My Dad's Bestfriend

Evelyn

My eyelids weighed a ton-super heavy. Like someone had hung dumbbells on them. I could sense the car seat behind me and the absence of that accursed morning sun, confirming that this wretched night was far from over.

But wait....why was I in the car? I was supposed to be at the club with my friends. My memories swirled in a tumultuous shitty dance, making it even harder to pry my eyes open and assess my surroundings. Did someone kidnap me? Oh no.

Okay, It was evident that I was still too drunk, probably even more so than I faintly remembered being the last time. Intoxication should fade with time, so why did mine seem to intensify? Damn it. God only knew what mess I had gotten myself into this time.

I just hoped it wasn't something too horrific-

My thoughts screeched to a halt as the memories began to trickle back, one by one, slowly and languidly, starting from the blonde guy forcing himself on me to Jacob's sudden appearance, until it all poured over me like a torrential downpour.

My eyes snapped open, and an involuntary groan escaped my lips as I pressed my fingertips against my throbbing temples.

Shit! I hated headaches. However, I'd rather carry this one rather than that terrible ache in my chest.

Jacob's voice broke through from beside me, confirming it was 'that ache' in my heart that now sat beside me instead. My gaze shot toward him.

His eyes remained fixed on the expansive road ahead; he'd only spared a quick glance in my direction.

"How long was I out?" I asked, my words slurred.

Damn it. If anything significant had happened during my blackout, it might just push me over the edge. I felt like a total drunkard.

"Maybe fifteen minutes," he replied, looking at me, "Are you feeling better now?"

I sighed, sinking deeper into the car seat. "I don't know," I admitted. "You tell me, do I look okay to you?" A soft giggle escaped my lips, seemingly beyond my control.

Duck— shit no, Fuck! God damn it, I had clearly lost my mind, and the worst part was that I didn't care. Deep down, in some hidden corner of my mind, I only hoped I hadn't landed myself in a mess.

I could sense he was taken aback by my reaction, but he didn't let it rattle him for long. Instead, he cleared his throat and offered me a bottle of water. "Here, drink this. It might help."

I swatted his hand away, causing the bottle to tumble inside the car. "I don't want that," I declared, hiccuping. "If you're getting me something, make it beer, or better yet, red wine." I flashed him a sheepish smile, another giggle slipping out. "Trust me, I'll keep it a secret, just like I kept our affair."

He emitted a sigh almost like one of those whispers underneath your breath, perhaps trying to conceal his hesitation, as he pulled over to the roadside. It felt like alcohol had heightened all my senses now, making even the faintest sound or movement impossible to miss.

Did I just stumble upon some sort of superpower? Fuck, It felt utterly ridiculous, but at the same time, the idea was intriguing. I could now observe even the most subtle details, like how Jacob's Adam's apple bobbed, how each strand of his luscious hair fought not to fall over his face as he brushed them back with his fingers, and how his skin seemed to glow even in the absence of any light.

The audacity of girls like me to keep falling for heartbreakers like him, over and over again!

With sheer curiosity, I watched as Jacob Adriano reached for another water bottle from above rather than bothering to pick one from the bottom, "You need to drink some water, Evelyn. You can't have any more alcohol tonight, at least not right now."

I leaned in and tapped his nose playfully. "You don't get to decide what I do, okay? I'll do what I want, and right now, I want alcohol. Swing by a shop and get me some, will you?"

He let out a sigh. "Evelyn..."

I slowly pressed my finger against his lips, silencing him. The sensation of them beneath my fingers felt intimately familiar because I had been used to their touch. To be honest, I'd prefer them over mine now, without caring about the consequences or my ego.

"You know what, Jacob? You're really something else," I chuckled, tilting my head as though I were dissecting him, which, in truth, I was. I was trying to read him because he was no longer an open book; he had become a mystery, one that could inflict considerable pain if I tried to unravel it, "You act like you care about me, but then you do things that tell a different story. What are you, really? You don't seem human anymore."

He remained silent, his gaze fixed-maybe because my fingers were still pressed against his lips, or maybe it was because he had no words to offer. The latter option seemed more likely, and if it were true, I had even fewer reasons to worry because I wouldn't remember any of this the next morning.

"Do you have a thing for cheaters?" I asked, staring at him, suppressing a smile.

"Chloe cheated on you, yet you're running back to her like a crazed dog," I laughed, finally withdrawing my fingers from his lips. "It's amusing, your choices. You know, even your late parents must be disappointed in you now. You're such a foolish old man, running back to a woman who's cheated on you who knows how many times-wow! Either you're incredibly forgiving and kind-hearted, which I doubt, or you're just plain idiotic. I think it's the latter. It has to be!"

I didn't understand why I was laughing and smiling like a maniac, but I did know that it helped-helped to alleviate the pain, even if only by a fraction. Every bit counted, didn't it?

"Evelyn, I—" He started with a sigh, hesitance etched all over his features. Even in the shadows, he looked captivating. God had played a cruel game on me, making this human being so beautiful, fully aware that I would fall for him and shatter my own heart.

"Nope," I hushed him, wagging a playful finger. "Don't speak now. Can't you see I'm not done yet? Ladies first, alright?"

Before he could interrupt me again, I spoke up, "Now, tell me something," I began, "Do you love Chloe?"

He started to answer, but my drunken instincts urged caution. I intervened, "Before you answer, you have to be honest." I pointed an accusing finger at him, then poked his chest, immediately regretting it as the solid, rock-hard surface hurt my finger, "Ouch, what the hell is this thing?"

I withdrew my finger, wincing as I glanced at his chest beneath the black fabric of his t-shirt. I felt bad for it-the poor T-shirt had to leave the Armani store only to cover a rock.

"Evelyn, we need to go home. You need rest, okay?" he said softly, perhaps attempting an escape.

"No, we don't. And don't just say 'home," I slurred, attempting to make sense. "It's my home. Your home is Chloe; they say the people you love are your home. So, it's Chloe for you. Next time, say 'your home,' alright?"

He sighed, shaking his head. As he tried to restart the car, I grabbed his hand, stopping him.

"You are so fucking stubborn," I muttered. To ensure he wouldn't attempt such a thing again, I made the ridiculous choice to shift to his seat and straddle him. The car's handl@pressed against my back, giving me some semblance of stability, because judging by how dizzy I felt, I would have been a

mess otherwise.

His hands instinctively settled on my hips, and his head rested against the seat as I leaned in closer. What was he trying to avoid? Closeness? It couldn't be that; otherwise, he wouldn't be sitting here so still. "No! You can't just do this, alright? You can't run away-you have to answer me!" I clutched his jacket, frowning at him.

He appeared taken aback, remaining silent. I could sense the tension in his body, the rigidity in his arms, the veins on his neck standing out, and his breath quickening. Maybe it wasn't avoidance; perhaps he was attempting to restrain himself.

"I just can't... can't answer you," he finally admitted.

"Why?" I asked, my voice unexpectedly softer than before.

"I can't. That's all you need to know."

"You said you love her, and now you lack the courage to say it to my face again. What's going on with you?" I cupped his face, a pout forming on my lips as I studied him, as though he were a puzzle I was determined to solve.

But all I could see was how incredibly handsome he was! It hurt to realize that my own destruction was a magnificent masterpiece, all intact, while I remained in pieces-ugly and broken

"If you love her, then why are you here with me right now? Are you planning to cheat on her too?" My voice barely rose above a whisper as I pressed my forehead against his, letting out a trembling sigh. His eyes closed first, and mine followed suit. "They say eyes can't lie, so how come I see things in yours that were never there to begin with? Do your eyes lie, Jacob?"

Tears welled in my eyes and streamed down without warning.

This time, Jacob released a tight breath, his grip on me growing stronger. I could feel the thunderous rhythm of his heart against my chest, sense his restlessness, and then all I could feel was pain—pain that I didn't want to confront or get any closer to.

"Hey, did you ever..." I drew in a breath, stifling my sob, "Did you ever love me?"

He didn't answer. Instead, he remained silent, his uneven breathing revealing something else. Maybe if I had summoned the courage to open my eyes, I might have caught a hint of what truly churned in his mind, his feelings, or whether there was anything there at all. But I lacked that courage.

As his scent filled my senses with each breath, and our breaths merged, the closeness between us intensified. His hands pulled me closer, and held me tighter, as if he feared I might vanish. I could only think of pain, and how even this moment would inevitably lead me back to the nightmare.

"You can't answer me, can you?" A

faint, melancholic smile quivered on my lips as I sniffled. "I understand. You know, always tried. I truly did, and I thought I had it all figured out until you just discarded it all as if it meant nothing. You became my world... my home, despite the fact that I already had one. You became my favorite, the one I believed would never abandon me or expose me to the storms. But you took away that shelter without a second thought. I wonder, how can the heart I fell for...be so cruel."

Once again, he chose silence, but he didn't pull away.

"You've never lost a home, have you? You don't know how it feels... but I-"

"I did, Evelyn," he finally broke the silence, exhaling a low, trembling breath. "You lost one home, but I lost my entire world...the only one I had."

That statement compelled me to open my eyes. Our gazes remained locked, my hands still cupping his face. Jacob Adriano's green eyes, which had been nothing but cold over the past two days, now glistened with tears. It made me question whether they were real or just a figment of my imagination.

Do people dealing with heartbreak often imagine scenarios?

"So, that world was Chloe? That's why you're going back to her?" I asked. It had to be the case, of course.

"If I answer that question, then all of this would be in vain," he said, his voice strained as he cradled my face in his hand, his thumb brushing over my tear-stained cheek. "And I don't want all of this to be in vain, because it has cost both you and me so much."

What would be in vain? What was he talking about?

Before I could ask anything else, the world around me suddenly turned black, and oblivion enveloped me.

Fuck my luck!