Living in Sin (On Hold)

Sixteen _ A Heart Fangled Anew

Chloe

I glanced at the clock on the wall and knew there was no way I could make it to school today. But I didn’t regret it. Seeing the look on Mag’s face, I was in fact glad I brought her here. I knew she really needed it although she might never admit it in words.

We were at this ice rink we’d found after about an hour of just driving around and talking about nothing. She’d told me about her dreams, what she liked about that coffee she had in Venice when Mitch took her there last year, how hot the hostess on their return flight, how revitalizing morning sex could be and etcetera.

I’d just listened, making occasional questions so she’d know I’d heard it all, but didn’t’ ask anything about the one that made her this way. I knew she’d spill everything eventually.

“You ready for another round?” She asked, finishing up the shake in her glass.

“I was born ready, Miss.” I said with an over-cocky tone making. It wasn’t that funny but she laughed anyway.

“Actually, I’m kinda tired. Let’s just go home.” She confessed with a sheepish grin.

“I knew it. You wanted to make it look like you had to go home because of me.” I gave her a playful glare. “But seriously, you can’t do this to me. I’m all warmed up now.”

“And I know just the thing to bring that heat down.” And she wiggled her eyebrows.

“Ew! No offense but just, Ewwww!”

“Hey, I meant taking a shower.”

 “Phew.” She giggled at my overdramatic sigh.

 “Besides, you should be so lucky.” She said, getting up. “Now, come on.”

 “Okay, okay. Let me finish this up first.” But I couldn’t as she grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the chair literally and we weaved our way out of the restaurant through the crowd giggling like crazy. Even if I had to wait one more day for Rina, I knew it was so worth it seeing her old self coming back to life again.

I joined her in the back verandah enjoying the breathtaking scene of cars parking in and leaving the lot. Handing her a cup, I leaned back on the balustrade and watched her in profile. She was more than just stunning.

“Too busy exulting in the battles for the parking space, I see.” I didn’t get an answer for a while. But when I did, it was a counter. A good counter!

“Loh,” she turned and perched her hip against the railing to face me, “what was she like?”

Of course I knew what she was talking about but said, ”What was who like?”

“Rina.”  She was the only who knew about my past life. Not even Ian knew this much about me like she did. But even she knew only the name. I was never ready to confide in someone that much. But now was the best time to start changing, I guessed.

“The kind that I don’t deserve but at the same time, can’t let go.” Then I gave out a sigh. “Most days, actually. Sometimes, I couldn’t hate anymore more.”

“Makes two of us.”She chuckled then sighed and turned away from me. “Let’s play twenty questions about them?”

“Uhh,… I don’t know…”

“Come on, you start.” She said, ignoring my fudge and grabbed my hand. I had no choice but to follow  her as she led me back into living room.“How’d you two meet?” she asked as we both relaxed on the couch.

A sigh betrayed me as I set the cup of chocolate back down on the trestle. “It was after my second foster home that they decided to put me in this orphanage. I was twelve.”She shifted a little at that.