In a Toxic Relationship

She sat down on the stairs reading a book, preparing for a test that would be due the next day. Among her books was a newly dark romance book she had borrowed from someone to read, so she could enlighten herself on romance.

Her friends stood at her back without her knowledge, trying to scare the hell out of her.

Christine has always loved reading books alone in her spare time, as she did not like the idea of being disturbed while she was reading.

Mia giggled as Camilla went on to execute her plans of startling their friend Christine.

"Don't, she will get angry," said Adrianna. She did not support their actions, as she also was once a victim.

Camilla glared at her with her hands on her lips, hushing her to keep mute. It was just a simple scare, and she saw nothing wrong with what she was about to do.

"Spider!!!" she yelled while touching Christine concurrently.

"Goodness, you startled me," Christine said, almost jumping off her skin, sending her books flying. There were three things Christine did not like; a cockroach, a rodent, and a spider, and her friends knew that, but they usually used it against her. Not knowing why she grew up to dislike those things, but somehow she felt it was out of a traumatic experience.

"Of course, that was why I did it," Camilla helped her to pack some of her papers "To startle you", she said and they laughed at Christine's reaction to their little prank.

"When will you guys stop doing this?" Christine asked while reaching for the book to prevent her friends from seeing it, and also picked other books to put in her bag. She had been secretive those days, and she did not want anyone to know that she was interested in erotic books.

"We will stop on the day you leave the world," Mia said, and the four of them giggled as they went down the stairs.

"What do you guys say about haunting each other after marriage?" Mia asked, and Christine shook her head in response. "I might as well haunt you after death," Camille replied. The four friends came together when they were very young, and have been each other's support since then. Going to parties together, eating, and fighting off bullies together.

"I am famished, I could eat an entire box of pizza if I see one," said Camille, in her British accent.

"Why don't we hit a nearby restaurant for lunch?" Adrianna suggested, and they all agreed to go only if Adrianna would pay, after all, she was the richest one among them, so she usually pay the bills most times.

"You do know that you guys are implicitly biased at the moment?" Adrianna said, and they all rolled their eyes at her.

The girls went into the nice restaurant blocks away from their university and ordered a box of pizza and cheesecake with four glasses of juice.

"How is your relationship with Ethan?" Camilla asked Christine. She was always the baffling one in their crew who always wanted to know everything about people.

"Smooth," she replied. And sip a glass of juice with a smile on her face.

"Have you guys done it yet?" Camilla asked, and Christine almost choked on her drink.

"Done what?" She replied with no eye contact as she took another sip, but Camilla never gave up on the questions, as she waited expectantly for Christine to answer her question.

"Don't look at me as if you don't know what I am talking about," Camille said, smirking. "Fine. Have you had sex yet?" she said tapping the table lightly.

"No, goodness Camille, when will you purify your mind from dirty thoughts?" Christine said, rolling her eyes at Camilla.

Now it was no longer Camilla who had a worried look on her face, but the three friends did.

Christine's innocence was still intact, and it bothered them.

They knew she was crazy about her man, and it bothered them that the guy in question would cheat on her if they did not have sex together soon.

"Are you for real?" Adrianna asked, and she nodded in response, still avoiding eye contact.

"And Ethan is cool with it?" Mia asked and Christine said "Yes".

"Girl... Has it ever occurred to you that Ethan might be cheating on you?" Camilla asked, and the look on Christine's face changed.

One could see that she became worried as she heard those words. She knew deep in her heart that she trusted her boyfriend. But sometimes, a little phrase could be enough to question one's trust.

Especially when it comes from people you trust so much.

"He wouldn't do that, he loves me," said Christine, defending her man.

"That was the same thing that happened to me, but I ended up being his cousin in another girl's eyes," Adrianna added, reminding her of her unfaithful ex-boyfriend that left her heart shattered into pieces.

"Ethan is not like that, I trust him," Christine blurted out. She was tired of hearing everything.

"You never can tell, you have to loosen up if you want to secure your relationship," Camilla said.

"What time is your shift today?" Adrianna asked Christine. She was trying to change the subject, as she knew Christine was getting uncomfortable with the whole thing.

"My shift starts by 12 pm," Christine replied and Adrianna suggested they should speed up, so they would meet up with work.

Christine nodded with a smile, and she continued to eat the food, which now tasted bland due to the words she had heard earlier.

She had plans to go to Ethan's apartment the moment she finished working her shifts. She had to clarify some things, so she would know if her friends were telling the truth.

She was one of those people that did not believe that love revolved around sex. But her friends said otherwise.

It was not like she did not want to do it; she wanted that but didn't know how to go about the whole sex process.

She always gets easily attached to things, and she was currently obsessed with getting perfect grades in school, so she didn't have time to key into the world of romance. Besides, she believed love does not revolve around sex.

The four friends finished eating and left the restaurant for their next destination.

Christine went with Adrianna as they both work in the same place.

"Are you okay?" Adrianna asked Christine. She was worried her friend was still thinking about their conversation earlier.

"I am," Christine replied, trying to look as bright t as possible. She did not want her friend to see or think she was still thinking about what they had told her earlier.

They arrived at the coffee shop and changed into their work outfit with aprons to resume working.

Christine met her boyfriend Ethan in the coffee shop, and the two had been inseparable since then. The coffee shop holds an excellent memory of the two lovebirds, and she wanted it to stay that way.

They were ready to go after two hours of brewing and serving coffee, laughing, and meeting new customers.

"Can I come to spend the night at your place?" Adrianna asked Christine. Adrianna's father was not at home, and she did not want to sleep alone at her place.

"Yes, but I want to pick something up at Ethan's, you can go straight to my apartment," she said, and Adrianna understood her friend did not want her company at her boyfriend's place.

The girls were Christine's best friends, so they were welcome to spend the night anytime at her place.

She hailed a taxi to Ethan's house uninvited. If she wanted to see or know who Ethan was, she had to go there without his knowledge.

She always called Ethan to let him know she would visit him, but today was different. She was going to burst in uninvited to see Ethan's true colors.

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Hello Readers

I want to let you know that this book will contain steamy scenes, reader's discretion is advised. It is rated 18+

The taxi stopped in a friendly and serene neighborhood. The residents all lived lovingly as siblings, supporting each other. Planting all sorts of flower species that sent elegant and sweet perfumes through the neighborhood.

Christine got down from the car and walked to the door. The security light was on and everywhere shined brightly, revealing a nice and beautiful building.

She pressed the door code and the door clicked open, revealing a spacious living room. She stood there inhaling the scents of the living room, which was filled with Ethan’s minty rose fragrance.

She walked in and sat down on the blue chesterfield sofa that had pink and yellow cushions on it. She removed the slippers she had worn into the living room, so she would feel the tinkling sensation under her feet from the cotton area rug, which was her favorite rug.

Ethan was not yet home, and she went in to take a shower, so she would feel refreshed while waiting for Ethan to come back.