Nixon stood there for a moment longer, grappling with the whirlwind of emotions swirling within him, confusion mixed with a desperate need for clarity from the woman he married who seemed to have become a mystery.
Nixon turned slightly at the sound of footsteps behind him. He glanced over his shoulder and immediately recognized Leyla, tousled hair and flushed cheeks from exertion. "Leyla?" he called out, concern creeping into his voice. "Why are you here?"
Leyla slowed down, approaching an apologetic smile. "I… I saw you leaving and thought I might be of help," she panted, trying to catch her breath.
Nixon instinctively stretched his arms out to her as she reached him, supporting her as she leaned into his embrace. "Hey, take it easy," he said while gently patting her back. "You're okay now." He pulled back slightly to look into her eyes, searching for any sign of distress.
Shaelyn couldn't help but roll her eyes at how natural their proximity seemed, as if they were two magnets drawn together, oblivious to the world around them.
Leyla nodded vigorously, though there was a hint of mischief in her gaze that made Nixon raise an eyebrow in confusion. "Come on I'm fine! Really! Just… a little out of shape," she replied sheepishly with a grin.
Despite his annoyance at Leyla's impulsive behavior, showing up uninvited and demanding his attention, Nixon couldn't bring himself to scold her. Leyla had always had that ability to disarm him completely.
Shaelyn stood there, her eyes narrowed as she watched the pair converse. She felt a knot tighten in her stomach when she noticed the figure leaning on him, breathing heavily like she had just sprinted a marathon.
"Seriously?" Shaelyn muttered under her breath, irritation bubbling within her. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, trying to suppress the urge to confront them both right then and there.
However, Shaelyn resisted this feeling with clenched fists at her sides. The sight before her was infuriating; it wasn't just that Leyla had barged into their lives yet again, it was how easily Nixon seemed to forget their boundaries whenever Leyla appeared on the scene.
"Do you always have to be so dramatic?" Shaelyn finally blurted out, unable to hold back any longer as she stepped forward. Her voice cut through the air like a knife, interrupting whatever moment they were having,
Leyla turned toward Shaelyn with wide eyes, clearly taken aback by the sudden confrontation. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble!" she exclaimed defensively.
Nixon looked between them, sensing the rising tension. "Come on now," he interjected gently but firmly. "Let's not make this escalate into something it doesn't have to be."
Shaelyn crossed her arms tightly over her chest as she glared at Nixon for defending Leyla once again. "It's always about helping Leyla with some 'emergency' or another," she retorted sharply. "Can't you see how this looks?"
Leyla shifted uncomfortably under Shaelyn's scrutiny while Nixon sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "Look," he said slowly, trying to mediate between them both. "Leyla is a friend; I can't just ignore her when she needs help."
"But what about me?" Shaelyn shot back, feeling hurt and overlooked in this chaotic situation they repeatedly found themselves in.
The atmosphere was thick with tension as Shaelyn observed the scene unfolding before her. Leyla stood too close to Nixon, her smiling and carefree countenance clearly unbothered by the presence of his spouse.
"Can you believe this?" Shaelyn muttered under her breath, shaking her head in disbelief. She who was actually Nixon's wife, who was standing a few feet away, her expression a mix of confusion and discomfort.
It was almost laughable how Leyla had no qualms about flaunting their relationship right in front of her, the woman with whom Nixon had vowed to accompany for life.
As if sensing Shaelyn's gaze, Nixon turned slightly, his brow furrowing as he caught sight of his wife's unease. "Leyla is not my girlfriend," he declared firmly, his voice cutting through the air like a knife. "Don't talk nonsense."
Shaelyn crossing her arms defiantly over her chest. "Then what is she? You tell me," she said coldly, raising an eyebrow as if challenging him to explain himself.
His expression revealed his confusion, as he struggled to piece together what was happening between them. "You know very well, she's just a friend. Shaelyn, I don't understand where this is coming from," he stated.
Leyla's reaction was instantaneous; her eyes narrowed dangerously as she shot a fierce look that could at Shaelyn. "Really? Miss Maher, what exactly is it that you are insinuating?" she snapped back, her tone laced with venom.
"It's up to you to figure it out," Shaelyn replied sharply,
'Friends huh?' Shaelyn thought, as she watched the duo, unable to hide the smirk creeping onto her face. It was almost comical, how Leyla's expression betrayed her shock at Nixon's statement. It was clear that Leyla like Shaelyn had felt a hint of ambiguity from Nixon's actions as well.
However, it seemed like she was hell bent on acting like an ignorant victim in this twisted love triangle, Shaelyn couldn't help but feel a chill run down her spine at the realization.
"Wow," Shaelyn thought bitterly, "so this is how it is." The truth was quite hurtful: Nixon didn't want anyone to see him and Leyla as an item in public. He wanted to maintain appearances with her as Mrs. Gray,
While indulging in whatever secret affair they had going on behind closed doors and this 'sickly friend' had just come to the same conclusion, but it was clear Leyla had no intention of questioning his actions.
With that thought swirling in her mind, Shaelyn's lips curled into a cold smile. "This is not my concern," she said aloud, shrugging.
Nixon's actions to cover up only seemed laughable; it was amusing how he seemed to place importance in keeping up appearances while simultaneously entangled in this web of deceit.
She couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of it all, Nixon denying something obvious to all parties, just to protect his own image.
"Isn't it funny?" she whispered to herself, shaking her head as she took another glance at the pair before turning away completely.