His Number One : The Sequel to Chemistry

Chapter 32

"I feel like I'm going to be sick," a shaky Tiara quietly announced. Her hands sat clasped together between her thighs and steadily shook up and down due to the bouncing of one of her legs. She looked up from her cup of hot cocoa to look into Chris's face. "I'm pretty sure we're making a really stupid mistake."

"Tiara, the only stupid mistake we made was the one we made three months ago," he let out a heavy sigh before letting the silver spoon he stirred his cocoa with fall unto the glass plate underneath it. "This is the only way to fix it."

"We couldn't have fixed it in the comfort of our own homes?"

"The dude owns a gun," Chris concluded.

"With no bullets."

"He has several knives-,"

"All butter."

"Ok," Chris said defeatedly. "Just because his weapons aren't sufficient doesn't mean his fists aren't. Besides, with us being in public he's less likely to make a scene."

"Ok," Tiara exhaled as if to calm herself down. "You're probably right. It'll probably work out better this way."

The truth was, despite how much she tried to calm the anxiety that slowly began to creep in down, she was never successful. For months she had hidden this secret, but she had convinced herself that it was okay. I mean, after all they were broken up. She was single. No ties. Plus she was drunk. AND Daniel had himself a little bit of fun too.

Tiara's eyes closed shut and she shook her head slightly as if to denounce all of these justifications.

No, no, no; this was his best friend. And they had only taken a break. A measly little break that lasted for just a few days. Words scurried through her mind but she just couldn't seem to construct them into sentences.

There was a sound of a jingling bell that came from behind them, and Tiara turned to see who was making their way through the coffee shop's door. Tiara's heart dropped, Daniel's face lit up, and she attempted to force a smile back at him. It lasted only a mere second before it disappeared again. That's when Daniel knew something was up.

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his brown, winter jacket. "What's going on?" he asked as he approached the circular table.

Tiara nervously lifted her mug to her lips and slowly sipped it for as long as Chris could go without speaking. He inhaled exasperatedly before motioning Daniel to take the empty seat adjacent to him.

Again, Daniel looked from Tiara to Chris for some form of insight.

"Daniel, man," Chris commenced. He kept his eyes down into the mug in front of him and tapped the sides of it softly with his finger tips. "Daniel, man I-," he repeated. "I, uh- I'm just a dummy, man. I'm dumb as h*ll. I made a stupid mistake - we," he gestured between him and Tiara, "made a stupid mistake."

Daniel shifted in his seat a bit and leaned forward so that he sat with his elbows on the table, "What are you talking about, man?" But Chris wouldn't speak. "Babe," he said looking at Tiara. She was still sipping out of her mug when she lifter her eyebrows and looked at him from the top of it. "What's he talking about?"

Tiara took one last swallow before slowly placing the mug back down on the table. She inhaled. "Daniel," she exhaled. "You know I love you. And we've both made some really terrible mistakes throughout the course of this relationship." She paused to look at him. Daniel had a heavy look of concern on his face that caused her eyes to sting a bit. Her nose began to feel funny, so she sniffled. "But just like I forgave you for the crap that you put me through, I earnestly ask that you forgive me for what I'm about to tell you."