Chapter 25

"Do you want to maybe see a movie?" Asks Amy from beside me on the couch. It was Saturday, and I invited her over for company, needing any sort of distraction from last night.

"Sure, what's out?" I ask while scrolling through my phone, trying to avoid the unknown contact that my eyes kept falling on.

"I think 'Little Women'? I love that book; we should totally go see it!" She said excitedly while looking at the theatre site on her own phone.

Laughing, I stood up, "Great! Buy two tickets; I'm going to shower." Walking to my room, I got my stuff ready for the shower.

"Hey, we're gonna have to see an earlier showing. Leo's brother has a birthday party tonight around 8, and I promised I'd go," I heard Amy yell from the living room. Stepping into the shower, I yelled back an okay and got to work.

I didn't take long, a quick 15-minute shower to refresh, and I was out and getting dressed. I pulled on some blue jeans and a tight black blouse. Blow-drying my hair would take too long, so I just towel-dried my long hair and called it a day.

"We leave in 10 for the 5:00 movie; get your ass out here," yelled Amy. I laughed, shaking my head, and threw on some shoes, as well as grabbing my brown fall coat.

"Have you talked to Cel since Monday?" Amy asked, and I shook my head no as she hailed us a cab.

"No, have you?" I asked as we slid in the back seat of a cab that just pulled in front of us. I buckled up, telling the driver where we are headed, and turned to Amy.

"I did actually; she's coming to the movies." She smiled, looking out the window. I stilled.

I'm sure Cel had told Amy that she caught me and Callum. And I hadn't talked to her since that night. I didn't know whether or not she had held any sort of feelings towards Callum, or any sort of resentment towards me for dancing with him.

"We're here," said the driver, and I followed Amy out the door she had opened.

"Cel isn't mad about... Monday, right?" I asked quickly. Amy stopped, turning to me. "Of course not! Why would she?" She asked, looking at me confused.

"I wasn't sure if she had, I don't know. Wanted to get with Callum..." I quickly said.

She raised her brows.

"Relax, she didn't care at all. Now come on, let's go inside, she's waiting." She shook her head, moving to the doors of the theatre. I followed her, hugging my coat to me, hoping what she said was true.

"I'm gonna print out our tickets at the counter, why don't you go find Cel by the candy counter. That's where she said she'd be." Smiling, I nodded my head okay at Amy and set off to find Cel.

"Hey!" I said when I saw her sitting at a table waiting. But she wasn't alone.

"Gianna, nice to meet you." She smiled and looked to the person next to her.

"This is Jameson; he's decided to string along." She said, introducing us.

My mouth dried up, and my body stilled as I looked at the short man I'd seen just days ago raking his nasty eyes up and down my body.

"Hello." I said quickly and threw a fake smile.

"Where is Amy?" She asked while placing her hand in Jameson's. I think I'm going to be sick. "At the ticket counter," I said, turning to watch people pass.

"Why don't you take a seat, Gianna; it's nice to meet you." Said the voice of Jameson. Turning, I met his cold eyes and his sly smirk. I slowly settled in the empty chair next to Cel.

Watching them both, I noticed how Cel looked almost smug.

"So how'd you meet?" I asked.

"Monday night after you left the club suddenly," she narrowed her eyes and continued. "Jameson here asked for a dance, and now here we are." So he'd been seeing Cel since Monday. And on Wednesday he had practically undressed me with his eyes. Disgusting.

"Nice." I said, avoiding Jameson's eyes. Pulling at the sleeves of my coat, I looked for Amy. I spotted her walking towards us, eyes on Jameson with confusion.

"Who's this?" She said bluntly. Cel rolled her eyes. "Jameson, he's my date for the night." She said, smiling back at Jameson again.

"I didn't know we were bringing dates; would've brought Leo." She said innocently and waved us up with her hands. "Come come, let's go to theatre 5; that's where our showing is." And with that, she turned to the direction of the theatre's. I stood, following her, Cel and Jameson just behind me.

"I'm going to go to the bathroom beforehand." I said quickly and turned to the ladies' room. Amy nodded and kept walking.

Rushing to a stall, I sat down on the closed toilet lid.

Why the fuck was he here? And Cel? Her face? She was definitely holding a grudge from the other night. I just don't understand why she can't act like an adult and talk to me about it. But who am I to talk. I'm currently huddled in a bathroom stall to avoid the issue at hand.

Irrational thinking flashed my thoughts, and I pulled out my phone.

Unknown

Me: Jameson knows Cel. They're here together at our movie night.

We hadn't talked since last night. None of us reaching out after what he said before goodnight. None of us wanting to address it.

A reply came quickly.

Unknown: What the fuck do you mean Gianna. Cel? Who's Cel?

Shaking my head at his blatant disrespect at forgetting her existence I responded.

Me: The woman who... you walked in with at the bar Monday night. Amy and I's friend.

Unknown: Son of a bitch.

Unknown: Which theatre? I'll come get you.

Me: No. I don't need to be rescued Callum. Just confused.

Unknown: Stop being stubborn; you know the asshole he is. Let me pick you up.

Me: No, I have to catch a movie. Was just letting you know.

And with that, I put my phone back in my bag. Stupid idea. I'm so fucking stupid.

Getting up, I went to the sinks to wash up. As I was drying my hands, I felt the vibration of my phone from my back pocket. I knew it was Callum, so I ignored it.

Walking to the theatre, our showing was in, my eyes scanned the rows in search of my friends. I spotted Amy's red hair illuminated by the mood lighting of the pre-show commercials. She waved me over. Thankfully, I slid to her left, and Cel and Amy took her right.

"Just in time. It's about to start." Said Amy. I cast my eyes to Cel, watching as they narrowed on my own. She looked to Jameson, who had that annoying smirk on his face. Always cocky.

Taking my phone out, I went to turn it off when the message from Callum caught my eye.

Unknown: Come tonight. I know Amy is going with Leo. Go with them.

My eyes widened just a bit, and I quickly turned it off. I couldn't possibly invite myself to whatever they had planned. That would not end well.

Nothing ends well... with the two of us.

"So Jameson, what do you do for work?" Asked Amy, waiting for the show to start. His eyes slid to hers and then to mine.

"Business." Was all he said. "My father is quite the reputable guy; I work for him." He said, turning back to Mads, smirking at whatever she whispered to him.

"Oh yeah, Cel tells me you're a friend of Callum Black." He said, looking at me. Keeping my eyes on him, I narrowed them and answered.

"Not really, I know him from a program I take of his." I said quickly. Keeping my tone flat and meeting his challenge.

"What you did at the club wasn't quite professional, was it, Gianna?" Said Cel with a smirk on her face. She looked to me, watching my face fall.

"Ok, enough of Networking. Movies starting, everyone shut up." Said Amy as she eyed me skeptically, knowing more than the rest. And then she moved them to Cel and Jameson.

"Leave her alone, let's just watch Little Women. I love Timothée Chalamet." She said with a dreamy voice and turned to the bug screen.

The lights dimmed and I settled into the chair. Running my hands over my thighs and trying to calm my heart rate at Mads accusations.

Tonight was already a disaster, and I knew it was not over yet.