The Mystery Man

Lindsey’s POV

The clouds drift lazily overhead, streaks of sunlight breaking through to warm the quiet campus. Students shuffle across the quad, some energized, others still half-asleep. Inside the dorm, however, Lindsey is already in full battle mode.

Lindsey: (arms crossed, voice sharp) “Seriously, get your ass up. You need to start getting ready.”

Bellarose’s Thoughts: “Ugh. Why is she so freaking loud? It’s the weekend. No classes. No obligations. Just sleep. After everything that happened yesterday, I deserve silence. Maybe if I play dead, she’ll go away.”

RING! RING! RING!

Lindsey glares at her unmoving friend on the bed. Her patience is thinning.

Lindsey: (snapping fingers) “Bella! Earth to Bella!”

Bellarose: (groaning) “Ugh, Liz! Just leave me alone.”

RING! RING! RING!

The phone continues to keep ringing. Lindsey’s eye twitches.

Lindsey: (shouting) “GOD DAMMIT, BELLA! Wake your ass up and answer your phone!”

Bellarose: (muffled) “Let it go to voicemail. I’m not in the mood, and PLEASE stop yelling.”

Lindsey: (grabbing a pillow and hurling it) “I wouldn’t have to yell if you got out of bed and answered your damn phone!”

SMACK!

A pillow hits her square in the face.

Bellarose: (sitting up, glaring) “HEY! What the hell, Liz?!”

Lindsey: (deadpan) “So you’d answer your damn phone. Someone clearly wants to talk to you.”

Bellarose: (grumbling) “So? Let them leave a voicemail.”

Lindsey: (pointing at the still-ringing phone) “They did. And they’re still calling. So, get-”

Bellarose: (cutting her off, rolling her eyes) “I know, I know. ‘Get my ass up.’ Geez, you’re worse than all my older siblings.”

Lindsey: (smirking) “And that’s why you love me. Now come on we leave in 20 minutes. Get dressed.”

Bellarose: (confused) “Wait, where are we going? It’s the weekend.”

Lindsey: (grinning) “I’m taking you out. You need to forget about that jackass. Wear something comfortable.”

Bellarose: (sighing) “Fine.”

Lindsey: “Good. Now hurry up!”

Kyle’s POV

Meanwhile Kyle walks down the hallway, shoulders tense, sweat beading at his brow. Students pass him, laughing, chatting, oblivious to the storm brewing inside him. His heart pounds as he stops in front of her door.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

Kyle: (softly) “Baby, please open the door.”

A voice responds, but it’s not hers.

Lindsey: (from inside) “Hell no! Jackass, you’ve got five seconds to back away. She doesn’t want to see your sorry excuse of a man’s ass.”

Kyle: (ignoring her) “Liz, I’m not talking to you. I’m talking to my girlfriend.”

Lindsey: (snapping) “You mean ex-girlfriend, Kyle. Ex. Now get away before I shove my foot so far up your ass you’ll taste my shoe.”

Kyle: (desperate) “Please, baby. Please talk to me. I’m so sorry. It was a stupid mistake. She meant nothing to me.

Lindsey: (mocking) “You’re right, Kyle. You’re not talking to me or Bella. You’re talking to a door. Good luck with that.”

Kyle’s fists clench. His jaw tightens.

Kyle: (shouting) “GOD DAMMIT, LIZ! STAY OUT OF IT!”

RING! RING! RING!

Bellarose’s POV

Bellarose stares at her phone, still ringing. Her fingers tremble as she picks it up.

Bellarose: (voice shaky) “Hel-Hello?”

Andy: (gentle) “Sweetpea, you sound sad. What’s wrong? I can hear it in your voice.”

Her breath catches. The sound of her older brother’s voice wrapped around her like a blanket.

Bellarose: (whispering) “Andy…”

Andy: “Sweetpea, talk to me. Please.”

Another voice joins the call.

William: (Softly) “Sis… whatever it is, let us help you through it. Please tell us what’s wrong.”

She wipes a tear from her cheek, lips trembling, just as a third voice chimes in.

Rosabell: (urgent) “Sis, please tell us.”

Lindsey gently takes the phone from Bella’s trembling hands.

Lindsey: “Andy… Bella’s really upset. Her jackass of a boyfriend decided to stick his dick in Kasey last night.”

Andy: (stunned) “What?”

William: (in disbelief) “Did I just hear that right?”

Rosabell: (furious) “That son of a BITCH is a dead man.”

Kyle: (outside the door, pleading) “Please, baby, I messed up. Please forgive me. Let me make it up to you!”

Lindsey: (yelling toward the door) “Kyle, SHUT UP and let the adults finish talking!”

Andy: (voice rising) “Liz… are you saying he cheated on my sister?”

Lindsey: “Yes, Andy! That jackass cheated on Bella. And you ready for the part that’ll really piss you off?”

Andy: “Just tell me.”

William: “What’s worse than cheating?”

Lindsey: “He’s been cheating on her for a whole year. With Kasey. They’ve basically been dating behind Bella’s back, and the worst part. Bella had no idea.”

Andy: (furious) “He WHAT?! I swear I’m gonna-”

The door bursts open.

Lindsey: (startled) “What the HELL, Kyle?! How did you unlock the door?!”

Kyle: (stepping inside) “It’s called a FUCKING key, Liz.”

Lindsey: “Get out of our room! Who gave you a key?!”

Kyle: (smirking) “You keep forgetting my dad’s the president of this college.”

Kyle turns toward Bella, who’s curled up, crying. He kneels beside her and reaches for her knees.

Kyle: (softly) “Baby, I’m-”

Lindsey hits the speaker button on the phone.

Andy: (shouting through the phone) “Kyle, don’t you dare go near my sister. I swear if you touch her-!”

William: (cuts in) “Fuck this. I’m getting the car. Let’s go get her.”

Rosabell: “I’m right behind you, little bro.”

Andy: “Let’s go, and Kyle stay away from her.”

Kyle: (desperate) “No! Andy, I’m trying to make this right!”

Andy: “I SWEAR, KYLE, IF YOU-”

Bellarose: (screaming) “AHHHH!”

Kyle jerks his hands away from her knees.

Bellarose: (voice shaking) “EVERYONE STOP! Just… please, stop yelling.”

Kyle: (softly) “Baby, I’m so sorry.”

Bellarose: (standing, tears streaming) “I’m not your baby anymore. You made that clear when you cheated on me. When I caught you having sex with her. A year Kyle….A whole year you been with her and me.”

Kyle: “Bella, baby, please. I love you. I’m so-”

Bellarose: (cutting him off) “How dare you say you love me? Love isn’t supposed to hurt. You chose her over me. You chose sex then being faithful. You weren’t thinking about me at all you were thinking about only your dick. You knew that I wasn’t ready, and you couldn’t even wait.”

Kyle: “Baby, please, let me explain-”

Bellarose: (final, broken) “I hate you. I fucking hate you, Kyle.”

She runs out of the room, sobbing.

Lindsey's POV

Andy: (through the phone) “Liz, listen to me. Please check on Bella. Stay with her until we get there.”

William: “We’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

Lindsey: “I will. Call me when you arrive.”

She ends the call, shoves Kyle out the door, and locks it.

Lindsey: (coldly) “This is all your fault. You had someone special, and now you’ve lost her for good. Stay away from her.”

She turns and rushes after her friend.

~~~ TOO BE CONTINUE ~~~