Adria's Choice

Chapter 3

My first time meeting Lexie was surreal. We had been ringing her doorbell for about five minutes before she answered it. We were actually about to leave but she suddenly threw open the door and after a quick hello to Karyl, she walked to her couch and flopped down crying.

Karyl and I were both taken aback by Lexie's appearance. She was in sweatpants and a huge university shirt, which I recognized as a sweatshirt I gave to Tom for our second anniversary. If not for her flowing tears, I would have ripped that shirt off her back. But what startled me most was that she still looked beautiful—utterly gorgeous, in fact, even with blotchy eyes and a red nose. Seriously, how did she end up with Tom?

I stayed by the door while Karyl sat beside Lexie. I was filled with mixed emotions—shame for barging in on such a private moment, anger at her for being the other woman, and pity because I knew what it was like to cry as hard as she was doing at that moment.

"Lexie? What's wrong?" Karyl asked.

Lexie tried to stop crying so she could respond. "T-T-Tom just broke up with me!" That drove her into a new bout of tears.

Karyl and I exchanged looks before she turned back to Lexie and handed her a new piece of tissue from the nearby tissue holder. "Did he say why?"

"He said," Lexie wiped her eyes with the new sheet, "that he has a girlfriend and that he loves her and that he's only been with me for the sex! He wants to marry his girlfriend!" She formed two fists and punched her cream-colored couch.

I took my first good look at her apartment and noticed that almost everything was positioned just right. The plants by the windowsill looked real and healthy, no dirty dishes on the kitchen sink, and no stray shoe in sight. Her apartment was painted in calming tones of blue and cream, with some light brown furniture for an earthy feel. It looked just like a magazine spread, complete with the beautiful view from her window.

"That low-lying scum! That bastard!" she screamed. Her transition from lovelorn miss to scorned woman happened so fast, I felt slightly scared.

At the same time, her revelation felt like a blow to my stomach and I staggered against the door. Thoughts like He loves me! He's still choosing me over Little Miss Perfect! ran through my mind before I realized that it was not the right time to gloat, even mentally, about that.

Lexie looked up as if to start shouting more slurs about Tom's parentage when she finally saw me. "You! I know you! You're Tom's perfect girlfriend!" She stood up and strode over to me. "What the fuck are you doing here? Are you here to gloat?" Without warning, she slapped me.

Man, she has a powerful right arm, was my first thought. I willed the sting on my cheek to go away and gingerly turned my neck to look at her. Her eyes were dark brown and huge, and up close I could see that her eyelashes were so long they almost curled at the tips. Her hand (with slender fingernails and perfectly shaped nails) was covering her mouth and she looked shocked by what she did.

"Lexie! Enough!" I heard Karyl say sharply.

I didn't really know what to say. "I think it's going to leave a mark." I knew it wasn't the wittiest remark, but what could you say when faced with your opposite?

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry," she repeated as reached for me.

I couldn't help it. I flinched.

She dropped her hands to her side. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to slap you. I'm just so surprised to see you here." She suddenly stopped and cocked her head to the side. "Actually, how did you get here? And why are you here?" She turned to look at Karyl then back at me.