Black Rose [Regulus Black]

46 - deceiving friends & tough conversations

A/N: FYI, in case you missed it, this was the second part of a double update! Don't forget to read the chapter right before this (45).

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"I have a bone to pick with you," Chelsea announced as they settled down into their chairs. "You never told me you quit!"

Alessandra's cheeks flushed and she wracked her brain to come up with some sort of excuse as to why she quit a job she'd worked so hard to get. "I guess I just forgot about it."

"You just forgot," her friend repeated skeptically, eyebrows creeping up slowly.

"Yeah, life's been busy."

"Busy with what?"

"Just... busy, Chels," Alessandra hated this. She hated lying to her friend. It made her feel horrible, because Chelsea had never been anything but supportive of her, even offering her a place to stay when she was struggling to find a job. And here Alessandra was, lying to her childhood friend who had stood by her even when elitist fucks judged her for it.

She was a terrible friend.

"Are you okay?" Chelsea asked. "I feel like you've changed a lot over the past few months, and I don't know why."

"I'm fine," Alessandra tried to force some confidence into her voice. "I just think that going out into the world by myself has changed my perspective a little, you know?"

"I do know. But you're not by yourself. You have me and Doug. You'll be fine right? We're fine with you staying over while you get back on your feet."

"Oh, that's not needed." God, how was she going to tell Chelsea that she'd not just moved jobs, but houses? "I'm fine."

"Right," Chelsea said slowly. "Why'd you leave the job at the restaurant anyways? I remember you being nervous about the job interview for hours on end. You were so happy when they offered you the job too, I just can't think of a reason why you would want to quit it."

"I- I just- the work environment there grew stale. I needed some change."

Chelsea's eyes lowered to her cup of coffee, and she paused before saying, "God, now I feel like a horrible friend. I always thought you were happy working there, but turns out you were miserable all along. Have I been spending too much time talking about the wedding? Because I know I can get a little intense-"

"No!" Alessandra yelled, startling her friend. The guilt was now intensifying, and Alessandra had the urge to just scream her truth, so she could stop this whole facade. "I just, you've been so cheerful and I didn't want to dampen the mood."

Also, there's a good chance that if I told you the real reason why, you and I would both end up dead.

"I don't buy that," Chelsea narrowed her eyes. "We've been friends for over a decade. You always told me everything the moment it happened. Why stop now?"

Someone had apparently knotted Alessandra's tongue into a pretzel.

"You're keeping a secret from me," Chelsea declared. "Secrets, plural. Why?"

"I'm not-"

"Yes, you are. Does it have something to do with that guy? You asked me for advice a long time ago, but I never followed up." Chelsea lowered her voice, looking about the cafe. "Did he get you in trouble?"

Oh God, she was a terrible friend, she didn't even tell her best friend that she'd changed houses, jobs and boyfriends. "No, nothing like that."

"Why are you still lying?" Chelsea demanded. "Stop. Lying."