Chapter Two
1741 Words
ANN
I could recognize Chris's car anywhere and anytime. But what I couldn't understand was what it was doing here, at Beth's.
Hmm.
They had always been uncomfortable around each other, and so we're hardly around each other. I parked my car just by the side of the road since Chris had parked his in the spare parking spot at the entrance of Bethany's house.
I grabbed the pastries and began to walk towards my best friend's house. My heart was thundering so fast I thought it would burst out of my chest.
This wasn't right.
I didn't feel okay.
Maybe Bethany had called him because she was sick?
No.
She would have called me. I was her best friend after all.
It felt like I was in the movies. I took a deep breath and walked over to the door. Maybe it was all a misunderstanding which would be cleared as soon as I got inside. I have always been an over thinker.
The door stood wide open.
My hands were shaking uncontrollably as I held the basket of pastry for support. I walked in and was stunned for the second time.
It wasn't the sight of Chris kissing my best friend that got to me.
It wasn't the way he was holding her, like he wouldn't ever let go.
It wasn't the fact that she had her arms wrapped around his shoulders with her fingers grabbing at his hair.
It was what she held in her other hand. The little white device which even a teenage girl could recognize, sat preciously in her fingers.
I stood quietly, too stunned to even say a word. Too shocked to even move. I wanted to run, I wanted to scream, I wanted to die.
I wanted it all to be a dream.
I still stood and watched as they pulled away for air.
"Oh Chris, what will I tell Ann?" I heard Beth say. Her voice sounded like she were speaking from a long distance.
"I will break up with her on our trip this weekend. I can't wait to have this baby with you." He said, rubbing her arms.
At that moment, I willed my dry throat to work, enough to let them know I was standing right there.
"There will be no need for that," I said in the coldest voice I could muster.
The different expressions that played on their faces were worthy of an Oscar.
If only the situation wasn't very serious, I would have laughed.
I turned and headed out of the house, tossing the pastries away and walking very fast as I felt tears threatening to fall from my eyes. I heard Chris calling after me, but I refused to look back. I ran as fast as I could to my car, dragged the door open and jumped inside.
I took two deep breaths, wiling the tears back. I didn't want to cry.
I refused to cry. Two of the people I trusted most in this world had betrayed me ruthlessly. They had shattered me beyond repair. They didn't deserve my tears.
I turned my car recklessly and drove as fast as I could back to my apartment. My hands felt very cold on the steering wheel.
I suddenly felt tired. It wasn't long before I got to my apartment and parked my car. My body felt very heavy and shaky. Willing my legs to move, I walked over to the private lift to my penthouse and punched the button. I didn't even wait for it to open completely before rushing inside and punching the button repeatedly for it to close.
Getting to my apartment, I looked at the door opposite mine and sighed. The owner was never around and that made me happy, since I didn't have to talk to anyone.
I opened my door and went into my apartment.
Heading straight for the bedroom, I pulled off each item of clothing and threw them on the ground carelessly. Stopping at the foot of the bed, I stared down at it blankly, different thoughts were going through my head.
Chris.
Bethany.
My boyfriend.
My best friend.
A child.
He told me his plans for marriage. He told me he hadn't wanted to have s*x till he got married. I hadn't wanted to stay a virgin, but he had insisted. Showering me with kisses and doing every other thing, but have s*x with me.
Even without s*x, he made me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world.
What had gone wrong?
Where had I gone wrong?
Why had Bethany betrayed me like this?
I sighed in defeat and collapsed on the bed, giving in to the son that had been threatening to come out.
This was officially the worst day of my life.
COLTON
It was a weird ringtone that woke me up.
What the hell??
There was no way that was mine.
What weirdo uses a Barbie girl as a ringtone in 2022?
The phone rang again, and I got up from my bed and padded over to the sitting room where the offending tone was coming from. Sleep still clouded my eyes as I walked into the room.
I walked over to the huge oak table and almost gave myself a face palm when I saw the device.
I still had the woman's phone.
It kept on ringing and I saw the name written on it.
Chris.
Who was this Chris to her? Her brother? Her boyfriend?
The thought of her having a boyfriend did not sit well with me in any way.
After many attempts to ignore the calls, I picked up the phone, intending to answer the call, when it stopped ringing.
A message popped up on the screen.
I'm sorry. It said.
Why would he be sorry? Where they having problems?
Another message.
Please, Ann. Let's talk. I will explain everything.
Another.
Can you at least pick up? So I can know you're okay?.
I sighed and set the phone back on the table. I won't be invading her privacy. Although for some reason, I was really worried about this woman.
What had happened? Was she okay?
I decided to go down to the reception and give them her phone. I guess my wooing plans will be put on hold for now. If it will ever happen.
She had a boyfriend.
Damn it.
I walked over to my closet and pulled on a white Tee and a pair of jeans. I pulled on a pair of socks and black sneakers.
As I was already awake, I would use the opportunity to rush to the store and then to the office to grab some more documents. I loved working and even if I had decided to spend the weekend at my house, I wouldn't and couldn't spend it doing anything. And I also loved to cook, even if I already had a cook.
I grabbed my wallet, keys, and both my phone and hers. I walked out and closed the door behind me, just in time to see the door opposite mine shut.
So I actually had a neighbor.
I turned and got into the elevator feeling a little bit bothered that I would now have to share my few minutes of elevator goodness with someone else.
The elevator came to a stop and I walked out, heading straight to the reception, where I saw a girl sitting with eyes buried in her phone.
I quickly gave her the phone and described the owner to her, to which she replied, saying the woman had just asked if she had seen the phone.
I finished with the receptionist and walked out to where my car was parked. I got in, and drove off. My first stop was my office. I hadn't met my new personal assistant yet and so I couldn't send her on errands for now. I would meet her the week after my best friend's wedding.
Caleb had decided to have a week-long wedding.
If we didn't work together for me to know he was a workaholic just like I was, I would say he was jobless for fixing such a wedding.
I smiled as I thought about my best friend, Caleb. Our friendship went way back to kindergarten. We had both been overweight and kids at school had spent most of their time at school looking for one excuse or the other to pick on us. Things finally turned around in high school, when we had gone from the "Overweight Double" to the most popular in school.
Caleb had been a notorious playboy until college and since he had the looks, he had executed his playboy roll perfectly. We had once joked that if any one of us were to marry first, it would be me, since I was more level headed when it came to women. And so it had come as a surprise when Jane, his fiance, had managed to keep him wrapped tight around her fingers for three years. And still she managed to drag him to the altar. Jane was the intervention Caleb had needed and I was happy for both of them.
One week on a private island.
How bad would it be?
Or how fun could it be?
Somehow, I felt excited about it.
My phone rang.
It was Caleb.
"Hello." he sounded so damn excited. And I wondered why? Surely it was just a wedding?
"Hey, Caleb." I answered, totally amused by his tone.
"Hey, I hope you are doing okay? Listen, man, change of plans." there was a little shuffling in the background. "I know you are supposed to rest a little at the hotel before coming out, but I need you. So I have some issues over here. So the moment you touch down, please let me know."
I just sighed. Typical Caleb.
"And what is the problem this time?" knowing my friend, I wasn't surprised he was already running into problems.
Just as he was about to say something, someone yelled his name. " Oh man, I'll see you in a few hours time." he said, before hanging up.
I just stared at my phone as it lay in my palm. I knew it would be something about his suit or even the venue, or the transportation, or anything. I laughed.
The only time my friend had his s**t together, was his office, head buried deep in numbers.
- Writer
