Coincidental

•Chapter 3•

Flashback to 16 year old Alec.

I am pacing in my room. I can't believe Chloe is going out with George. She deserves way better than him, someone like.....

I don't know, someone who cares about her, someone who sees her for who she really is.

I hear a car pull up. I look out of the window. There she is, the girl who is on my mind 24/7. The girl who is haunting my dreams. My best friend and neighbor, Chloe.

She is wearing a cute dress that stops right above her knee. It's weird seeing her like that, all dolled up. I like her better in sweats, but she looks breathtaking anyways. Her brown hair is curled and she has a smile on her face brighter than the sun.

I feel my heart beating faster, what is happening? Then I realize something, I am in love. I am in love with my best friend. The girl who's protective over the things she loves, the girl who didn't want me to play at her spot when we were five, the girl who is always there for me. The girl who's falling for George.

***

Chloe is crying on my shoulder, why? Because that jerk decided that she wasn't worth his time, because he wanted more from her than she was ready to give. He broke up with her at school, in front of everyone. I beat him up afterwards. I got suspended for three weeks, but it was worth it.

I give her a kiss on her forehead and tell her it'll be alright. He broke her and now it's my turn to pick up the pieces and show her what it feels like to be really loved.

"I love you," she says while hugging me.

"I love you too," If only she knew what I meant...

***

I planned it all out, first a picnic at the playground where we first met. There, I am going to ask her to be my girlfriend, then we are going to the beach and lay under the stars until we fall asleep.

But my plan goes down the drain as soon as I see drops of rain falling down. I don't want to cancel our date, since it took me months to finally ask her out. So I decide that we should just stay at my house, my parents aren't home to bother us anyways. I text her to dress casual and to come to my house in ten minutes.

I grab some blankets from upstairs and my collection of movies.

I am setting down the snacks, when I hear a knock on the door.

I hurry to a mirror, to check if I look alright and I open the door.

"Hey"

I have trouble catching my breath.
She always looks gorgeous, whether she is in baggy sweats or in a dress, whether she wears makeup or not. Even when she looks like she was falling asleep on her feet, she never fails to look amazing to me.

"Hey, come in" I finally respond after at least five minutes passed.

"Is something wrong?" she asks.

"No," I snap, and then softer, "it's all good."

I guide her to the living room where I made a fort of pillows.

"You look great," I say to her when we finally sit down.

A pearly pink glow washes her cheeks and her eyes sparkle like stars.

"Do you really think so?"

"Yeah," I scratch the back of my neck awkwardly.

"Thank you," she gives me a sweet smile that screams innocence.

We talk for hours. Somewhere in the middle of the conversation she looks down and fidgets with her t-shirt. She cocks her head and bites her lip.

"What?" I ask.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." I am in a trance by her beauty, because I normally would say, "You just did."

"Why did you ask me out?"

"Seriously? I thought you were beautiful from the moment I first saw you when we were five. You had this light in your eyes and your smile was the most breathtaking thing I had ever seen. I'm glad we grew up together, so I didn't have to miss out on even one awesome moment of our time together. I would've asked you out sooner if you hadn't been in a relationship."

Her face darkens for the slightest moment, but then her mouth spreads in a toothy grin and she laughs. I never heard such laughter before and the music of it fills the empty living room.

"You think I'm beautiful?" She looks at me for a moment and then scrunches her eyebrows. "What is it? Are you laughing at me?" She misinterpreted my grin.

"Well, it's just that I realized I want to do whatever it takes to see you smile and laugh again."

"Why?"

"Because you're even more beautiful when you smile."

She looks down at the floor, but keeps on smiling.

"I'm beautiful," she repeats.

With my finger I hold her chin up and I look her in the eye.

"Yeah, you are and I will tell you this every day. Until you will fully believe it."

She catches me off guard when she says, "Did you know your eyes are beautiful?"

"It's because they're looking at you." That was incredibly cheesy, I know. Sue me.

She looks down again, which she had done all night, but this time it wasn't for as long. She leans up a little and says, "I really want to kiss you."

"So kiss me," I lean in, our lips brushing lightly. It isn't an overly passionate kiss. Instead, it is a tender, eager one. All too soon, it is over.

"Will you be my girlfriend?" I ask her, I am nervous. Chloe is known for being unpredictable.

"I would love to," she shoots me a dazzling smile.

Flashback to 18 year old Alec and Chloe.

Chloe and I are talking about our future, she tells me she wants to mean something to the world. She wants to make her mark.

"What do you want to be?" She asks me.

"I want to be a successful businessman"

"What kind of business?"

"I don't know yet."

Chloe looks me in the eye.

"What about this. You can start a company that's green, that way I have my wish and you have yours."

"How so?"

"Well, there are already so many companies out there who aren't green. So if you started a company that was a hundred percent green, then you could possibly change the future and of course it's way more appealing."

"That's actually not a bad idea, but if this happens. You have to be a part of it," I tell her

"And do what? I am not good at anything business"

"You can be my secretary or assistant, that way we'll always be close to each other. And in that way you can entertain me."

"Ugh, you're so cheesy."

"Only for you baby, only for you," I shoot her a wink.

We were only joking, but it seems like fate had its own plan for us.