Read I Love My Side of the Story for Free Online

‘til it hurts.
“Yep. You still studying at Stella Adler?”
    “Naw. Been working too much. Just learning on set
now.” We all feel the implication of this statement. He’s working. He’s making
a living acting.
    David’s stomach surprisingly saves the day, or I
think maybe Jess kicked him under the table from his jolt. “Well, we’ll catch
up with you later. We’re starving so…”
    Jakes looks around us and cooler than cool, nods
and says, “Right. Right. Well, have at it, then. You all have a good night.
Nice to meet you.” He turns to leave and by some miracle he didn’t mention the
audition! I’m in the clear. I reach for my glass of wine, exchanging a look
with Jess. As I’m about to take a sip, Jake turns and calls loudly, “Oh, Amber!
See you at the call back! Spike Jonze. Incredible. Can’t wait!” He gives a
fist-pump and turns away.
    I freeze, the glass to my lips. I don’t drink. I
don’t breathe. I feel Josh’s hand go lax, holding mine like a dead fish. An
asshole-liar-girlfriend-jerkhead dead fish.
    Jess frowns at me, trying to understand why the
air just got putrid. She thinks so well of me that it never occurs to her the
gravity of my misdeed, never even enters her mind. David sees and understands
something is amiss and rushes to rescues us. “I don’t know about you guys but,
that guy’s a dick. Hey Josh, here’s to your commercial, man. National! That’s
amazing news.”
    Josh’s response is stilted as he says thanks. I
bring my glass to theirs, for the group-clink, but Josh downs his Bookers
bourbon on the rocks in a single gulp. He puts it down with a loud exhale and a
thunk that makes us all exchange glances. The waiter arrives serendipitously
and asks, “Ready to order?”
      “YES!”
Jess, David and I all answer, so loudly that he jumps.
    __________________

 
    We managed to get through dinner but when it’s
over and Josh and I say goodbye to our friends, we watch them get into a cab,
smiling and waving, and Josh turns to me before they’ve even driven off. But he
doesn’t look me in the eyes. “I’m tired. Think I’m going to sleep at my place
tonight.”
    “Oh. Okay. Yeah, if that’s what you want.”
    He runs his fingers through his hair and looks
down at the sidewalks as he says, “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
    “I hope so,” I say, wishing he’d look up, but not
having the guts to ask for anything. “Oh.” Reaching into my bag, I pull out a
shiny set of unused keys. “I had these made for you today.”
    “Great.” He slides them into his pocket. “Sleep
well, Amber.”
    “Okay. You too.” He walks away to the corner and hails
a cab. Why did one have to come so soon? Maybe I would have worked up the nerve
to explain. As the taillights fade down the street, I pull out my phone and
call Nicole.
    “Hey honey. How was dinner?” she asks, smiling on
the other end.
    “Bad. You have a minute?”
    “Sure. I’m just working on a piece, so I’m alone.
What’s up?”
    “We ran into Jake Lombardi.”
    “Jake two-weeks-in-bed Jake?”
    “That’s the one.” I move to the side so a couple
holding hands can pass me. They look so happy. I should be them right now. If I
wasn’t a dick.
    “So? What happened?” she asks.
    “Jake made it clear we weren’t just acquaintances by the way he looked
at me.” The sidewalk needs a good cleaning. Look at all the gum stuck to it…
    “He didn’t! That cocky son of a bitch.”
    “Which is why he’s so good in bed,” I admit,
ruefully.
    “Which is why that’s all he’s good for. Honey, Josh is your man. He loves you. You’re
moving in together. So he saw you’re wanted by a hot guy? A little jealousy is
good for a man’s get up and go, if you know what I mean. You have nothing to
worry about,” she assures me. I’m not sold. I want so badly to tell her what I
did. The other layer to this is crucial…
    “Nicole?” I ask, silent tears that I will not
speak of, fall down my cheeks.
    “Yeah, Amb?