It was a Friday night and I was seated alone at the local bar that was going to be jam-packed soon. I was having a drink by myself thinking about my messed up life. Things used to be simple and good before I met the demon at Kevin's birthday party, the same demon who wanted to play games. To be honest, I was done playing games. I knew for a fact that I couldn't win against Tyler. You needed to be a special type of crazy to challenge him which I clearly wasn't.

"Is this seat taken?"

I turned to face the seat beside me which was vacant a few seconds ago.

This lady was a very gorgeous brunette with long russet brown hair that bordered to black. She sported an amazing tan, a complete opposite to my pale skin and silver-blonde hair, and she wore a short off-shoulder black top and jeans.

She was saying something and I hadn't even listened because I was too mesmerized by her beauty.

"I'm sorry, you were saying?"

She laughed, "Just wanted to know if this seat was taken?"

I shook my head. "No, it's not."

"Great. I was sitting across from you and a lot of drunk men wanted to buy me a drink and then I saw you sitting here alone and thought maybe I could use some company. I LOVE your hair by the way, and that is such a cute dress. Where did you get it from?"

She was a talker!

"I ordered it online. I love everything about you." I smiled, complimenting her in return. "I always wished I had brown hair rather than silver blonde."

"Wanna trade?" She retorted, "honey, I would kill to have your hair and volume. You look like those models on Instagram." She giggled, sipping her drink.

She had a British accent.

"You're wayyy too nice." I said.

"You remind me of Elsa from that Frozen movie."

I never had a woman fawn over me so much, and one who was this attractive. "Well, in that case, you would look like Anna."

"Which would make us both sisters, right?" We giggled like silly girls, and she asked, "Girl, where have you been all my life? Why haven't we met before?"

She definitely didn't seem like the fake bitchy type and I instantly liked her.

"I know right? I don't think you live here in Cold-Bay. Correct me if I'm wrong."

"You're absolutely right." She agreed. "So, what drink would you recommend for me?" She flipped open the drink menu. "Since I'm new to this town, I don't know anything much about this place."

"You should try sex on the beach, it's Amaze-balls."

She ordered one for herself.

"Waiting for company?" Her curious brown eyes peered at me.

She also had amazing makeup skills. Her winged eye-liner was bomb, and let's not even talk about those natural long eyelashes.

"Not really. I'm a loner. I just like coming here on my weekends. I didn't even ask for your name."

"It's Sarah. What's yours?"

"Vicky," I told her out of habit. I usually forgot to say my full name and by the time I would realize, it would be too late.

She and I chatted some more. I told her about my bakery and she promised to visit before she left the country. She told me that she would love if I could show her around town and I assured her I would. It was really nice to have a new friend. We even exchanged numbers and Snapchat ids.

She saw someone behind me and cringed. "Ugh, this guy keeps following me around."

"Who?"

"He's coming this way." She pretended to scroll her phone. "Why can't he just leave me alone?"

"I got your back."

"What?"

"Hey," A burly middle-aged man walked towards us. He looked at me once before he leered at Sarah. "I was looking everywhere for you. Why did you disappear? I thought we were having a good time."

She rolled her eyes. "I told you I was here with someone."

I stood next to Sarah and put my arm around her. "Can you leave my girlfriend alone, please? She's not into men, and especially not the pot-bellied, married ones."

"Your girlfriend?" He gave out a laugh. "Prove it!"

I looked at her and she smiled, pressing against me, I put my arms around her neck and pecked her lips. We stayed that way for a while, her lips were soft. When we pulled away, the man's face blanched and he appeared to look disgusted. "My bad."

We watched him leave and she said, "Being homophobic should be a crime."

"Yeah. I could totally ship him with jail."

"I kissed a girl, I liked it..." she began singing Kathy Perry's song mockingly.

"I haven't had so much fun in a long time."

"Me neither. I hope you don't think I'm too forward Vicky, but it's the first time that I met a girl who has the same interests and preferences as I do. I feel like we should've been best friends even though we met like two hours ago."

I placed my hand on hers, genuinely touched by her words. "If I was a dude I'd marry you. We love the same comics, you're a dog-cat person even though you don't own any pet, and you put the milk before your cereal. Just like me."

"We're soulmates. I think." She agreed, laughing. "Seriously, things would have been so much better."

"Why do you say that?" I took a sip of my second Daiquiri. My new best friend had ordered it for me.

"Well, my boyfriend and I...well...things are a little complicated between us." She admitted.

"Is the sex good?"

I could feel the blush creeping up on her face. "It's fantastic."

"Then what's the problem?"

"I love him, Vicky, but I think he still has feelings for his ex."

"I'm not really an expert in relationships but I can tell you when a guy is a dick, no offense. You're really gorgeous and your personality is beautiful. I think you should talk it out. Whoever this girl that he's hungover, I'm sure he will get over her."

"Or maybe he is already under her." She pouted.

"I doubt she's better than you."

She gave me a weak smile, "I don't know about that actually." Just then, her phone vibrated and she picked it up. "He's here."

I climbed to my feet. "I think I should leave. It's pretty late anyway—"

"There you are."

He came over and hugged her close, kissing the side of her face as she circled her arms around his neck, placing a sloppy kiss on his cheek. "I'm sorry I couldn't come to collect you from the airport."

"It's okay. You can make it up to me later." She said suggestively.

My heart crumpled and a cold sweat broke on my neck as I realized who her boyfriend was.

Tyler.

"Captain, I want you to meet my new best friend," Sarah said indicating towards me. "This is my soul-mate, Vicky. Vicky, this is the man I was telling you about, my boyfriend, Tyler Lockhart."

Tyler was grinning at her and then turned to face me and his expressions changed, like a slate that was completely wiped off. "Vicky!"

"Wait, you two know each other?" she asked excitedly.

I looked at her and then at Tyler.

She was his girlfriend.

And he lied to me...

"Victoria..." Tyler started saying but I held up my hand to stop him. "I want to explain."

I started to leave when he caught my hand. I glared at him, "Let me go!"

Sarah appeared to be crestfallen, and it seemed like she knew what was happening or who I was. "You're Victoria..." fresh tears formed in her eyes as understanding dawned her, "I see."

'Whoever this girl that he's hungover, I'm sure he will get over her.'

How ironic that the supposed "other" woman that her boyfriend couldn't get over was apparently me.

Even though Tyler and I weren't exactly in a relationship, my body felt leaden and my heart felt heavy with sadness. I couldn't stand here and listen to more of Tyler's bullshit excuses.

I snatched my hand out of his grasp and ran out of the bar towards my car. From the corner of my eye, I saw Tyler storming towards me.

I should have been strong, this shouldn't have affected me but it still did!

I had known that he hadn't remained a saint for ten years, hell, I hadn't expected him to, but I also didn't think he was in a relationship and was practically two-timing. This felt like a betrayal.

"Sarah is not my girlfriend." He explained.

"Why are you telling me that? It's none of my business."

Even though you kissed me and tore my clothes off last week in the hotel room.

"Anything concerning me is your business, Victoria, the same way yours is mine."

"If she's not your girlfriend then who is she?" I couldn't keep the jealousy or the venom out of my voice.

His clear blue eyes regarded me as his hand reached out to take mine, "She's...she's my best friend too."

That kinda hurt more than if he had admitted that she was his girlfriend. I'd been his best friend before, and clearly, someone else had taken my place now.

His eyes never wavered. "Sarah and I worked for the same airline and she let me fuck her whenever I wanted to, from time to time."

I closed my eyes and willed myself to breathe. Tyler had a serious case of OCD and it was likely that he was against the idea of having casual sex with different partners. He'd found one woman and latched onto her. His honesty drove me mad most of the time. Even though I liked Sarah, it was suffocating just imagining him with her. Him inside her.

"It was only for six months and we were just friends, and I made myself clear to her. Before I came to Cold-Bay, I told her it was over."

"Sarah seems like an amazing girl. You two..." the words were getting stuck in my throat, "you two look great together."

"No, we don't." He said desperately, "I want you."

"You've hurt me enough, and I don't trust you. I won't make that same mistake again."

Sarah walked out of the club but she made no move to approach us. She stood there and watched us. She was heartbroken, the poor girl. Clearly, she hadn't expected the turn of events.

Tyler caressed my cheek. "I was a major asshole last time you came to see me. I was drunk, remember? And things clearly didn't go the way I wanted them to. Sarah has nothing to do with this. She's just a friend and that's all she's ever going to be."

He said it loud enough for her to hear. I cringed.

"I need one more chance, Vicky, love." Tyler pleaded, "Just one. I promise I'll make things right."

"I've been burned by you so many times that I've run out of chances to give. I'm sorry." I sighed. "I'm also tired of hating you constantly; it takes up a lot of my energy. Can we not do this anymore?"

"What do you wanna do?"

"Stay friends. That's all."

The corner of his mouth turned up. "For now. If that's what you want."

"That's the only thing I would ever want from you."

"You sure about that? Because, I remember you writhing under me the last time that we were together," he retorted.

"That was before you messed up my hair and makeup and made that disgusting comment involving me and Noah."

"I drank myself to a stupor that night. I don't remember anything I said, and I already apologized to you."

"Hear this, Ty. When you're drunk, you're a different person altogether. You're mean and vindictive and I'm afraid that's exactly the personality that you try so hard to hide. Unless you've completely changed yourself, there's nothing going to happen between us."

"You're going to make me work for it, aren't you?" he laughed, desire flickering in his eyes. My heart skittered and I wanted to kick myself for it.

"It's a good thing I like to work hard for things I want." He whispered.

❤️