The One Read Free Page A

phone buzzed.
    I groaned. My mother had been extra involved
in my life lately and I was getting tired of constant calls from her.
    “Should I let it go to voice-mail?” I asked.
    “Do you think she’s seen the video?”
    “Oh shit.” I let out a sigh. “I didn’t even
think of that.”
    Ellie pointed to my phone. “It was just a
text.”
    “A text?” I looked up Ellie with a question on my face. “But
nobody texts me but you.” And Jason, my subconscious reminded me.
    My fingers trembled as I reached for the
phone. I opened the message and my heart jumped at the name.
    Jason Powers.
    “It’s Jason!” I was a little too excited.
    “What did he say?”
    I opened the text and read the message.

 
    Jason (7:15PM): Can you swing by the
penthouse? We need to talk.

 
    “He wants to talk,” I said. My voice was shaky
and I wasn’t sure if this was a good or bad thing.
    “About what?”
    “He doesn’t say.” I looked up at Ellie. “He
wants me to go to the penthouse.”
    “Well that’s good. He wants to see you in
person.”
    “Yeah.” My heart was racing in my chest.
    “When does he want you to go?”
    I read the text again. “He doesn’t say.”
    “Maybe you should go now.”
    “Should I?”
    I wanted to. But I reigned in my wild heart. What if it was something bad?
    What if he wanted me to gather all my belongings and
leave the penthouse for good?
    What if he was suing me for that video?
    There were so many ways this could go wrong.
    “I think you should,” Ellie said, breaking my
concentration.
    “Okay.” I swallowed. I got up and put my phone
in my purse. “I’ll see you later.”

 
 

~Chapter 4~
    I drove slower than I ever had on my way to
Jason’s. My hands were so shaky that I wasn’t even sure if I should be driving,
but still I made my way into the downtown core of the city.
    I still had my key so I made my way into the
elevator and pushed the button for the penthouse floor. My heart raced in my
chest to the point where it was buzzing. I fiddled with the key and nearly
dropped it due to my clammy hands.
    Trying to breathe, I wondered whether I should
expect the worst. Was I getting sued? Kicked out? I didn’t know and a part of
me wanted to turn back, but the elevator was already shooting up towards the
penthouse and I wouldn’t get away before the doors opened onto Jason’s
penthouse suite.
    Tears welled up in my eyes. I wasn’t sure how
ready I was to see Jason and be reminded of the hurt I had instilled in him.
    There was no turning back now.
    The elevator reached the top floor. The ring
of the elevator sounded loudly, startling me and putting my already racing
heart on edge.
    I squeezed my eyes shut, not ready to see the
official end of this relationship. I heard the doors slide open. Still keeping
my eyes shut, I stood in the elevator for a moment.
    “Hello Sophia.”
    Jason’s voice.
    It had been so long since I heard it that it
put my ears at ease.
    He didn’t sound angry.
    “Jason,” I mumbled.
    I heard a chuckle. “You can open your eyes.”
    As soon as I opened my eyes the elevator doors
began sliding shut. In that split second I saw Jason’s sparkling brown eyes
looking into mine. The doors whooshed close. Jason and I simultaneously lunged
forward to put our arms between the doors and stop them from closing. His hand
brushed mine as we set off the censor, causing the doors to open again.
    Jason stood in front of me. I could still feel
the area on my hand where he brushed me.
    “Jason,” I looked up into his face. But he
stopped me. Taking my hands in his, he looked at me. He didn’t look angry or
spiteful. In fact, he seemed the opposite of all those things.
    “Sophia.” He stopped to collect his words.
“Come in.” He stepped back a few steps and pulled me inside. It wasn’t until
then that I noticed the rest of the apartment. There were bouquets of flowers
everywhere — red, white, and purple roses, daisies, sunflowers, baby’s