I stood in the same spot as the door close behind him. Looking around at the pictures framed around the apartment of Chase and I happily smiling together just made me realize how much I knew something was off between us. The way that I feel with Chase is like being with a really close friend that you can kiss. There are no major butterflies when we get intimate, there are no fireworks when we touch or kiss. I don't feel as comfortable or relaxed cuddling with Chase as I did with Maverick. I sit back on the couch as sink into it. Even if it wasn't for Maverick, I feel like I still have to break up with Chase. The thought still makes my heart sink and my stomach hurt from nervousness. I take a deep breath and stand up again, getting along with my day and just try to forget about it for now.
~
A few days has gone by. It's Friday night and Chase and I are in the living room. He's sitting next to me with his arm resting behind me on the top of the couch. He's on his phone texting and I was just watching tv. A random show was on but I couldn't focus on it as I had something else in my mind. Im really thinking of breaking up with him tomorrow.
"Hey babe." He says not looking from his phone. I snap my head over to him.
"Hm?"
"My friend Tyler is throwing a little get together tonight. You down to go?" He asks looking at me.
"Um, sure. I'll go. Why not." I shrug and stand up. We both start getting ready with not much conversation going on between us. I feel like this would be the perfect time for me to do it. We aren't doing terrible but we definitely aren't at our best, so I feel like it will soften the blow.
"You ready babe?" He asks after an hour or so of me in the bathroom. I walk out in tight black jeans and a black cropped silk tank top. My hair down with soft waves. I nod at him and smile. He's smiles back looking up and down at my outfit.
"You look good." He grins kissing my forehead and walks away to the door. I throw on some converse and follow him. He grabs the car keys and we leave. It was pretty chilly outside so I regret not grabbing a jacket. We get into the car and I turn on the heat and rub my arms for warmth.
"Cold?" He asks as he drives.
"Yeah." I half laugh. "A little bit. I'll be okay though don't worry about it."
The rest of the drive was quiet besides some light music and casual conversation. Eventually we get to his friends place and park out on the street. We get out and walk to the door. He knocks and stands there waiting as I continue rubbing my arms for warmth. Tyler opened the door and greets Chase with a bro hug.
"Hey guys, come on in." He says stepping to the side. Tyler is the same height as Chase with curly brown hair. He's a pretty cool guy though I've only met him a handful of times. We walk through to the living room where there were people standing and talking, other people sitting on the couches and chairs. At the corner of the room, I spotted Maverick with Hailey sitting right next to him. His arm around her shoulder. They both saw Chase and I walk in together hand in hand. Hailey smiles at us and waves us over.
"What's up bro?" Chase daps up Maverick and smiles at Hailey. Maverick gives me a subtle look of jealously, eyeing Chase and I. I eye his arm around Hailey with a slight eyebrow raise, making him look away and clench his jaw.
"Y'all had some drinks?" Chase asks.
"Not yet. Was planning on it, though." Maverick says with his elbow on the arm of the couch and his hand lazily over his mouth.
"Come grab one with me then." Chase says, gesturing for him to stand up. Maverick removes his arm from Hailey's shoulder and pushes himself off of the couch.
"Wait Chase, don't drink too much tonight please?" I say to him. He assures me that he won't and they both go off to the kitchen. I turn to Hailey and sit where Maverick was.
"So girl, how have you been?" She asks.
"I've been really good actually. How about you?" I ask her back. She gives a sigh and shrugs.
"I don't know, I've been good but Maverick has been acting strange lately." She twists her lips. My breath hitched and I got nervous, but also interested in what she has to say. But I played it cool.
"Oh yeah? What's up?"
"Well, I mean to be honest he's just been acting as if he's losing interest in me and i don't mean to dump my relationship issues onto you, but like...I just don't know what I'm doing wrong." She seemed pretty upset and suddenly the guilt took over me. I felt sweaty and out of breath.
"Uh...that's horrible I'm so sorry. He's probably just going through something I'm sure it has nothing to do with you." I tell her nodding trying to convince her that she's not in the wrong. She shrugs and reluctantly starts.
"There's another thing, he won't," She stops for a second then whispers, "he won't have sex with me anymore." This made me gulp. Though, I won't lie, I loved the thought of him only only wanting me in that way. She continues.
"We used to do it all the time I mean several times daily," My stomach turned, "now...nothing! I mean I literally beg for it sometimes and he just doesn't want to."
I hold back a grin and give her an apathetic look.
"Oh that sucks. But you look amazing he doesn't know what he's missing." I tell her. She smiles and looks away as the boys walks back towards us. Maverick doesn't look at me at all as he sips from his drink. I move out of his seat and stand with Chase. Mav doesn't say anything and just sits next to Hailey, pulling her close to him, his eyes low as he stares into the distance. I try to rack my brain on what could be his problem.
"Baby, you want a drink?" I hear Chase say in my ear. I look up at him a nod. We go to the kitchen where a bunch of people were gathering playing drinking games and chatting. He reaches into the fridge and grabs a seltzer, he knows those are the only ones I drink, and hands it to me. I thank him and as I took a few sips I couldn't help but think of what was up with Maverick. Last time we seen each other we were on such good terms. I wonder if this would effect him wanting to be with me. I mentally post pone the break up with Chase until I can figure this out.
"Hey Chase, did Mav seem a little off to you?" I ask him.
"Maybe a little. I don't know why?"
"I don't know he just seemed like upset about something." I shrug, brushing it off. We stay in the kitchen for a few minutes and talk. Not about anything important or interesting. I wasn't in the right frame of mind to really get into any good conversations with him and I didn't care to try. He eventually turns from me, finding Tyler and some other guys. They all get into conversations and I tap Chase's back to tell him I'll be in the living room. He just slightly turns his head to acknowledge me then nod, turning back to his friends. I was taken aback by that, he usually fully acknowledges me and makes sure I'm heard. I shake it off, but still little upset at him. I walk out of the kitchen and just walk around drinking my seltzer, then I spot Hailey. Maverick was nowhere to be seen as I realize Hailey is crying in a corner. I hurry to her in extreme concern.
"Hailey? What happened? Are you okay?" I place my drink on the ground and touch her arm. She shakes from crying and doesn't respond to me for a second. I try to speak to her a bit more and she looks up, her mascara running down her cheeks, and sobs lightly.
"M-maverick..he.." Her sobs makes it hard for her to get her sentence out, but as soon as she said Maverick's name I knew immediately.
"He...he just broke up with me." She sobbed even harder, putting her face in her hands and bending over in complete distress.
"Hailey, why? What's going on, where is he?" I had so many questions but she wasn't answering any.
"It's okay, do you want me to take you home?" She was inconsolable as she never responded and just kept weeping. But she shook her head no.
"I'm..c-calling an Uber.. I wanna leave!" She yelled out and continued to cry, pulling up her phone.
