As soon the front door closed itself, Eve sat down at her sofa and started crying badly. She didn’t know what to feel first. She was disappointed and heartbroken, but also deeply frustrated and mad at herself. 

„Here you are, stupid. Eric told you, but you didn’t listen…“ 

After trying to understanding what just happened and blaming herself for opening up to JC too hard too fast, she decided to call Sandra. But unfortunately she didn’t pick up. 

„Damn.“ 

Then she stood up, went into her bedroom and opened the door to her walk in closet. She glanced at JC’s clothes on the hanging rail next to hers.

„You’re such an idiot, Eve. You should have known better…“ 

She took few things from the rail and the drawers and put them into a weekender. Then she packed some toiletries, grabbed her bag and finally left her apartment. 

„What are you doing here?“ Justin asked surprised, as he opened the front door. 

„I need Bourbon,“ JC answered. 

Justin let his best friend enter his house. JC went into his living room, opened the minibar and grabbed a bottle with two glasses. Then he let himself fall at the sofa, put the bottle and the glasses at the coffee table and filled them up. Justin sat down next to him, waiting for explanation. JC emptied his glass in one go and filled up again. 

„Will you talk, or are you getting drunk first?“ Justin asked carefully. 

JC looked at him. 

„I screwed things up.“ 

„Which things, bro?“ 

After listening to the whole story, Justin grabbed his glass and took a sip. Then he looked at JC and sighed. 

„Was it really necessary freaking out like that?“ 

JC stared back at him, not being sure what to say. Justin knew he needed to be careful. His friend was still deeply upset about the whole situation. Blaming him too hard would just make things worse. 

„You told me you have serious feelings for her. Is this still the case?“ Justin continued asking. 

„Of course this is still the case, T.“ 

„Then why is it bothering you so much, that people found out that she’s your girl?“

JC took a deep breath.

„They don’t think she’s my girl. They think I’m banging my assistant.“ 

„If you care so much about what they think, then just explain what is really going on.“

„Come on T, you can’t be serious. We aren’t there, yet. I can’t just introduce her as my girlfriend.“

„Why not?“

„It has been just few days!“

„But you have feelings for her since you saw her for the first time.“

„This doesn’t change the fact, that we just started seeing each other!“ 

„Once again you’re standing in your own way, C.“ 

JC closed his eyes and took another deep breath. Then he filled up his glass again and drunk. 

„I don’t wanna fail, T. You know how important this firm is to me.“

„I understand. But sleeping with your assistant doesn’t make you fail.“ 

„People sexualized me after I brought out my album. It took me years to get rid of that reputation. If I wanna run an successful label, I need to be taken seriously.“

„You are taken seriously, bro. I promise you, this situation won’t harm your reputation. Especially if you and Eve continue dating and bring your relationship to the next level.“

„I told you it’s too soon.“

„Who defines the right timing, hm?“ 

„I don’t wanna overwhelm her, T. Is this so hard to understand?“ 

„She asked for commitment, but all you did was feeling pity for yourself and the firm. She’s not overwhelmed, bro. She’s hurt.“ 

JC put his glass at the coffee table and grabbed his face.

„Fuck!“ 

Then he stood up.

„What are you doing?“ Justin asked irritated.

„I need to go back and make things right.“

„Okay. But you can’t drive anymore. Let me bring you.“ 

Eve was standing in front of Sandra’s apartment building, ringing the bell. As the door didn’t open, she grabbed her bunch of keys out of her pocket and let herself in. As she entered her best friend’s apartment, she checked the fridge for alcohol and found a bottle of white wine. She took one glass and the bottle into the bedroom and placed both at the bedside table. Then she get her weekender, dressed into PJ’s and crawled into Sandra’s bed. Finally she filled the glass, switched on the telly and waited for Sandra to return home. 

JC sighed in deep frustration. He just rang the bell, standing in front of Eve’s apartment building next to Justin. 

„That’s it… I fucked up…“ he blamed himself. 

„Maybe she’s not home?“ Justin tried to cheer him up.

„Come on, where should she went that late?“ 

„Dunno… seeing a friend?“ 

JC looked at Justin for a moment. 

„You might be right. Let’s check the underground garage for her car. I have the code.“ 

Both returned to Justin’s car, parking at the street. Then Justin drove into the garage.

„Her car is gone,“ JC realized quickly. „I bet she’s at Sandra’s place.“

„Her best friend?“ 

„Yes.“

„Do you know where she lives?“ 

JC shook his head. 

„Okay. At least we tried.“

JC just sighed.

„You can talk to her tomorrow at the office.“

„Ya… if she shows up…“

Justin frowned.

„Why shouldn’t she show up for work?“ 

„Because she’s stubborn as hell, T.“ 

Justin chuckled.

„I know someone else with the same attitude…“

Eve heard the front door opening up. She nipped her wine, waiting for Sandra entering her bedroom. Few seconds later the door got open. Sandra came inside, while hungrily kissing a man. His shirt was open, as well as his belt and the zipper of his trousers. Eve curiously watched the scene, as they didn’t notice her yet.

„My big cock will make you very happy tonight, baby…“ the guy groaned into Sandra’s mouth. 

„I would be disappointed if not…“ she replied. 

He got rid of his shirt, while guiding her backwards to her bed. 

„Oh shit!“ he suddenly yelled, as he realized that there was another woman in bed. 

Sandra turned around, seeing her best friend sipping wine and grinning innocently. 

„Why you didn’t tell me, that you’re hot for a threesome, hm?“ the guy asked dirty. 

„Because I’m not,“ Sandra talked back. 

„Why not?“ Eve asked sassy, being confident by the wine. 

Sandra crossed her arms and looked at her friend.

„What are you doing in my bed?“ 

„Waiting for you.“

The guy pulled Sandra closer and begun kissing her neck.

„Let’s make the best out of this…“ he whispered. 

She pushed him away, giving him a disgusted look.

„Both of you killed just my mood. Go home,“ she ordered. 

„You can’t be serious,“ the guy complained, still having a massive boner. 

„I said go,“ she repeated. 

The guys scoffed. Then he grabbed his shirt from the floor and left the apartment. Sandra crawled into bed and sat down next to Eve. She took the glass out of her hand and emptied the wine in one go.

„What the fuck happened?“

Eve put the empty glass aside and took a deep breath, before telling Sandra the whole story. Sandra listened carefully, being shattered about JC’s behavior. She didn’t know how to react. Eve’s eyes were filled with tears again. 

„It makes no sense,“ Sandra finally said. 

Eve just looked at her.

„I mean, he was nothing else but sweet after the anniversary party and now… this…“ 

„Ya… it makes no sense…“ Eve confirmed. 

„It’s like he’s having two personalities.“ 

„He made me feel loved and wanted. And now I feel like I just dreamed all of that,“ Eve tried to explain. 

„If I wasn’t drunk, be sure I would go to his posh place in the Hills to kick his stupid ass.“ 

Eve just stared into space. Sandra put her arms around her and pulled her closer.

„I’m sorry this happened to you, love. You can stay here, as long as you want.“ 

„Thank you. I just can’t sleep in my bed… it smells like him…“

Sandra smiled and kissed her hair. 

„You could change the sheets, you know that right?“ 

„No…“

„Why not?“

„Because it wouldn’t smell like him anymore.“ 

„Oh Evy…“

„Hm…“

„You love him more than he deserves…“