Beautiful Dichotomy

chapter 11

"Gab, you good?" Michelle asked as they approached her.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She huffed in response.

"You don't look fine," she said in a judgmental tone, "and where is your... friend" The tone intentional.

"Like look at this shit," as Gabby turned her phone around to show Michelle the text from Rae. Samuel glanced down to see their message thread, and then noticed the text from Rae which read:

I'm sorry but I had to leave. I'm just a little overwhelmed and I didn't mean to snap on you. Please lmk if you need a ride or help getting home.

"I mean you told me she does shit like this all the time right?" Michelle said, while sipping her own champagne.

Gabby replaced hers with another, "forreal. Ever since we were kids, she's always had this complex like she's better than everyone else. It's super annoying and it took so much to beg her to come out. She really don't be doing anything and the one time I bring her out she wants to act up and try and flip out on me."

"I don't know how you put up with that," Michelle shook her head, "you're way better than me."

Samuel grew more and more pissed listening to the girls talk about Rae. When he read their previous message thread, he realized that she might not be the same Rae he remembers from high school.

But he isn't the same either and he doesn't stand for things like this.

"Do you guys even hear yourselves?" His voice cutting into their petty conversation, "it sounds like you two got into a small argument and she needed to leave. She still cares if you get home safe and sent you that text... so why are you complaining?"

"Sammy, it's girl stuff, like you wouldn't understand." Michelle cut in, laughing lightly as if it was normal.

Gabby just stared at him and narrowed her eyes, "I don't know why you're defending her, you don't even know her. I put up with so much shit from her especially her holier than thou fucking attitude."

"You're a shitty ass friend." Samuel said, his voice plain and dry while his face showed no remorse.

"What the fuck?" Michelle questioned Samuel, "why do you care so fuckin much?"

He rolled his eyes and removed her hands from him. She tried calling out for him even as he was clearly walking away. Not even stopping himself as he grabbed nothing before leaving the building. Looking both ways, he had hoped he would see some glimpse of her. Any sign to know where she went. Taking a chance he started walking to the right, his pace fast as he hurried through a few groups of people.

Gaining a few curses and stares as he now frantically wanted to find her. She left upset and he was worried for her.

As he continued to look around, relief hit him like a truck to see her swinging her heeled feet off a random ledge. Her much longer curly hair hiding her face completely as she looked down.

"Rae?" He called out to her, making her slowly look up. Immediately making him more concerned as he saw her sad smile and her red tipped nose. "Were you crying?" He asked as he approached her, lowering his voice.

"No! Don't worry about me! I'm fine," her wide smile not enough to fool him.

"What happened?"

She closed her eyes as she tilted her head up at the sky, taking a minute to say something, "was she talking about me?"

He didn't want to answer in case it may make her more upset. He's never seen her cry and it's something he distinctly remembers never wanting to see.

"I'll take your silence as a yes," she now met his gaze, knowing he was trying desperately to figure her out, "I overheard her on the phone with someone talking about me a little while back. I'm not sure why she feels like I pretend to be better than her," she started venting, feeling completely safe around Samuel. A person she hasn't spoken to in years, "I feel terrible that she feels that way. I don't mean to give off those vibes or anything.... do you think I think I'm better than you? Have you ever felt that way about me?"