Chapter 25: Genie in a Bottle
"What are you doing here?"
My voice surely displayed the anger I was feeling as my body shook involuntarily.
The girl's eyes became saucers as the time seemed to drag on. With each passing second, she looked more and more like the culprit she was.
I had to refrain myself from doing something illegal as she stood up off her knees.
Genie's hands were held up in mock surrender as she gazed at me warily.
And as she should.
Because I was tethering on the edge of repeating my past mistake and saying a few irrational words once more.
She had tricked me...again.
This occurrence was starting to make me question if this was a habit of hers, or did this behavior only apply to me as she's always in a position in which she's forced to lie?
But did that make it justifiable?
Here I was thinking this entire time that I had the company of a wanderlust black cat, but instead it was my mischievous ex-best friend.
Almost as if she could see the words through the mirrors of my eyes, she flinched and began speaking with a low and wholesome tone. "I know you're shocked and upset that I um...became a cat."
"In my apartment at that," I gritted out, tossing in the important part she purposely omitted. "While we're at a point in our friendship that is undeniably close to becoming estranged. Be sure to include that, Genie. Don't leave it out. You know, it's not too late to do the right thing with all the details you've excluded in the past."
She bit down onto her lips, glancing down at the floor guiltily.
I couldn't even begin to feel any ounce of pity for her.
My mind was on overdrive about every single incident and words I had foolishly given to the cat â thinking she was nothing more than that.
A mere domestic animal that I could have vented toâconfide inâwithout getting anything but a 'meow' in return.
The embarrassment started to creep up on me.
Our sole spectator, Cupid, looked between the two of us, having caught a feel of the atmosphere.
I let out a frustrated groan at his visible sympathy for her.
"Gosh, can I even predict your deceptive actions anymore? What are you gonna do next? Become an actual genie in a bottle?"
My eyes were staring her down with brutality.
She snorted in indignation at my words, but reverted to becoming apologetic once they narrowed onto her.
"I didn't mean to do it. It was second nature if anything. I was...worried about you and I didn't want you to be alone. Isabelle, I'm sorry for slapping you. I never want to do anything like that again. I never want us to argue like that ever again. I was just so angry that you would bring up my past scars, knowing how much they would hurt me."
Anyone would have felt touched by her words but I couldn't help but still feel upset and borderline flummoxed.
She was worried about me?
If she was, she wouldn't have done things the way she had and continued to do! Her actions don't match her words pretty well. It was honestly irritating.
"I don't know if anything is real anymore, Genie! No matter what I had said, you should've been tolerant because you lied to me. For such a long period of time. I was in a state of my entire world crumbling before me. Do you even know how that feels? I admit, bringing up your family was a low blow and yes, I actually wanted to see you hurt like how I was feeling at the moment. I can sincerely apologize to you for that, but you made me into such a fool for all the years we've known each other. Should I have not acted angry? Should I have not reacted at all? Was that so wrong of me?"
"No, you had every right to be angryâ"
"Then why is everyone making me out to be the bad guy?!"
She flinched at my outburst.
"Why doesn'tâ" my voice cracked a bit but then I was quick to regain my composure. "Why doesn't anyone put themselves in my shoes?"
Her brows furrowed together painfully as she assessed me from head to toe.
My chest was rising and falling rapidly from everything I was feeling.
I could feel my cheeks heating up due to the embarrassment and rage of the situation.
Genie sighed once she got the message.
I wasn't only angry that she was misunderstanding me but also a specific person.
She read me faster than a bibliophile would a brand new book.
"Angelo doesn't blame you for what you did. Nor does he think you're a bad person because of it."
"I don't care what he thinks." I clipped.
She shook her head, fighting a small smile.
"Sure you don't. But explain this to me: why does it seem like every time you throw bombs at him it seems like you're demolishing yourself too?"
I sucked in a sharp breath.
If anyone else tried to frame it in the way Genie had, they would have come up short.
She described perfectly the emotions I felt while swearing to not want him anywhere near me.
The more I insulted Angelo or did anything that caused him to be hurt, I felt like I was holding a two-sided blade for every pain inflicted.
It was torturous.
My eyes became skittish as I refused to have her see the truth of her words within my expression.
"I don't care for your poetic words. I asked what you're doing here."
"I already told you, I was worried about you."
Butterflies made their way to my stomach without consent.
Her boldness in her words was something I had missed.
It still wasn't enough to have me forgive her though.
Pushing down the initial urge to feel flattered, I gave her a flat stare. "Are you sure it's not another one of your heavenly duties? If it is to make sure I don't do something stupid while in the bathroom, you can be rest assured I won't self harm over losing a friend. I'm not that weak minded."
She gave me an unimpressed stare.
"I guess I was stupid to be concerned. Someone like you could go through war and still be perfectly fine. I mean, you seem to be after completely ripping your only best friend's heart to shreds."
I shrugged passively.
Her attempts to gaslight any sentiments out of me was not going to work.
I was stronger than that.
She would have to work for my forgiveness.
Minutes passed where neither of us said anything. It was disgustingly tense and I hated the feel of it. Nothing between Genie and I had ever been awkward and it pained me greatly to see that it was the case now.
"Iâ"
"Youâ"
Both of our eyes locked with each other.
Cupid snorted.
Our heads turned to see him clasping his hands together reverently, gazing at us in false delight.
"While I'd love to sit around and listen to you ladies go at it all day, I have some errands to run."
I was curious.
To be honest, I have been curious about everything and everyone that concerned Angelo for a while now. The more I learned about his seemingly fictional world that was growing to become true every day, I couldn't help the urge to want to see more proof of it.
As if the little acts of levitation and teleportation wasn't enough already, Isabelle, my mind reminded me in distress.
"What kind of errands?"
Cupid looked at me strangely for my interest in his business.
His scorned expression did not deter me however.
It didn't seem like a first time occurrence based on his eventual acquiescence to my interest.
"I'm going back to the edge of heaven. To Aegina. It's a small land outside of the gates. I have a few delayed assignments that I have to turn in and follow up on. It's going to take about a few days here on Earth. Tell Angelo I'll see him soon once I've dealt with everything."
"Sounds important..." He smiled at my respect for his work.
"Take me with you."
His smile evaporated.
"What?"
"I said take me with you...to Aegina, the edge of heaven."
I saw Genie's head snap quickly in my direction.
***
A/N:
I'm happy to be back!
Hiii, babes. I've missed you! ð¥º
I've been away for a while & this book is already at over 100K reads. Thank you guys so much! I can't express how shocked I am by the support & messages this book gets sometimes.
Hope you enjoy the next chapter =>