A Kiss to Last a Lifetime

A Coffee Break

Chloe’s pov

My parents, Reggie and I spent a few hours at the hospital hoping for better news about Dane, but everything was unchanged. So I sent my parents and Reggie home and made my way to Starbucks to meet my frenemy Tessa. When I spotted her seated at a table near a more secluded area she gave me the same sh!it eating grin from earlier. I bet she was hoping Reggie was joining us for coffee. Too bad I foiled her plan.

I won’t pretend like it didn’t bother me when she was trying to flirt with Reggie at the hospital. However, I wanted to move past petty banter and take the high road. I walked toward the barista and placed my order. It was ready within a few moments, so I straightened my back turned toward Tessa and made my way to the secluded corner in the lounge area.

“Hey Tessa.” I said emotionlessly.

“Hey Chloe, I’m so glad we decided to do this. I haven’t been here long. Isn’t this the perfect space?” Tessa asked as she looked around, but she didn’t wait for my reply before she began to speak, “I was disheartened earlier when you refused to answer my questions and dismissed me. I know emotions are high, but I think you are lacking empathy with the decisions you’ve made.”

“For one you threw away your 3 year relationship with Dane to be with that sizzling hot man Reggie. Though I was quite busy trying to find a single flaw in his appearance, because I can’t understand how you attracted such a delicious man. If I’m being honest…you don’t deserve him after what you did and are doing to Dane. You didn’t deserve Dane either.” Tessa finished

I clapped lightly before saying, “Thank you for being honest with me. It only took you about two and a half years. I always wondered why you stole my dreams and aspirations to claim as your own. Now I realize it is because of envy and resentment.”

Tessa rambled, “You don’t deserve any of the finer things in life. You should be grateful I have kept you as a friend. Especially with how disrespectful you are to me in public. You are only fit to be my shadow and that will never change Chloe. Before things go too far you should give up Reggie too. There’s no way you could satisfy such a man, when you couldn’t even satisfy Dane while you were together.”

“What would you know about Dane's satisfaction?” I waited for a response, but her eyes got so big they looked like they would pop out of her face. “Don’t worry it took years for Dane to admit he’s been cheating on me and now I know one of the girls is you.”

“I’m sure you’re surprised that I didn’t throw the relationship away. Dane dumped me, because he met someone at college. He has been screwing her for a few months. I hope he wasn’t deceiving you too. Although you have always been a side piece in Dane’s pursuit of me.”

“I actually feel kind of bad for you. I was naive, but you knew what kind of guy he was. While I can’t even begin to comprehend how he manipulated you into dropping your standards. I can’t comprehend how you let him lead you down a road to nowhere.”

“I’m not able to understand how a beautiful intelligent young lady like you got entangled by an unavailable man. I won’t ask you why you went out of your way to disrespect yourself and disrespect me behind my back. Truth be told if you or Dane would have been honest about your relationship, I would have let him go. I would have told you that you could have each other. But your lover Dane knew I would drop him the moment I found the rumors to be true. Not sure if he explained cheating in my eyes was and is unforgivable. But I suppose it is no longer relevant as Dane has made his choice. My only question is why do you want everything I have?”

Tessa’s pov

I can’t believe she didn’t bring that handsome delicious man to our meet. Well, it’s probably for the best. I no longer have to pretend to be okay with her abrupt dismissal earlier.

Oh sh!t! Dane told Chloe we were sleeping together. When we started seeing each other he said we had something special, and that he loved me. But that Chloe was blackmailing him to continue their relationship whenever he tried to cut her off. When he was willing to cheat on Chloe to have me, I should’ve ignored his advances, but I was too invested in a future with him.

Here’s the kicker he wasn’t just cheating on Chloe, while away at college. Dane was cheating on me too.

The promises he made. All the lies he told. He told me he was going to leave her in a couple months to be with me. He made me believe that Chloe could no longer extort him as he had already told his parents his secret.

The first thoughts that came to mind as Chloe asked, “Why do you want everything I have?” Was because my parents always said I needed to be more like Chloe. This happened the first time Chloe and Sherry were visiting for a sleep over. Apparently, Chloe planned to be a lawyer with a partnership at a prestigious law firm after high school. When my parents heard her say that, they said in front of Sherry, Chloe and I that I needed to be more like Chloe.

I had dreams and aspirations too. They were to be a stay home mom, raising a family, and taking care of my husband. That would be the perfect life for me. Settling down with the perfect man, and building something special together. My parents laughed at my goals asking how I planned to take care of myself without a job, while waiting to find mister charming, and what would happen if things didn’t workout. What did I have to fall back on? I had no answers. I used to think Dane would be mine…my all after high school. What a fvcking joke!

I decided after that day I would take everything Chloe wanted and desired for my own. Any goals she had would be mine. I would do everything first and better than she ever could! Only problem is I set the bar, yet she always managed to out do me, no matter what we were up against.

Dane was the final piece to my puzzle. Stealing Dane served two purposes. 1) to show Chloe that she would always be beneath me. A mere shadow no matter how hard she tried. 2) to fulfill and secure my dream of becoming a stay at home mother. My entire plan is blowing up in my face, and it’s all Chloe’s fault! It’s kind of like my parents predicted this happening.

I wasn’t ready to truthfully answer Chloe’s question, “Just because you hate competition doesn’t mean I have to!”

“Good luck with that and thanks for the chat. I do hope you reach your goals as I no longer intend to share thoughts of my future with you. In fact this is the last time I will see you as a friend. From now on you and I are two strangers passing by. Best regards Tessa!” Chloe stated dismissively as she stood up from her chair.

I couldn’t believe once again she had managed to show me up. As I watched her retreating form I knew I wasn’t done with her and that she would pay in one way or another regardless of how she felt about the matter. She set me up, it was obvious now.