"No, Kai always feeds me and makes sure I am safe," I clarified after I sat between Zach on my left and Alejandro on my right with Crystal across from me between them too.
"Well, he does that but fails to give you your independence," Alejandro said bitterly as Crystal hit him in his vast chest.
"You know we are only worried about you," Crystal expressed.
"I get it," I neutrally said to hide my frustrations as Alejandro touched my shoulder.
"I'm sorry," he implied. "It just breaks my heart to see my brother and the love of his life get separated like this. Those Collins lied to us about you being dead and then you were coerced to marry Kai. And Kai brainwashed you to think Orlando cheated."
"He did cheat!" I said adamantly. "And you knew he and Ashley were in bed together that morning. That's why you tried stopping me from entering your dorm."
"I never agreed with his actions," Alejandro clarified delicately. "I tried stopping you, not to hide it from you. I was trying to protect you from seeing something so devastating."
"And those photos Kai showed me?" I questioned since I don't know what to think or who to believe anymore.
"Come on, Victoria!" Alejandro began. "That was me! You know I change my women as much as I change my socks."
"I think you change your woman more compared to your socks," Crystal joked which broke the tension that we all started to laugh.
"Again I forgot to bring an extra pair that day after the gym," Alejandro justified.
"Yeah, on the same day I had to pick you up!" Crystal giggled. "My car reeked like your smelly feet for over a month!"
We all laughed as Zach added, "yeah, that was pretty bad."
"I remembered that," I said, giggling with everyone. It was like old times for us to remember those days. Those days before life twisted me into a rollercoaster ride of chaos and devastation.
"It's nice to see you smile Victoria," Zach pats my shoulder before he takes a bite out of his donut.
"Since we've been hanging out, she's been smiling so much," Crystal mentioned and then slipped the straw on her iced coffee.
"I have been," I shared. "It's nice to get some of my life back."
"So you're definitely going to the University?" asked Zach.
"I plan on it but..." I said halting in my sentence.
"You're talking about Kai," Zach asked as Alejandro tried not to roll his eyes.
"I still have yet to tell him but I plan on going whether he likes the idea or not," I firmly asserted.
"Good," Alejandro commented. "You need to show Kai your feisty side that you always showed Orlando."
"Trust me, I am not backing down," I giggled and they laughed.
"Anyways, did you think about what I asked a few weeks ago about you seeing Orlando again?" Crystal asked me and I knew she'd eventually ask me again at some point.
"I just don't think I can," I truthfully shared. "It's too hard to see him after everything that has happened."
"But he's been dying to see," Alejandro stressed. "This is killing him, Victoria."
"And you don't think it's not killing me too," I said heartbroken. "It's not like anything can or will be the same between us." I swallowed hard as tears swelled my eyelids. "He needs to move on from me."
Alejandro lifted my chin so I couldn't avoid his sight. "He will never move on from you," he said sincerely. "There isn't a day that goes by that he's not searching on how to get you out of this marriage with Kai. This way you guys can get married."
"There isn't any way out of this," I shook my chin free, telling them. "And if I end up pregnant with Kai's baby, I can't see Orlando wanting me if that were to happen. Even if I do get free from Kai. I can't see Orlando taking in a Collin child as his own."
They were shocked at what to say at the moment. "You aren't implying to us that you're pregnant?" Zach asked me with a frowning expression.
"No, I'm on birth control," I giggled, lightly. "Kai doesn't know I'm taking it because he wants a baby."
"Well, good," Alejandro said, relieved. "Stay on it and do not give in to his will. It's your body, not his. Orlando would never do this to you."
"Orlando and I talked about wanting children after marriage," I said with warmness in my heart before it withered to emptiness. "But that will never happen now."
"You don't know that," Alejandro claimed. "Even if you got pregnant with Kai's baby. Orlando would take you and your baby in as his because that baby is yours."
I frowned, "let's just change this topic."
They gestured to understand where I was coming from. We talked about old times and I shared with them about my plans to leave Kai if it came down to it. They were happy to hear my plan and told me to tell them if it comes down to that.
Time flies by too fast. We said our goodbyes and I left after I changed and sprayed myself with perfume. One last time, we waved our goodbye again and walked away in opposite directions on the sidewalk.
~~~
As I was strolling to the office building steps. Between the crowds, I stopped dead in my tracks and my heart floundered in fear. Rex was right there far enough away but close enough that he could still grab me if he wanted to.
His eyes veered off across the street and I saw the man in a trench coat that never wears a shirt. I turned around and found three more of his buddies behind me, barely ten feet away. My breath was turning frail and I looked back at Rex as another buddy walked up next to him.
His grin lifted in this wicked glee. Without a second glance, I dodged up the steps as Rex and his gang followed across from me on each side just far enough away. It was like a race to reach the building's entry. Until their shoes stopped when I flew inside the glass door.
"REX!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. People looked at me before a load of security guards went flying outside. By then, Rex and his gang were off the steps and went down the sidewalk before anyone could catch them.
"It's alright, Victoria," the kind security cupped me in his arms. "You're safe."