13
1009 Words
Chloe got up and left Vernon's office. She walked slowly and stopped when she saw Diamond drinking a cup of coffee while reading something on her iPad.
Their eyes met, and Chloe tried to smile a little to ease the tension between them.
But Diamond quickly looked away, making Chloe's heart drop instantly, "I've packed your lunch bag in the pantry. You can just grab it and leave.
…
"Don't talk to me. I have things to do," Diamond cut out any possible interaction with her best friend.
Chloe murmured 'thank you as she passed Diamond to the pantry. She grabbed the lunch bag and halted her step right across from Diamond.
"Um… Diamond, I don't know if you'll like it, but…." Chloe picked something from the lunch bag and put it on the table. "This is a cup of pumpkin pudding I made this morning. I made extra so you can enjoy it."
"Hm, whatever."
Chloe lowered her head and finally went down the elevator.
Diamond continued focusing on her iPad, even though the screen was just a random document she clicked. She was trying to distract herself by not looking at her homegirl's face because she might break her character and hug Chloe.
She wanted to teach Chloe that she had to stand her ground, or else nobody would be able to help her.
But still…
The moment Chloe entered the elevator and went down, Diamond dropped her iPad and darted her eyes at a cup of pumpkin pudding made by Chloe.
She picked it up and dug into it without hesitation. She took a spoonful and closed her eyes as she found out that Chloe's pumpkin pudding was amazing!
"Ah, you're still thinking about me even after our fight. How am I supposed to maintain my animosity, homegirl…." Diamond murmured.
She was already on the verge of dropping the whole 'fight' thing with Chloe when her best friend smiled meekly at her. But she still had to continue doing this until Chloe realized her mindset was wrong.
"Ah, I think I'm going to cry," Diamond sobbed while eating the pumpkin pudding. "Come on, Gurl, get your ass up and stand on your ground. I can't do this for too long!"
"Ugh, I bet Mr. Pheonix Gray must've been distressed. Bet they're fighting again inside the office…."
Diamond always hated when Vernon and Chloe fought, mostly because she didn't know which side to take.
Most of the time, she would take Chloe's side.
But there were a few cases where it was definitely her homegirl's fault.
Vernon opened the door as he wanted to tell Diamond to start contacting the mall manager.
And the first thing he saw was Diamond eating a pudding while sobbing, something that he never saw before.
"Uhhh…" Vernon felt awkward, especially when their eyes accidentally met.
"Uhh… why are you crying?" Vernon asked.
**
Chloe entered the penthouse and immediately started cleaning everything around her. It was just a way to distract herself, as her mind was still preoccupied with Diamond's words.
It was so rude and offensive.
Yet it held truth in it;
"Spineless, wishy-washy woman who will return to her abuser…." Chloe repeated the line once more. She tried to brush it off, but the more she tried to distract herself, the more she realized that the word 'spineless' accurately described what she was doing.
Avoiding confrontation, trying to distract herself to forget the real problem, and acting as if everything was alright, just to endure and keep all the abuse that Vincent did to her.
She was spineless. There was no doubt about it.
Chloe continued her usual activity of picking up Mackie from her school. She listened to her daughter chirping happily as she was ready for tomorrow's event.
Chloe replied with a smile or a small hum because her mind was still stuck in that coffee shop where she fought with Diamond.
She returned home and started cooking dinner for the three of them.
Mackie continued chirping but soon realized that her Mommy wasn't listening. Usually, Mommy would cook while humming a song and chatting with Mackie.
But Mommy was very quiet right now, all she did was chop vegetables in silence, and her eyes were empty.
"Mommy, are you listening?" Mackie called her Mommy, and Chloe was unresponsive, busy with her own world.
Thus, Mackie jumped from the chair and went towards Chloe. She pulled the hem of her shirt and raised her voice, "MOMMY!"
"AH!" Chloe snapped out of her daze and looked down. "What's wrong, Dear?"
"Mommy, you're not listening to me!" Mackie pouted. "Are you alright?"
"Ahaha, Mommy is alright. I was just tired…."
"Tired? Un… Mommy doesn't need to cook then, I don't need to eat dinner!"
Chloe smiled and patted her daughter's head, "It's okay. I will rest after making dinner. Can you help me put small plates and bowls on the table?"
"Sure can, Mommy!"
The energetic little girl prepared the small plates and glasses on the dining table. When she heard the penthouse door being opened from outside, she dashed to greet her Uncle.
"Uncle!" Mackie hugged her tall Uncle's thigh.
Vernon smiled thin and ruffled Mackie's head, "How's your rehearsal?"
"Everything is ready, Uncle! I will be performing tomorrow, in the autumn festival!"
"That's good. Sorry I can't be there, but I will make up for it with a celebration, okay?"
"Yay! Celebration! Cakes!"
Chloe peeked from the kitchen and said, "You two, go sit at the dining table. Dinner is ready."
"Okay!" Mackie and Vernon replied at the same time. They sat at the dining table and waited for Chloe to put the food on it.
Chloe carefully put a pot of hot chicken soup with vegetables on the table and sat facing Vernon and Mackie, who started pouring the soup into their bowl.
She waited for them to take their portion and then took hers, as she didn't feel like eating much.
She ate in silence as she watched her family eating her food with relish.
- Writer
