“Do you want to walk through the park?”
“Sure.”
We walked in silence for a couple of minutes and I kind of got lost in my surroundings because they were so beautiful. There were huge trees with golden, brown and red leaves all around us and it would have been a really romantic setting if Jonathan and I were in a better place with each other.
“This park is beautiful, isn’t it?” He tried to make small talk and that actually annoyed me because I was waiting for him to explain why Barbi was na**d in his bed.
Exasperation was written all over my face as I stop in my tracks and turned to look at him. “Jonathan, I have a paper to work on so can you just please get on with whatever it is you want to say to me? I don’t have all day.”
His eyes searched mine and he reached out and grabbed my hands in his. “Skylar, I love you. I would never do anything to hurt you and I would never cheat on you. I just would never do that to you. Nothing happened with Barbi, I promise you that.”
I really wanted to believe him, but I know what I saw.
“Why was she na**d in your bed?”
“What?!” He seemed genuinely shocked.
“I saw her na**d in your bed Jonathan, don’t try to act like it didn’t happen.”
“Skylar, I swear to you I have no idea what you’re talking about, she was gone when I got back to my room!”
"Do you really think that playing dumb is going to work with me? Jonathan, I saw Barbi na**d in your bed, she was holding up a sheet to cover her bare chest and she had a huge smirk on her face. She implied that you guys have sex every week and that it has been going on behind my back.”
I had never seen Jonathan truly angry until that very minute. His eyes filled with fire as he looked off into the distance and I could see that his face was filled with rage. He turned to me and tried to control his anger as he spoke.
“I promise you Skylar, nothing ever happened between me and Barbi. I know you have a paper to work on but can you give me 30 more minutes so that I can clear this up?”
I could tell that he was sincere and I also wanted to find out how he intended to clear this up.
“Yes, I can do that.”
Relief swept over his face and he put his hand on my shoulder and gave it a soft squeeze. “Thank you.”
Jonathan quickly whipped out his cell phone, dialed a number and I was not shocked to hear who he was calling.
“Barbi? Can you meet me at the park near the silver statue in 10 minutes?” His voice was firm and left no room for her to say no. He ended the call and turned to me.
“I’m going to put an end to this, I want you to know that you can trust me.”
“Jonathan, she’s just going to lie to you to try to cover her tracks.”
He held my hand as his eyes searched mine.
“I am going to be very direct with her, she won’t have any room to lie. I really don’t like that she is making up lies about me. I won’t stand for that. It’s important that you know that you can trust me Sky. I would never hurt you.”
I was beginning to believe that I might have made a mistake about him and the whole Barbi thing, and to be honest I was happy that she was going to meet him at the park. She had no idea I was there so she would totally be put on the spot, which I couldn’t wait to see.
We walked over to the statue and sat on the bench to wait for her. As soon as we sat down I saw her long blonde extensions flying in the wind and it couldn’t have been more than six minutes that had passed since he called. She must have rushed over here when he called her. Desperate much?
Her pace slowed to a near crawl when her eyes locked with mine and I couldn’t help but sneer at her, just a little. She made her way over to us and had a nervous look of caution written all over her face.
“Hi Jonathan.” She managed a feeble smile and looked over at me. “Hi Skylar.”
I didn’t say one word to her.
“Barbara, have a seat.” Jonathan’s voice was firm and cold.
She sat on the end of the bench so that Jonathan was sitting between us.
“I am going to ask you these questions one time and I expect to hear the truth.” His voice was cold as steel and fire danced in his eyes.
She shifted in her seat and looked thoroughly uncomfortable as she responded to him. “Okay.”
“Were you na**d in my bed when Sky came down there last night?”
Her eyes frantically searched the ground before she raised them to meet his, a look of guilt clearly written all over her face.
“Kind of, but I can explain that.” She looked scared as she muttered her answer.
I could see that Jonathan was clenching his jaw and he adjusted his coat before he asked the next question.
“Did you imply that we were having sex?”
She looked extremely uncomfortable and she should have been. I had never heard Jonathan’s voice sound so ominous and it was enough to make anyone squirm.
“Yes, but…”
He cut her off as fire flashed across his eyes.
“Barbara, tell Skylar the truth right now!” His voiced boomed across the park and several people turned to look at us to watch what was going on.
Barbi turned to look at me and she looked like a lost little girl, terrified to death. Her sad eyes searched mine as they were welling up with tears. I probably should have felt sorry for her but I didn’t. I had no room in my life for girls like her.
She took a deep breath before she spoke. “Sky, nothing happened with Jonathan and me and nothing ever has. I’m sorry I made you think something was going on with us.”
Relief swept over me as I realized what this meant; Jonathan had not lied to me. He was the awesome guy I thought he was all along and I wanted to fling my arms around him and give him a huge hug.
“Barbara, I have been nothing but kind to you since you came into our family, welcoming you when many other people have dismissed you. For you to scheme and lie to try to ruin what I have with Skylar is unforgiveable. I think it is best that you get your own flight home for Thanksgiving and don’t expect me to pick you up from the airport. I will still be civil of course, because technically you are family, but any sort of friendship we had is over. You are on your own. Are we clear?” His eyes nearly bore a hole into her as he waited for her answer.