"So let me get this straight... you have made me an accomplice to breaking Morgan's heart... for that abusive bitch Annie" Spencer asked. Her dark brown eyes bore into Joplin and mine as we sit opposite her in the hive.
"Boys" Betty greets with her note pad and pen poised "what can I get you this morning" she asks.
We all broke tense eye contact finally and looked to our menus with a casual glance knowing exactly what we wanted already. The menus were pointless in a town that had had that same darn menu for thirty years.
"A black coffee and granola bowl please Betty" Spencer answered first.
Joplin looked up to Betty with a teasing smile "I think you know my order already and this little" she pauses pointing between them both "this little courtesy is unnecessary... you know me Betty by now"
Betty rolls her eyes "I know nothing... tell me what you want or go hungry"
Joplin's lips lift with amusement. She loved winding her up "I think we both know I won't. My usual please" she says despite Betty's face looking unamused.
We all knew she had a soft spot for Joplin's teasing. She was the annoying little child that you couldn't help but love despite wanting to tear your hair out sometimes.
"And I will just have a smoothie Betty... I can't eat" I confess.
Spencer and Joplin both throw me a look "Leah if you don't eat you will shrink to nothing... who the hell wants to watch an exhausted Skeleton play on the WNBA in May. You better order something of substance or I'm going to go to your Momma and tell on you" Spencer reprimands, sticking out her tongue.
"Pancakes" Betty suggests.
I nod "okay" I give in begrudgingly.
Joplin turns back to Betty with a frown, pointing her finger accusingly "oh so you admit to knowing Leah's order...but feign any knowledge of mine. Sure Betty... sure... I see you... I know what you are trying to do...and it's okay... because I know deep down you love me"
Betty looks back to her as if she's thinking 'is she quite done' and nods with a fake smile before walking away.
Spencer snaps her fingers and Jo and I jump back to attention "back to the issue please... you've both dragged me into this drama with Morgan. Is that what you are telling me" she asks frustratedly.
I hold my head in my hands with shame and Joplin shrinks into her seat a little "Spencer it was the only thing we could suggest that would make her leave..."
"To suggest I was fucking Lee" she asks.
I shut my eyes briefly with embarrassment, and another wave of shame rolls over me.
Jo looks around to see if anyone overheard and she glared back at Spencer "a little louder Spen I don't think Betty quite heard you out back"
"I don't like this" Spencer argues.
I drop my hands from my face and look to her "neither do I... I can't eat. I can't sleep. I literally spend every hour of every day forcing myself not to pick up my cell and call her. I can end this all now. I know it. If I called and explained, but then Annie would do the unthinkable..."
"That bitch" Jo utters coldly.
"Why can't you call her and tell her and then both just keep this charade going until the divorce is finalised. Annie wouldn't have to know" Spencer suggests.
"Annie has eyes on Morgan all of the time..." I reveal.
"What do you mean" Spencer asks curiously as Betty returns, tray larger than her, in hand, placing down the coffee beside Spencer. She places my smoothie beside me and then finally with a sarcastic glare, Joplin's sweet honey tea.
Joplin looks down to the steaming cup of sweet smelling tea and smiles up at Betty "you remembered" she says sarcastically, pretending to gush, hand over heart. Betty rolls her eyes up and disappears back to the kitchen.
"She has access to the security cameras in Morgan's house" i reveal.
Spencer and Joplin look back to me open mouthed "exactly" I add looking to them both "this isn't that easy to solve. I literally have to break Morgan's heart in order to release her from that monster. I'm not sure I will survive it, let alone Morgan ever forgive it..."
I feel my stomach constrict. The turmoil inside of me feels acidic, like in time it could erode everything, all of the love that had flourished between Morgan and I these past six months, all tainted and destroyed, until it was like we never were at all, and like we never even existed. That was Annie's goal I presumed. I think she would meet it, because Morgan and I only had one week together, was that enough to survive this?! I wasn't sure it was. Morgan had been through a lot, she would be retreating back right now into her shell, armour placed on, wall erected, and no doubt ghosting again for sport, just to dull the ache.
Morgan touching another, and being with someone else because she thought I had abandoned her. It was a thought that made bile rise in my throat.
Spencer reached across the table and places her hand on mine "You will survive it Lee... we will help you... but you have to eat and you have to work out. The season won't wait and I won't have you almost throw it all away over a woman again. KC almost destroyed you once. I won't let Annie do it too"
"Me neither" Joplin adds leaning into me affectionately.
"Boys" Betty says sidling up to the table, and placing down Spencer's granola. She went on to place down my protein pancake stack, and then begrudgingly, Joplins Bacon. It was extra crispy, with scrambled eggs, one hash brown and an overly buttered slice of toast.
Joplin sits up and smiles ear to ear.
"Don't even say it" Betty demands and she walks away before Joplin can tease her.
"You know if Betty were a hundred years younger you would make a great enemies to lovers story" Spencer says with a wicked glint in her eye, as she spooned granola into her mouth.
Joplin sighs "I bet Betty was a cutie too"
***
"So Lee, are you going to make me ask why Morgan would think you and I were hooking up? Why was that the easy out?" Spencer asks as I drive her to the hospital to start her shift. Joplin I had already dropped at her house.
I hesitate and grip the steering wheel a little tighter. I really didn't want to admit that Morgan and I had spoken about her because she was my first crush. It would only make things awkward for me at home. I had another month or two left in Honey Falls before I went to training camp, enough time to make our time together awkward as hell and then I would have to avoid Spencer after years of missing her whilst she was away studying. I hadn't had those feelings for her since eleventh grade. I had got past all that bullshit.
"Morgan doesn't know you so well. It was the first thing we could think of that would make her leave... if she thought I was with someone else" I lie.
She raises an eyebrow and looks to me sideways "I know a lie when I hear one Lee Lee but I won't push..."
"Spencer it was honestly nothing... and I'm sorry I threw you into this drama. I know you hate it." I apologise, pulling into the parking lot of the hospital.
"Leah please just promise me you will look after yourself" she says grabbing her purse and unbuckling her seat "I don't want to have to spend my days worrying about you when I'm elbow deep in a rib cage"
I turn back to her and grimace "Eew" I say face screwed up.
She smiles "exactly... so behave and train... make this entire thing count for something, throw your anger and upset into training and head to camp in April an absolute machine. Make this season one to count, and show that bitch that she hasn't won a damn thing. Then go claim your girl right back. Annie will go down in flames ... and you will finally both be free"
I feel a weight lift momentarily from my heart as if I dare hope for that ending to this mess. I reach forward and pull Spencer into a hug "thank you I needed that" I whisper.
She squeezes my jacket with her fingers at my waist "of course... you're my girl... I got you" she says as we part. She smiles softly and reaches for the door "see you Wednesday ... drinks at the apiary?" She asks.
I nod "that sounds good"
She shuts the door and takes off across the car park. She pulls her dark hair up into a ponytail as she walks. I watch her go before dropping my eyes to my cell. A brand new one. I flick to my social media. I had blocked Morgan's as soon as I got home from New York. I couldn't see her or have her see me, but it seemed a part of me had been lax in allowing Lydia Keaton to remain on my following list, and it was because I still needed to know, and to see that she was okay. Lydia however, had just unfollowed me and I went into my DMs to find a message from her to.
I can't believe you were worse than Annie... you are dirt Leah, absolute fucking dirt.... Don't ever contact Morgan again!
I feel the sting of a tear leave my eyes "worse than Annie" I read out loud and the anger that built up inside of me wasn't normal. I punched the steering wheel. My fist ricochets off of the hard centre, and the horn beeps loudly over the car park.
I would do what Spencer suggested and work this out in the gym because she was right there was only one thing I could control and that was myself. I would make myself stronger, faster, and better. I would take Annie's poison and turn it into an elixir, one that would eventually heal Morgan and I. God, I hoped she would heal. If I couldn't get Morgan back. I couldn't think it. The pain it caused was too much. I had to get to work, and it would start now. I drive out of the car park and straight home to get changed for the gym.