Molly Ryan - A Real Disaster

Furrowing my brow, I tried to think whether or not Nash mentioned he had a friend coming. She looked familiar but I couldn’t place her. Had I met her before? Did she go to school with me? Nash looked up and caught my eye. He smiled, said something to the redhead, and weaved his way over to me.

“Hey there sexy, what did you think?”

“You were amazing,..”

“Thanks.”

“Thanks for the dedication,” I added shyly.

I wanted to tell him that I loved him again but I kept my mouth shut. I didn’t need a repeat of the other day.

“No problem…”

“Who’s that?” I asked, motioning my head in the direction of the redhead.

I couldn’t help but ask.

“A fan,” he said, but something told me that there was more to the story than he was leading on.

“Have I met her before? She looks familiar.”

“I don’t think so.”

He dropped his eyes and started to play with his cup. Something was definitely going on.

“Does she go to our school? Maybe I have a class with her.”

“She’s just a fan Lily,” Nash said with a laugh.

“But I think I recognize her.”

“Maybe she just has one of those faces, you know? The type of face that you swear you know even though you don’t.”

“I guess,” I said, even though I wasn’t convinced.

Maybe I didn’t know her but Nash did and he wasn’t telling me how. I resisted the urge to press him about the situation. I didn’t want to start a fight on such a great night so I kept my mouth shut and smiled.

“How about we get out of here?”

“That’s the greatest plan you had yet,” I told him winking. “Back to your place?”

“Perfect.”

* * *

“Hey!” Nash cried as I rolled over, taking the blankets with me. “I’m cold over here too, you know.”

“Shut up,” I mumbled. “I need to sleep. Sleep is good.”

I snuggled deeper in the pillows. There was a rustling of sheets, a cold breeze, and then I felt Nash’s hard, warm body next to me. He draped an arm over my waist, his hand cupping my breast lazily.

“You smell so good,” he murmured in my hair.

“I’ve been sleeping, how can I smell good?” I asked as I slit my eyes open.

“Because you do,” he said. “You always smell good, Lily.”

Nash kissed my shoulder and I smiled. Through the slits of my eyes I could see the sun rising, coloring the sky in reds and pinks.

“I love you.”

My eyes whipped open.

“What?” I asked.

“I love you,” he said again, moving his hand down to my hip.

My heart drummed against my ribs and I was sure that Nash could feel it. I was speechless. I lied there shocked for a while but finally found the courage to speak.

“Nash?”

It was too late. Instead of an answer, I heard the sound of Nash’s soft snoring; he fell back asleep.

I love you.

He said the three words that I was desperate to hear. But did he mean it? Maybe in his drowsy state Nash said it. Who knew what would happen when he woke up.

He was probably still drunk.

I could only hope not.

* * *

I hunched over a table at the school’s library, reading over my history paper and making corrections as I went. My head pounded and my stomach turned from being hung over.

And that is why I don’t drink. It never turned out good for me.

“Hey, Lily.”

I turned and Turner stood in front of me.

“What do you want?”

I hadn’t heard from him since he got upset in the common area. I curled my hands into fists, digging my nails in to the palms.

 “I came to apologize.”

“Apologize? Do you really think that some apology is going to make up for what you said?”

“Lily-”

“There are no words in this world that can make up for that. I thought of you as a friend, Turner, a true friend.”

“I didn’t mean to say those things. I wasn’t thinking.”

“No shit you weren’t thinking. If you were thinking then maybe you wouldn’t have said it,” I hissed.

“What can I do to make this better?”

I put my hand to my chin and tilted my head as if I was pondering something.

“I don't know Turner. Is there something else you need?”

 “Yeah, I came here to tell you something.”

“What?”

“Nash is seeing my sister.”

I stopped short, narrowing my eyes and staring at Turner.

“Excuse me?”

“Nash, he’s seeing my sister,” Turner repeated. “She told me the other day. He called her and they’ve been talking. She came down to see him.”

Nash and Turner’s sister? Again? No, there’s no way. There’s no way that’s possible. He was lying.

“You’re a liar,” I whispered. “You would say anything and everything to break Nash and me up. You’re jealous.”

“I am jealous,” Turner admitted. “But I’m not lying. I saw them together yesterday during the day. They were at the park. Why would I lie to you?”

At the park yesterday? That wasn’t possible, I was with Nash yesterday. Well most of yesterday. There were a few hours that I wasn’t with him. But it’s not possible. He wouldn’t do that to me. If she was here Nash would tell me.

“Sorry, I don’t believe you.”

I stood up, nearly toppling the library chair over, and grabbed my stuff.

“Stay away from me, Turner. Stay the hell away from me. Got it?”

I didn’t wait for him to answer. Instead, with my arms full of books, I stomped towards the library doors.

“I’m telling you the truth, Lily,” Turner yelled after me. “Ask Nash! Ask him about my sister being here! She even told me that she was going to see him last night!”

Last night. I felt like I was punched in the gut. The red head? No, no that’s not her. Turner wasn’t a red head and I saw pictures of his sister. She had darker hair than he did. No, it wasn’t her. I was positive.

My emotions were running on high gear and all I wanted to do was throw things. Somewhere in my bag my cell phone was ringing but I didn’t bother to answer it. I knew that it was probably Nash but I didn’t want to talk to him. I wouldn’t know what to say and the sound of my voice would likely tell him something was wrong.

The last thing I wanted to do was mention my encounter with Turner. In reality, though, I didn’t want to talk to anyone. I wasn’t in the right frame of mind at all. Anyone who talked to me would see that and I didn’t want to answer any of the typical questions. I wanted to be left alone. Period.

Turner is a liar.

I kept repeating it.

His sister isn’t here and she definitely didn’t see Nash. Nash was with you all night. If Turner’s sister really was there last night he would have introduced you to her. He’s not ashamed of you, you know that.

Turner’s lying.

I couldn’t convince myself.

My stomach was still in knots when I went back to my dorm room and hopped into the shower. Nash would be gone for a few days with his band and it was probably a good thing. I needed to get my thoughts in order.

Nash returned from his gigs and I still hadn't made a decision whether or not to confront him about seeing Turner's sister. I didn't want him to think that I believed everything Turner told me. However, it was tearing me apart thinking about it and the only way to get rid of the feeling was to know for sure that he wasn't seeing her.

* * *

Nash and I sat together a lot quieter than two people that are dating should. I just couldn't get the thought of Turner's sister and Nash out of my mind.

“You’re a little quiet tonight,” Nash said as he rubbed his hand up and down my back. “Is something wrong?”

“No,” I lied. “Nothing’s wrong. I’m just a little tired.”

Tired was an understatement. I wasn’t sleeping at all; instead I was lying up night after night. Every time I tried to sleep and close my eyes all I could picture was Nash and Turner’s sister together. I kept imagining them wrapped around each other, Nash caressing her body as she kissed his mouth. If I did manage to sleep I would wake up in a cold sweat.

“You’re not sleeping?” he asked.

 He looked concerned which made me feel worse than I already did. I kept picturing the red headed girl talking to Nash at the bar; the ‘fan’ he claimed. I was becoming paranoid. I was creating stories in my head instead of talking to Nash.

I needed to ask him, flat out, whom she was. Ask him if Turner’s sister is really here or if Turner was just trying to ruin what we had.

“Not very good. I have a lot on my mind… Can I ask you something though?”

I looked up at Nash and nearly melted at the concerned look in his eyes. His mouth was puckered in to a frown. He curled a piece of my hair around his finger slowly.

“What’s up? You can ask me anything you want.”

“The redheaded girl at the club the other night,” I said slowly. “Do you know her?”

A look passed across Nash’s face but it quickly disappeared and he smiled.

“She’s just a fan, Lily.”

“But you seemed like you knew her. Like she was more than just a fan.”

Nash shook his head, the amused grin still on his face.

“She’s a fan, only a fan,” he repeated. “She has come to my shows before I ever met you. I think that she’s been coming to the shows since the band started.”

I knew his words were supposed to comfort me but it made me feel worse.

“Can I ask you something else?” I ventured. “Of course…”

“I heard that Turner’s sister was back in town.”