False Romantic

After her second drip bag had run its course, Joseph helped Stacy make her way out of the hospital, toward where he'd parked his car.

Charlotte was there, waiting.

The moment he saw her, Joseph immediately let go of Stacy. "Charlotte! You're still here?"

Charlotte stared at the other woman for a moment, her smile faltering a little. "There was something else I needed to discuss with you, Joseph. But this is…?"

Accustomed to keeping their relationship under wraps, Joseph smoothly replied, "This is my sister's best friend. She's fallen ill, so my sister asked me to bring her to a doctor."

Hearing Joseph describe her in such terms, Stacy suddenly found it a little hard to breathe, as though something was constricting her throat.

For years, she'd struggled to understand why their relationship had to be kept secret. At first, she'd assumed that Joseph was afraid of what Jeanne might say… but now she understood. The real secret was the one he'd been keeping from her, the one standing before them right now.

Joseph didn't want Charlotte to find out.

Stacy forced herself to smile, and weakly spoke up to say, "Hello, I'm Stacy Rivers."

At this, Charlotte's smile brightened with more sincerity. She introduced herself, and then got straight to business. "My friends are throwing a party to welcome me back. Joseph, will you go with me? Stacy's welcome, too! The more the merrier! And I'm always happy to make new friends!"

Stacy meant to turn her down, but Joseph answered first, agreeing to everything.

The car door was opened for her. She had no choice but to get in.

The whole ride, Joseph kept probing around for conversation topics, and Charlotte was happy to revisit her mutual past with him.

"I see you've still got these strawberry candies in your car, Joseph! Remember that New Year's Day event, when I had to go on stage to perform on the piano, but I was absolutely trembling from stage fright? You asked me if there was anything that might help to calm my nerves, and I mentioned strawberry candy… then you ran outside, through the pouring rain, to buy some for me! After that, every time I saw you, you always had some more of that candy for me.

"Oh, isn't this…? I sent you a photo once, to show you the super cute teddy bear that I'd found somewhere… and you bought the same thing, yourself?

"Mmmm… Joseph, you smell good! It's that brand of men's fragrance I pointed out that time, isn't it? The one I described as 'wildly alluring!' And so you've been using it ever since!"

In the backseat, Stacy listened in on all this in sullen silence. Apparently, Joseph was the sort of guy who made countless romantic gestures for the girl he liked, and never missed even the tiniest details.

In the rearview mirror, she could see that his ears had gone red. Charlotte was bringing up stories from ages ago… did he still feel so strongly about those moments, even now?

But then again, this was his first love, innocent and pure.

They arrived at a pub, and Stacy found herself a hiding place in the corner.

Meanwhile, Joseph took a seat beside Charlotte, as though it were the most natural thing in the world. He shrugged off his jacket and handed it to her, so she could use it as a lap blanket.

Noticing this little gesture, everyone whooped and whistled.

"It's been five years, man! Joseph still acts like Charlotte's boyfriend? Are the two of you just gonna drink out of the same glass, tonight? Hah!"

"No one should be surprised, honestly! Joseph's still single, and he's a legal adult now! If Charlotte wills it, he'll drink this pub's entire stock all by himself, just to make her happy!"

Joseph glanced toward Stacy. She appeared to be distracted, looking at her phone. Nevertheless, he felt the need to send her a message now.

[They're just having a bit of fun, don't mind them. It's not like they know about us. I don't wanna start any drama when everyone's here for Charlotte tonight… but I'll find the right moment to announce our relationship to everyone next time.]

Next time? There would be no next time.

Soon, the drinking games began. Stacy lost the very first round, and the penalty was three glasses. Joseph wanted to help her with this, but no one would allow it.

"Whoa, there! The rule is, you can't share someone's drinks unless you get their permission! Miss Rivers, you're a mature woman, no stranger to the real world… three cups is nothing for you, am I right?"

'Mature woman'… Stacy didn't like the undertone behind that.

She couldn't bear to show any weakness, not now when she was just about to leave Joseph… and so she downed it all, ignoring how unwell she felt. Her reward was a round of applause and cheering.

Charlotte lost the next round. She glanced briefly towards Joseph. Understanding what she'd meant by this, the drink was served to him, in her stead.

Without hesitation, he drained the glass.

Charlotte went on to lose several more rounds, and Joseph paid the price each time. Soon, he was staggering drunkenly toward the restroom.

Ten minutes later, when he still hadn't returned yet, Stacy got up and left, and then found him at the staircase. The moment he caught sight of her, he yanked her into his arms, babbling senselessly.

"Charlotte, I'm so glad you've come back to me at last, after all this time… I want to spend the rest of my life with you, making you happy… I swear you'll have nothing but the very best… that's why I've spent five years learning how to sweet-talk a woman, buy her gifts… I'm a good kisser, now! I'll be so good to you! I'll make you feel like the luckiest woman who ever lived! So, please… say you'll be mine, won't you? I really, really, really like you…"

Every word cut deep into her heart, with a searing flash of agony.

She gazed at him, unable to hide the pain and sorrow in her eyes. Bit her lip so hard that her teeth broke the skin, and her tongue tasted the sharp tang of blood.

She asked, "Joseph… what exactly am I to you?"