It's now Friday and I've gotten the first week officially over with. I'm completely defeated by the bullshit every day has brought on.
Today is the day I meet up with Chase. It'll be nice to see a familiar face and to leave this god-forsaken place for a few hours.
This morning was spent being lectured on my nonexistent relationship with X, not only by Steph, but by Mia too. They went over their spiel about how dangerous he could be and to avoid him blah blah blah, they wasted their breaths on the topic because I have no desire whatsoever to talk to him again.
Last night has left me in a weird depressive state but I conceal my feelings about it to my current roommates. I kept the whole revelation of last night to myself.
…
It's now late afternoon and I need to start getting ready for my hang-out with Chase. I get into the shower and hear Steph enter the bathroom.
"How are you feeling about tonight Mills?" she asks.
"I don't know, a little nervous I haven't seen him since we broke up but also excited to catch up," I say.
"So….should I be expecting you tonight?" she asks and laughs.
I roll my eyes even though she can't see" Oh my god Steph, I'm not planning to have sex with him!" I exclaim.
"Hey you never know…" she says.
I sigh loudly enough for her to hear me.
"Enough about me, what's going on with you and Julian?" I ask.
"Ugh, I don't know. We hooked up last night and it was amazing but I just can't read him," she says sounding defeated.
"Tell me about it," I say rolling my eyes again.
"Hey, Steph? Do you think you can call Alina to see if she'd be willing to do my hair and makeup for tonight?" I ask.
"Yeah I'll go call her now," she says and with that, she exits the bathroom.
Once I'm done with my shower, I head into the bedroom and look for something to wear.
I'm not sure where we're going so I'm stuck contemplating outfits. I look through Steph's clothes and find a cream-colored, one-shoulder dress. I pull it out and put it on, it's a tad tighter than I'd like given it's a size too small, but it'll work. It falls mid-thigh and accentuates the little bit of a tan I have going.
I grab a pair of heeled beige wedges and slip them on and tie the straps around my ankle. I feel sexy and sophisticated without even having my hair or makeup done yet.
I hear a knock on the door" Come in" I say.
It's Alina with supplies in hand, we greet each other and I sit at the vanity.
"Love that dress on you," she says and I thank her.
"Any requests?" She asks.
"Nope, just whatever you think will look good with this dress," I say trusting her.
"How are you doing after the other night?" she asks cautiously.
"I'm fine, ready to just put it all past me honestly," I say, although easier said than done.
"Good, so who's this guy you're seeing tonight?" She asks all giddy.
I laugh at her unnecessary excitement, "Chase, he was my college boyfriend, just a friend now though." I say.
"Boo," she says disappointed.
Alina has decided to straighten my hair and it's looking very sleek, I love it. She did my makeup in a natural way and pretty looking with cool tones and a dark burgundy lip.
It's 6:30 by the time everything is finished and I'm feeling my confidence coming back.
Since it's a Friday night, Alina needs to work so she hugs me goodbye, and off she goes to get herself ready.
I walk into the living room and sit on the couch until I get the text from Chase that he's ten minutes away. I text him back that I'll be waiting in front and let him know the gate's passcode.
It'll take me at least a few minutes to get outside so I decide to leave now. I wave goodbye to Steph ignoring her inappropriate comments about sleeping with Chase tonight, which I will not be doing, and walk to the elevator.
Once I'm in, I take a deep breath and feel the nerves coming on.
The doors open and I step off walking through the hallway. I pass a large opened door off to the right side of the front entrance. I can see it has a pool table with men drinking and smoking cigars inside. I catch a pair of eyes staring at me, X.
He has his arm wrapped around Adria's waist and looks frozen at the sight of me.
Adria notices me and smiles with victory.
I look straight again not giving them the time of day and make the extra few steps to the door and exit.
Why do I have to feel so hurt by seeing him with Adria? She has so much more leverage and history with him than me.
A couple of minutes later, I see Chase pull into the driveway.
He's in a white BMW and parks the car right in front of the steps. I walk down and he comes around the front of the car.
He looks as handsome as ever. His light brown hair is lightly slicked back, he's wearing navy slacks and a white dress shirt. Although he's always been the put-together type, he's on a different level of handsome now.
He reaches me and pulls me into a hug. His cologne smells expensive and amazing. He pulls away keeping his hands on my arms.
"You look beautiful Millie." He says and I feel myself blush as I return the compliment back to him.
"Who's that?" Chase asks looking towards the porch.
I follow his gaze and standing outside, leaning against that same darn pillar, in the same way as a few nights ago, with the hood up and joint in hand, is X just staring at me.
I turn back to Chase and simply say "No one. C'mon, let's go."
We get into the car and drive away. I can't help myself looking into the car's side mirror at X still in the same position looking at the car as we drive away.
…
We pull into an Italian restaurant just fifteen minutes from the house. It's lit up beautifully and has green vines trailing up the building.
This place looks expensive.
Chase pulls his car to the front and hands the keys to the valet attendant. We go into the restaurant and the smell hits me first. It's been a while since I've had a nice meal. All Steph and I really eat are sandwiches, canned soup, or whatever we can air fry or microwave.
I look around at the vaulted wood ceilings and the stone fireplace in the back.
"Wow, this is really nice," I say to Chase.
He smiles at me and nods.
After a minute or so the hostess seats us at a table near the fireplace. There's a lit candle on the table and warm bread in a basket.
We get handed menus by our waiter and he pours us both red wine.
"Choose whatever you'd like Millie, it's on me," Chase says.
"Oh no Chase, it's fine," I say and tuck a strand of hair behind my ear.
"I insist," he says and I politely thank him.
The waiter comes back and takes our order and I try to order something cheap and of course, Chase notices and shakes his head and chuckles.
I missed him, he's so easy to be around it's as if time has never passed.
"So…tell me how everything has been going since you got here," he says.
I shrug my shoulders "Well, it's going..the house I'm staying at has been kicking my butt, but it's just temporary."
He furrows his light brown eyebrows and says "Millie, you know I have an extra bedroom in my apartment, you're more than welcome to stay with me until your new lease starts."
I give him a small smile, "thank you, Chase, I'll be fine though," I say.
"Promise me that if it gets to be too much that you'll reconsider, you know I don't mind." he pleads.
"I promise," I say with appreciation.
We catch up a little more until our food arrives. I dig in enjoying every single bite.
"Good huh?" Chase asks.
I laugh and nod. I probably look like a pig right now and if I wasn't enjoying my dinner as much as I am right now I'd probably be embarrassed.
After we finish eating, we retrieve Chase's car from the valet and head back to the house. It was a nice evening and good to see Chase after all this time.
"I'd like to see you again, Millie" Chase says.
"I'd like that" I smile at him. He's so simple and easy.
We pull up to the gate, enter the passcode, and drive our way to the front, once we get there, I see what I think is X sitting on a chair on the porch.
Great…
Chase puts the car in park and gets out first to open my door. He glances at X and then back to me grabbing one of my hands.
"Remember what I offered, Millie," he says in a serious tone and I nod my head.
"I will," I say truthfully.
He kisses my cheek and then walks back to the driver's side door, gets in, and drives away.
I take a deep breath with a long exhale and make my way up the stairs one by one dreading each one knowing that I'll need to pass the man I want to avoid. I make it all the way up and he's sitting in a wicker chair with his head down and cradling a glass of what I'm assuming is liquor in his hand.
Since his head is down, I keep mine up, staring at the door that's only six feet away, I keep walking having no intention of speaking to him. I grab the handle and he says in a monotone voice,
"Who the fuck was that?" I look over to him and his head is still down staring at his drink.
Shit…I almost made it.
How long has he been sitting out here? And was he ditching the club just waiting to rip me a new one?
I let go of the handle and turn my body towards him. I slump my shoulders feeling defeated and say "What does it even matter?"
He finally looks up at me with bloodshot green eyes and says a little more sternly this time "Who was it?"
I cross my arms around my chest annoyed and not wanting to have this conversation, "Chase" I say.
"Is he your boyfriend?" he asks through clenched teeth.
"Ugh.. seriously X? At one point, a long time ago, he was." I say with annoyance in my voice.
"Hmm," he says swirling the liquor in his glass. "So that's your type?" He asks with a chuckle.
"My type? Care to explain what you mean by that?" I ask with a touch of attitude.
"Yeah ya know, the rich pretty boy, loser type." He says with a small laugh basically making fun of both Chase and I.
"I'm not doing this with you," I say sternly.
"I'm not doing this with you." He says mocking me, he's wasted.
I'm not entertaining this any longer, I grab the door ready to turn it.
"I came out here last night looking for you." He says.
"We didn't have a plan to meet up…" I say and cross my arms over my chest.
"We've met up every night since we met Millie. Why have you been avoiding me?" he asks dryly.
"I'm not…" I say but he cuts me off angrily.
"I didn't ask if you were or weren't, I asked why." He says and it makes me stiffen a bit at his forwardness.
"Is it because of who I am? Or because of the comment I made before I left that night?" he asks simmering down a bit and letting down his badboy guard.
"What? No!" I say right away.
"Then tell me," he says with a slight hint of plea in his voice.
"I don't know what to say.."
"Tell me!" he says starting to boil back up.
He has a look on his face of anger and impatience.
"Fine, you want to know why?" I ask getting angry too.
"I wanted to know minutes ago but you just want to play the stupid fucking run-around game." He says in such an asshole tone that it sparks my attitude right up.
I point my finger right in his face and say "Games? The only person playing fucking games here buddy is you."
He scoffs.
I stand up straighter trying to compose myself, "I heard Penelope giving you a blow job last night on the balcony." I spit out.
I grab the door handle, open it, and walk inside while I hear him beg, "Millie wait!" in a panicked tone.
I Ignore him completely and close the door behind me. I hear a glass break from the other side of the door and him yelling
"Fuck!"
With that, I walk away not letting him ruin the nice night I previously had any further.