One Week Girlfriend - By Monica Murphy Page 0,48

backwards into an overstuffed chair as if my legs can't hold me up any longer.

She spoke with Drew already and he agrees that I should leave tonight? This makes absolutely no sense. I don't understand what's going on and my mind is awhirl with all the information Adele just gave me.

He has a dead, only three-years-old sister. What happened? How did she die? Was it a sickness, a disease that took her, or did an accident happen? I can't be so completely insensitive to just point blank ask, so I guess I'll never know unless he tells me.

And since he hasn't told me so far, I'm not counting on ever knowing.

Stupid to admit, but it hurts that Drew never told me about his sister. That's a major traumatic experience and he withheld it from me. Of course, he withholds a lot of things. He's so full of secrets, I still don't feel like I know him. Not really.

Earlier this morning he was out of the house by the time I finally came out of my bedroom, but I planned it that way. Locking myself up in my room, trying like crazy to get a hold of my mom though she never returned my calls - what else is new. Then I tried calling and texting Owen, but I figured he was sleeping in and I'd been right.

In fact, I still haven't seen Drew. Is he mad at me for not coming back to his bed? Probably. It's for the best, though. Whatever this is between us, it's not happening. Not really.

No matter how badly I want it to.

Drew

"There's another man in your supposed girlfriend's life."

I turn at the sound of Adele's voice and discover she's followed me out to the garden that's connected to the backyard to talk with me. And we're all alone.

Uneasiness washes over me and I tense my shoulders, prepared to do battle. "What are you talking about?"

Adele shrugs, the look on her face unreadable. "I heard a phone conversation she was having. She told whomever she was talking to that she missed him, she wished that she were spending Thanksgiving with him and she's planning a movie date for the two of them when she returns home." She's totally getting off on giving me this bad news, and I'm trying my best, pretending everything's fine. That her vicious, shitty words don't affect me.

But they do. Fable withdrew from me so completely last night after what happened between us. The tables were turned and I didn't like it. She never came back to my bed. She jerked me off and left me there, adrenaline still buzzing in my veins and amping me up, making me eager to explore her body just as thoroughly as she explored mine.

She left me high and dry instead. I finally fell asleep when I realized she wasn't coming back and I still haven't seen her or talked to her this morning.

It's like she's hiding away from me.

"Fable doesn't have anyone else in her life. Only me," I mumble, starting for the open doorway that leads back into the house.

Adele dodges left, grabbing hold of my arm before I can escape, her fingers digging into my flesh. "You don't know that for sure, you idiot. I'm positive that whore is out spreading her legs for anyone who asks."

I almost slap Adele across her bitchy face, I'm so angry. "Don't ever call her that," I say through clenched teeth. "Ever."

"I heard her. She called him sweetie. She told him she loved him before she hung up. Face facts, Andrew. She's cheating on you with another man." Adele mock frowns at me, batting her eyelashes. "What's wrong? Do you not keep her satisfied enough? I know you like to control all of those animal urges of yours to the best of your ability but sometimes, a girl likes it when you unleash all over her."

"Fuck you. Leave me the fuck alone and stop talking shit about my girlfriend." I jerk out of Adele's hold and push past her, hurrying into the house. I need to find Fable. I need confirmation once and for all that she's not talking to some other guy while she's here with me.

I know I don't have exclusive rights to her. But the least she can do is take calls from other guys out of earshot of anyone. I mean, come on. She's making me look like a jackass and giving Adele way too much ammunition.

And the idea Fable might really