The Dreaded Text: The Immediate Lie

You lock eyes with Dre, forcing the fiercest, fakest smile you own, and walk right up.

You give him a quick, tight hug, then turn to the woman and brightly ask, "Oh, my gosh! You must be the lucky woman! I'm Lana, Dre's best friend. When's the wedding?"

Dre stiffens instantly, his arm wrapping around your waist like a vise, a warning in his eyes. "Lana, this is Melanie. She's the HR Director who processed my transfer."

He introduces her curtly.

Melanie laughs easily. "Wedding? Oh, goodness, no! We're just coworkers. Congratulations on the move, Dre! Great meeting you, Lana!"

She walks off.

The second she's gone, Dre whirls you around, pinning you against a pillar, his eyes blazing.

"Wedding? What the hell was that, Lana? You didn't come here to congratulate me; you came here to sabotage me. Why are you acting like a crazy ex-girlfriend?"

His voice is low, furious, and filled with a potent, undeniable tension.

"Tell me the truth, Lana. Right now. Tell me what you really came here to do."

You try to push against his chest, but he's solid, immovable.

"Don't be ridiculous, Dre! I was excited for you! I saw you with a beautiful woman and made a joke! Relax! You're the one who looks like he’s about to punch a hole through a pillar!"

"Stop lying!" he snarls, his voice dropping an octave, making the sound vibrate through your core.

"You drove all the way to the airport—you hate airports, Lana! You saw Melanie, assumed the worst, and you made a scene so embarrassing that she had to flee. That wasn't a joke, that was desperation. And I want to know why you're desperate."

His gaze is too direct, too knowledgeable. You drop your head, unable to meet his eyes. The lie is impossible to maintain. "I... I was scared," you admit, the words barely audible. "I thought you were going to leave, and I didn't want to lose you, okay? I just didn't want to lose you."

Dre doesn't need the full confession; he has the admission of fear.

He releases your arm but grabs your car keys from your hand before you can react. "This conversation is over for now. We are leaving. Where is your car?"

You mumble the location, stunned by his sudden shift to total control.

He doesn't bother with his suitcase or the public scene; he just guides you firmly out of the airport and through the parking garage, his hand resting possessively on the small of your back.

He pushes you into the passenger seat of your own car and slides into the driver's side.

He starts the engine, his expression set in stone.

"Where are we going?" you whisper, nervous about the volatile silence.

Dre pulls out of the parking lot and merges onto the highway, his profile severe. "Home. We’re going home, Lana. So I can finally show you exactly why I took that transfer—and why you are never, ever going to lie to me about your feelings again."

You realize the playful friend is gone.

You are speeding toward your apartment with a man who has just seized control, ready to demand the total truth.

What do you do?

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