Dirty Addiction (Dirty 2)

I don’t argue with her. I’ve found that it isn’t worth it. I just do what she says, whether I agree with it or not. At this point, I hope she loses the election, that way I don’t have to stay with her longer than another month.

I walk down the hallway to the small dressing room, where I find the suit that she wants me to wear, already hanging on the rack. I put it on, but something doesn’t feel right. It doesn’t make sense why she would want me so dressed up unless something special was happening tonight.

I get an uneasy feeling in my stomach. Lily likes to spring things on me during the interview, that way I can’t protest what she is saying. I just have to go along with it as true.

Lily is happier than usual. She’s far too excited about our interview. Something’s up. I just hope I can figure it out before she tells some other ridiculous lie about our relationship.

Lily slips her hand into mine. I fight the urge to pull my hand out of hers. I still haven’t figured out what she’s planning for the interview, but honestly, I’m not sure I care. Whatever it is, I’ll smile and go along with it. I only have a few months left and then I’m gone anyway. There is nothing she can do to hurt me anymore.

We are announced and then we walk out, hand in hand, to the couch where we will be interviewed.

I smile and pretend I’m the happiest man in the world, even though I’m the most miserable one. I’ve gotten pretty good at faking it though. That, or no one really wants to look past what I display on the surface.

We take a seat, still holding hands. Phoebe starts asking us questions and I let Lily do most of the talking as usual. I’m just here as arm candy. I’m just here to make Lily look better.

“So you two have more big news to announce? Is it wedding plans?” Phoebe asks excitedly.

“We haven’t set an exact wedding date yet. I’ve always wanted a summer wedding so maybe June,” Lily says, looking at me with a toothy smile.

I nod. Thank God she’s not announcing that we are getting married next week. That would be a hard no for me. There is no way I’m marrying Lily.

“But we do have some exciting news to share,” Lily says, rubbing her stomach.

No! I scream in my head. She is not going to pull this crap on me. I can’t keep a happy face, I glare at her a little, trying to put a stop to this before it starts.

Lily grips my hand tighter to try and get me to stop.

“We’re expecting!” Lily shouts.

“Oh my god! How exciting!” Phoebe says.

The crowd cheers and my scowl

deepens.

Phoebe doesn’t miss my change in expression. When the crowd stops she turns to me.

“Carter, you look less than excited about this news. Care to share your feelings about this development?”

The crowd falls silent.

I take a deep breath. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m more than excited to be a father. I just thought we were going to wait a little while longer before we shared the news. It’s still very early in her pregnancy and a lot could go wrong. I just wanted to share this special time with her in private.”

“Aw, how sweet. Well, don’t worry. I’m sure her pregnancy will go perfectly and you two will have plenty of intimate time together.”

I don’t listen to the rest of the interview. I’m too frustrated to pay attention. I don’t know how she came up with this hair-brained idea anyway. There is no way she can pull off a pregnancy. And what’s going to happen when she is supposed to have given birth and there is no baby?

I look over behind the stage and I see her. Just for a split second. Victoria. She’s here. This was her idea. She’s trying to hurt me. Still.

She can continue to hurt me the rest of our lives if that’s what she wants, but I would prefer for her to hurt me while being mine. Or at the very least talking to me again so that I can see that she is happy without me.

The second that the interview is over, I jump up off the couch and run, needing to talk to her again. I just need to hear that she is through with me, if that’s what this is meant to be. I’m tired of playing games. If she still hates me, I need to hear it from her own lips.

When I get backstage though, I don’t see her anywhere. As usual, she disappeared before I have a chance to talk to her. She ran. Again.

I run my hand through my hair and take a deep breath. I’m going to find her. This ends now.

“It was Victoria’s idea, but I’m guessing you have already figured that out,” Lily says from behind me.