Page 117 of The Darkness is Calling
She only whispers the sentence, without saying his name.
“I met an illusion, so it doesn’t count.”
She pauses, and only after a few minutes does she speak again, in one breath. “I’m going to be honest with you. Something makes me want to take Pakhan’s side.”
For a second, I stare at her, stunned, but then confusion must be written all over my face.
“Why would you say that?”
“Because something doesn’t add up,” she exclaims, frustrated and thoughtful at the same time. “Everything was beautiful, then suddenly, something happened and he didn’t come to the recital. That same night, you had blood on your hand after hitting him in the chest. I am convinced something happened and he couldn’t get there.”
“Maybe he got into a fight with someone because of the woman in that picture, and that’s why he couldn’t give me an explanation,” I say, displaying a false indifference.
“Your imagination is ravaging me,” she declares with a sarcastic grimace.
“Oksana, there’s really no point discussing this anymore. Oliver is coming back today, and it’s time for me to focus on the future of our relationship.”
As if on cue, the phone between my fingers rings, and my fiance’s name appears on the screen with a warm message.
Oliver: I just landed. I can’t wait to see you. Dinner together at seven?
Me: I’m glad you arrived safely. Seven is perfect.
Oliver: I’ll have my assistant make a reservation at a nice restaurant.
“I’m having dinner with Oliver tonight,” I tell my friend.
She stiffens. “Are you staying at his place overnight?”
I give a small shrug, my lips twisting into a grimace. “That would be normal, wouldn’t it?”
She lifts both hands and palms up.
“You have no idea how glad I am that I’m not in your place.”
“I believe you.”
“If you want, we can come up with a plan to help you come back home after dinner.”
She raises her eyebrows like an accomplice, and that devilish smile confirms the nature of the plan.
“I don’t know what to say...”
“Here’s what we’ll do. We make the plan, and you decide whether you use it or not.”
I don’t need more than a few seconds to decide. “Okay.”
She thinks for a moment and takes a sip of coffee. “I need to smoke a cigarette for this.”
Shaking my head, I can’t helm a small smile. “You quit more than a year ago.”
“Now do you understand the stress you put me through?” she says quickly, though I can see the smirk she is barely hiding.
She takes another sip of coffee, and I do the same, thinking of what excuse I could give Oliver that would spare me from spending the night with him.
One night.
But what about the rest?
