Down the road of memories

To change who I tended to be

Elle POV

It's been a crazy day at work! I was changing in the employee break room, glad I wasn't forced to work overtime. Noah would be there in 5 minutes since we had planned to go eat downtown to start the weekend off right. I was almost ready when my phone rang :
- Chloe, how are you? I haven't heard from you since Lee's wedding.
- Hi Elle! Yes...I've been very busy." she said to me in an embarrassed tone of voice that I rarely heard from Chloe.
- Are you sure you're okay Chloe? Your voice is really weird.
- I need your help, Elle.
- My help?" I said to her, a little surprised.
- I have some things to say to Noah and I know he will be angry. I would have liked you to serve as a buffer for me.

Me, serving as a buffer between Noah and Chloe? This will be a first because normally, it's Chloe who plays buffer between Noah and me. But what could Chloe have done that she absolutely has to tell Noah and that will inevitably make him angry?

Noah had a reputation for having a rather short temper when he was in high school, but he calmed down a lot over the years. He is now able to express his emotions and find constructive ways to take action rather than getting into fights.

Ok, I still have to drag my fiancé to a cafe so Chloe can talk to him about something unpleasant. It's going to be a piece of cake, isn't it?

A few hours later, the three of us were sitting at a table at Noah and I's favorite cafe near Venice Beach. Noah seemed tense and only looked at his cup of coffee without looking Chloe in the eyes. The latter seemed to be wondering how to start the discussion. I knew Noah well enough to know that he's rarely the one to make the first moves.

I decided to open the conversation with Chloe and let Noah join in when he feels ready. Chloe took a deep breath before telling us :
- I saw someone again last 2 weeks in New York that I saw at Lee's wedding and we start dating.
- Who is that?" I asked her, being excited for Chloe but I was surprised by Noah's dark look.
- Marco... Pena" she said, lowering her head.

Noah turned livid and I put my hand over my mouth in surprise.
- And what happened?" Noah asked in a cold tone.
- We went on a few dates. We get along well. He love art like me..." Chloe hastened to say.
- No, I mean the night of Lee's wedding!" Noah said sharply.

Chloe looked at him with big eyes before saying :
- I left the party with him... and we spent the night together." she replied, looking down.

I was completely stunned, I really didn't expect this revelation from her. How could it be that neither Noah nor I saw anything that night? We were probably tired and very busy with family and friends. I don't even remember seeing them together...
- But let's see Chloe" replied Noah disgusted. "You're the one who kept telling everyone at Harvard that nothing good ever comes out of a one nigh.
- Yet you should be the person who understands me best, Noah!" Chloe said with a tone that quickly went from embarrassment to accusation. "What happened between you two after Elle's father got married?

But, am I in a second dimension? I could count on the 5 fingers of my hand the number of people who knew about... that night.
- How did you know?" I asked Chloe while Noah seemed too shocked to speak.
- It was pretty obvious that something had happened because Noah's attitude changed from depressed to enthusiastic in just one weekend. Maddisson also told me about the evening you spent with her to thank her for encouraging you to talk to Elle again but that you and Maddisson couldn't be together. Then, Lee confirmed my suspicion that you had a one night, the night of Mike's wedding." Noah looked stunned by everything Chloe said to him but neither he nor I saw what she said next coming. "The phone call you received during the double date with Ashley, when you left the restaurant and we didn't see you again all evening, I know it was Elle. I also know that you left for New York the next day, don't tell me you didn't meet up there.