mira’s face drops and sorrow gleams deep in her eyes. She’s reliving the moment she found Lilly in the girl’s toilets overdosed on drugs.

Lilly Abrahams was a girl that went to our secondary school, she wasn’t part of our crowd and we only came to know of her when the news about her supposedly sleeping with her best friend’s dad got out and caused chaos in the school. There was no truth to it, but try tell that to a bunch of loose-lipped, gossip hungry teenagers.

It spread like wildfire, students would slut shame her, make crass remarks as she walked by. They even went as far as to paint the words ‘homewrecker’ on her locker and outside her home. She lost her friends all because of a malicious rumour. By the time it was proven to be nothing but a petty lie by another student, Lilly tragically took her own life by overdosing on sleeping pills that she found in her mum’s medicine cabinet, in the girls bathroom. Mira was the one that found her and since that day she cannot stand gossiping. It was truly a tragedy. Lill y was just fifteen years old, she was bright, beautiful and she had her whole life ahead of her and one rumour wrecked not only her life, but her family and other parties involved too.

There are nights where I still hear Mira screaming. The way her voice echoed in the empty corridor all the way to our classroom makes me shudder. I still recall as clear as day the way my heart almost stopped when I heard it. I raced out of that classroom like someone had lit a fire up my arse to get to her. It took her a long while to get over it and I didn’t leave her side for almost a week after. I couldn’t bear seeing her so upset and terrified, she wouldn’t sleep for days, woke up in a cold sweat and crying. I see that same sorrow in her eyes right now and my gut aches just like it did back then.

“Come here.” I tug her close and wrap my arm around her in a tight hug. Mira stiffens in my hold at first, but she gradually relaxes and her arm circles around my waist, her head on my chest. I rest my chin atop of her head. “What did I whisper to you that night in your bedroom just before you fell asleep?”

Mira heaves a sigh and she lifts her head to look up at me. “I’ve got you, Mira Evans.”

I nod and gaze into her beautiful eyes. “No matter what…”

“For now and always…” She whispers.

“I’ve got you.”

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