Trust Ch 18 1

Hello everyone. I am sorry this update took so long. I don't know when again I will update because I am very busy and have not been writing as much. I have the ideas in my head as to how I want to continue but it is to find the time to put them to paper so to speak. Once again, I apologize for this being so late. Have a wonderful week.

~!~

Two days later... Sally was at the mall trying to do some shopping. The day before, she had been offered the opportunity to attend a conference in Georgia for four days and decided to pick up a few new things for her trip. While looking at some dresses, she heard her name.

"Sally! Sally!"

Looking around, Sally located the person calling out to her. "Ayasha! How are you?"

Both women embraced. "I'm doing well. What are you looking for? I didn't take you for the shopping type. You seem to love your jeans and t-shirt look."

"I don't think jeans and a t-shirt is going to cut it." Sally replaced the dress and turned back to Ayasha, "I don't know what to get. I feel like a fish out of water in more ways than one."

Ayasha laughed. "Not to worry, that's why you have us. Storm, Iris and I will help you. All you have to do is ask."

Ayasha stepped away and again Sally heard her name being called. "Sally! Sally!" Looking around she saw Tracy coming towards her.

"Hi Tracy, how are you doing?" Sally asked as she and Tracy embraced.

"I'm doing okay. I passed the test. Thank you so much for all your help. I want to take you out to dinner. "

"You don't have to do that Tracy. I was my pleasure. So, what you are looking for?"

"Oh! I came with my boyfriend. I really want you to meet him."

Both women looked around, "Yes, I would love to."

"That would be great if I could find him."

"Hey there," Ayasha said coming over to stand by Sally.

"Ayasha, this is Tracy; Tracy this is Ayasha, my boy...she's a friend," Sally said introducing the women.

They spoke for a bit before Tracy had to leave. "I have to get going. I want to get some studying done before work tonight. Roger thinks the club is the best thing in the city since he did some of the upgrades." Looking around, Tracy still did not see her boyfriend. "I'm sorry my boyfriend wasn't here to meet you."

"That's fine. I'll meet him some other time. You take care and please tell everyone I said hello."

"I will. We all miss you. You were the nicest person who worked there. He's hired some girls that are complete bitches and sluts. They seduce anyone they can. I can't wait to get out of there. "

"Hang in there. It will be over soon."

As the women said goodbye to each other, none of them noticed the man watching nearby.

***...***

"Hey sis, how are you doing today? How is my niece or nephew?" Storm asked as soon as he answered Ayasha's call.

"I'm fine but I have a question for you."

"Sure Yashy, what's up?"

"What type of club did Sally used to work at?"

Storm put down the file he was reading immediately. "Why do you ask?"

"Storm was Sally a stripper?"

"No she wasn't. Why do you ask Ayasha? I need to know."

"Well, we were at the mall and met a girl named Tracy, one of Sally's friends. She was speaking about the club and apparently the type of girls who now works there. Do you know who Tracy is?"

"Yes, I do. She's a friend of Sally. Sally helps here with her studies every now and then but Ayasha, did you hear the name of the club?"

"No I didn't Storm but why is that important?"

"I think the cop stalking Sally frequents that club."

"Sally is being stalked? When? How? Was it reported?"

"Ayasha, I need to you to keep it a secret. Yes, she's is being stalked but she won't tell me anything about the club or the person stalking her. Do you remember anything else?"

After a few minutes, Ayasha answered. "No Storm I can't. The only thing I remember them saying was that there were some upgrades done to the club.

"Okay Yashy, if you remember anything, let me know. It's important."

"Yeah sure. Storm, is Sally in danger?"

Storm sighed. It was the one question he kept asking himself and the answer was always 'yes'. "I don't know but I'm being cautious. Be careful Ayasha."

"I am. Let me know if there is anything I can do."

"Goodbye sweetheart."

"Bye, do you need me to send over dinner?"

"No, I think I want to have dinner with my stubborn girlfriend tonight."

"Bye."

***...***

"Hey, Jack's backed up tonight. I'm going to help him out. Order what you want. It's on me," Sally said to Mitch.

They were both at the Waves and Stars having dinner since they had the night off.

"That's fine."

"I promise I won't be the whole night. Just until this rush is over. Here's a menu. I'll take your order and it's on me."

"No Sally, you've already..."

"Answer my phone for me when it rings please."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah; if it's the hospital, we have to get that call."

"Okay, no problem."

***...***

"She didn't return my call or text today," Storm said as he took a sip of his beer.

"Did you two have a fight?" asked Brad as he took a sip of his beer also.

They were at the restaurant waiting for the last patron to leave. It was a slow night. Storm came by after he received no reply from either the text and or phone messages he left for Sally asking her to join him for dinner.

"Sort of and she's being stubborn about it."

"What did she do that's making her the stubborn person in this?"

Storm looked at Brad harshly. "Her friend slept over her place, she didn't tell me and I sort of blew up about it."

"A friend caused you to blow up about something as simple as that? Fantasying a bit too much there aren't you? Did you wish you were in middle?"

"No you ass...her male friend stayed over and she didn't tell me about it."

"Oh, a guy? Have you met him?"

"NO! I found out by accident and when I confronted her about it, she admitted she wasn't going to tell me."

"Oh, that's why you're pissed. Storm, did you ever consider that she doesn't think she did anything wrong?"

"That's not the point. I am to know any and every guy she knows. She lives alone and won't tell me if she's going to move in with me."

"You asked her to move in with you?"

"Yes and instead I find out she's having him sleep over as if it's all innocent..."

"I think it is."

"What? What do you know?"

"Sally has been living on her own for what, her entire adult life. From what I understand, this is the first relationship she's ever been in. She doesn't know that she should have told you that. To her, he's a friend and since she knows she's not sleeping with him, she doesn't see it as a problem."

"That's stupid and she should know better. Of course she has to tell me. I'm her boyfriend."

"Yes, and for her that means trust. Have you tried calling her again tonight?"

"No, I haven't because she won't answer the phone and I don't know if she's at work tonight or studying."

"Then call her again fool. I'll be back."

Storm picked up his phone and looked at Sally's number again for the umpteenth time of the night. He firmly believed she was deliberately ignoring his calls. He had never met anyone like Sally. Any other girlfriend would have given in by now. But not Sally; she fought back with full attack and wasn't planning on bending anytime soon. He dialed her number and after a few rings she answered.

***...***

Mitch saw Sally's phone light up with Storm's name on the screen. He yelled out to Sally that there was a call but she was carrying a tray and yelled back at him.

"Answer it please."

"I think you should take this call."

"Get it for me and tell the person I'll call them back tomorrow, please."

Mitch sighed as he answered the phone. "Hello."

"Who is this and why do you have my girlfriend's phone?" Storm asked immediately.

"Hello Storm. She asked me to answer her phone..."

"Why is there so much noise? Where are you?"

"We're at Jack's. Sally's..."

The phone went dead and Mitch knew Storm was on his way there.

***...***

Storm arrived at the Waves and Stripes about twenty minutes after he spoke with Mitch. He was pissed. She was deliberately ignoring his calls and she was out with him, while he had been trying to resolve the conflict in their relationship. When he got there with Brad who took forever to get out of the restaurant, he saw her carrying a tray.

Brad looked around the bar and soon Mike joined them. The trio stood by the rails and watched as Sally went over to Paul and spoke with both him and the bartender for a short while before delivering some drinks to a table. Afterward, she went to a table where a guy sat by himself.

"That's Paul, her gay friend that lives on the floor above her," Storm said to both Brad and Mike.

"Oh the one that got into the confrontation with you?" asked Brad.

"Yeah, he's the one that thinks he's her protector; asshole," Storm said taking a sip of his beer.

The waitress came by again but Storm declined instead saying, "Come on, let's introduce ourselves."

Mike and Brad looked at each other and shook their heads. They had never seen Storm like this. As they approached the table, they saw Sally speaking with a man sitting across from her. Storm felt like he had steam coming out of his ears but kept telling himself, 'Keep your temper under control.'

"Hello sweetheart. I've been calling you all day but you have not returned my calls."

"Hi Brad and Mike," Sally said.

Brad was standing by Storm and Mike was standing behind them both. Sally hugged them both.

"Hello sweetheart, how are you doing?" asked Brad.

"Yeah, how's the internship going?" asked Mike.

"It's hard but fine. We...oh I'm sorry. Mitch this is Brad and Mike; Brad, Mike, this is my co-worker and lab partner Mitch."

"Hey, nice to meet you," Mitch said shaking hands with the two guys.

He turned to Storm and said hello as Storm glared daggers into Sally for not introducing him.

"Hi, I'm Storm, her boyfriend whom she seemed to have rudely forgotten."

"No, my memory is working perfectly fine," said Sally, finally addressing Storm.

Brad and Mike both snickered beside Storm which earned each a heated glare.

"You're not at work tonight," said Storm.

"Hey guys, come and sit down. We're celebrating getting the night off and being chosen to go to a conference next week," said Sally who still continued to ignore Storm and left him standing.

"You got in for the conference?" asked Storm.

"Do you guys want something to drink? Get anything, it's on me." Sally called over a waitress, "Get these three anything. His," pointing to Storm, "is on a separate tab."

"A bit petty isn't it sweetheart?" Storm said when Brad and Mike continued snickering.

"Untrustworthy people generally are," Sally replied to him. To the others she said, "Guys, Jack is short staff tonight and I'm helping out. Have fun, I'll stop by soon."

"I really like her," Brad said to both Mike and Storm.

"Yeah, me too," said Mike as they both laughed at Storm.

"So you're the guy who gets to spend so much time with her and the one who sleeps at her apartment without me knowing about it," Storm said to Mitch finally taking a seat across from him.

"I'm not sleeping with her and she's not cheating on you, at least not that I know of. Yes, we do spend time with each other but that's because we work in the same lab and have an aligned schedule."

"Why is that? Why is your schedule the same as hers?" Storm asked.

"It makes it easier on her when she gives me a ride home at night."

"She takes you home at night?"

"Yeah, didn't she tell you? Sally asked that we get similar shifts because she takes me to and from work sometimes. I don't have a car right now and she helps me out."

"Really, when did this start?" asked Storm.

"A few weeks after we began interning together." Mitch sighed. "I'm assuming she didn't tell you."

Storm looked over at Sally who was delivering drinks to a table. "I guess she forgot."

"She's a friend, nothing more. She cares about you."

"And how would you know?" Storm asked.

"Because she talks about how much she's not spending time with you. It matters to her and she hopes you understand. Don't tell her I told you this but she is worried that you may want to end the relationship soon."

Storm looked at her longer and after a few minutes asked, "How much longer of this do you guys have? Why is your schedule so hard?"

"Sally and I take on extra assignments and have study sessions since we can't actually work in the lab after a certain amount of hours. It's what made us get on the roster for this conference. We're hoping it will put us over the top to get into the best schools and get the necessary scholarships to further our degrees. Its' gonna get harder."

"Isn't there anyone else in the program you could study with?"

"Yes, but I don't want to. Sally is the best intern in the program, hands down. The fact that I got her for my lab partner means I'm the luckiest person in there. I'm sorry, but I don't want to give up my opportunity at a full scholarship."

"How does she fit into you getting the scholarship?"

"She's the best. There are things that Sally knows that people who are years ahead of her don't know. The doctors are beginning to notice. To study with her is like a guaranteed pass. She doesn't fail. She puts in the time and the effort. You have to do the same to hang around her. I can't give up the best lab partner I've ever had. Try and understand Storm, she's not trying to hurt you. She's helping me and doing something she truly enjoys. She deserves support."

"I support her. I don't trust you."

"Fair enough."

***...***

"Why didn't you tell Storm that we work together and you take me home?"

Mitch and Sally were sitting in Sally's car in front of his apartment having left Jack's not too long ago. Sally had ignored Storm the whole night.

"Because he's distrustful and I don't have to tell him anything. I didn't do anything wrong," Sally defended herself.

"I didn't say you did anything wrong Sally, but how can you say he's distrustful when he doesn't know about me? You're his girlfriend and I felt like the other guy. He's mad as hell that I slept over...I understand why he's pissed Sally and you have to see his side too."

Sally turned to Mitch. "What is it? You guys get together, have a few beers and suddenly I'm wrong? He's perfectly justified in being an asshole because I didn't tell him about you doing what every other human on the planet does, sleep?"

"No sweetheart, that's not it..."

"And in case you were wondering, I was defending you."

"Yes and you don't need to. Sally, no one said you were wrong..."

"He did. He's an ass. And you are too."

"Maybe I am, and he seems like he can be but that 'ass' cares about you and doesn't want you hurt."

Sally sighed again and looked out the window for a few minutes before turning back to look at Mitch, "You know what I don't understand, how can you guys just defend each other like that. All it takes is one-night drinking with each other and you become best friends?"

Mitch laughed, "We're not best friends, far from it. That guy is never going to like me and I won't be surprised if he tells you to end our friendship. But I understand what he's thinking. I would think the same way too especially after knowing what I know now. I never told you this because I didn't want it to change my friendship with you but in two days, I have to take my third HIV test. You see my ex was sleeping with my friend. It was my friend who got her hooked on drugs, and he knew she was sleeping around and never told me. I ended the relationship when I found but I spent all the money I saved on rehab for her but she doesn't want to go. So I did the only thing I could when I became desperate, I called her parents to come and get her." Mitch looked out the window. "I'm so desperate right now and she blames me for everything; that I chose school and working over her. I feel like everything I do is wrong."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," said Sally softly.

Mitch looked at her before continuing, "I grew up in foster care and I don't want to be homeless anymore. Someone going on the trip is paying for their portion and that's why there was extra funds to help me pay for mine. I can't afford it but if it will help me get a scholarship and into a good grad school, I have to take the chance. I used you to take me to and from work. It bothers me that I can't give you more towards gas and you never ask; that's why I walk it home sometimes."

"That part I figured out already."

"You never said anything."

"You were being an ass. I wanted you to suffer."

"Hahahahaha..." Mitch looked over at Sally who had a smirk on her face. "You like helping people don't you?"

"I think you only ask for help from people you like," she whispered.

"Sally, Storm can't trust someone he doesn't know around the woman he cares about."

"I know who I am..."

"Yes, but do you really know who I am?"

"Not yet, but that's why were friends. We find out as we go along," she whispered.

"Then you have to give Storm the same chance too." Mitch looked back up at the light that shone from the window of his apartment. "You're the only friend I have right now. I don't want to go in there and have to deal with another argument. I want just one night's peaceful rest before going back to the lab tomorrow."

"Then stay at my place."

"Sally..."

"I'm not gonna be there. New toothbrushes are under the bathroom sink and help yourself to anything in the fridge. Do laundry also and we can pick up something in the morning."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, I'm serious."

Mitch smiled, "Thank you."

***...***

Storm heard the front door open. Getting out of bed, he went to the room with the light shining under the door. Quietly, he entered the room. On the floor going to the bathroom was her clothes and next to the bed was her book bag. He sighed and returned to his room. It wasn't where he wanted her, but at least she was back in his house.

Her silhouette cast a shadow in the doorway where she stood wearing only the t-shirt. He was lying on his back but didn't make a move as he watched her walk quietly to her side of the bed. She laid as close to him as she could without touching him and whispered, "I'm sorry. He's only a friend."

Storm sighed and pulled her to him where he placed her head on his chest. He kissed the top of her head and went to sleep feeling very comfortable again.

***...***

Sally's back was pressed into Storm's front. She didn't want to be awake, not right now. Storm's arms tightened around her and she snuggled closer to him before forcing herself back to sleep again.

About forty minutes later she stirred again, this time becoming full awake. She turned around in Storm's arms and began placing soft butterfly like kisses on his chest.

After a few minutes Storm said, "If you keep that up, you'll never leave this bed. Not even to attend the conference."

Sally smiled and looked up at him. "I'm sorry."

"I'm worried."

"Why? About what?"

"I want you safe."

"I am."

"No you're not. I don't know where that cop is and I don't know..."

"Mitch is my friend. We work together and he has his own problems to take care of."

"And when people have problems they can be easily influenced to do the wrong thing."

"I don't' think he's like that."

"I want you safe."

"Storm, I am."

"When are you moving in?"

She looked up at him again. "You still want me to?"

He frowned down at her, "Why wouldn't I?"

"We were fighting..."

"We weren't fighting, you were being stubborn."

"I was defending myself."