Roommates

Chapter 43 Part 2

Running into the living room, Chloe came face to face with a stranger...

Aurora jumped, trying to make out the shadow of the person. The figure was too small to be Evangeline, but she was hopeful. She needed to be resting, but as long as she was feeling well enough, it comforted Aurora.

She reached out her hand. "Evangeline?"

"Who the fuck are you?" Chloe asked. She grabbed the remote that controls the lights and turned the living room chandelier on. Gold light illuminated the room, tinting all of the white furniture orange.

"Chloe?" Aurora asked in surprise, looking for her in the blinding light.

She recognized Chloe's voice, and when her eyes fell upon her and focused, she was the striking image of the person she used to be. She hadn't changed at all. There wasn't a single laugh line or wrinkle to be found on her child-like face, evidence of a miserable, doctored adulthood.

Chloe sized up Aurora, too. Her face was unrecognizable, but there was a sense of familiarity in her voice. Chloe assumed she was one of Evangeline's little whores always coming in and out of this place. The walls were thin and chances were Chloe had heard her at some point in history.

Chloe repeated herself. "Who are you and what are you doing in my apartment?"

Aurora scoffed, unamused by Chloe's ignorance. "Unbelievable."

"Are you going to answer anything?"

Aurora folded her arms and stood her ground. She spoke slowly. "What's my name, Chloe?"

Upon another attempt, studying her Grecian features and silk hair, Chloe's recollection still fell short. It wasn't like she had documentation for every slut Evangeline invited into the house. "It doesn't fucking matter. What are you doing in my apartment?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Aurora said, looking around. Evangeline wasn't on the couch where she had left her. Panic began to overtake her mind. "Where is she?"

"What are you talking about?" Chloe folded her arms, too. "This is my house. Who even are you?"

Aurora rolled her eyes. "Guess three months of fucking isn't good enough to secure a spot in your memory. You know what? Screw you, Chloe."

"Get out of my house!" Chloe said, unsure of why this conversation was taking so long and why she had to repeat herself so many times.

"I live here now," Aurora defended, stepping closer to the five-foot-nothing girl. She hadn't grown an inch since freshman year, but her head was clearly a lot bigger these days. "Last I checked, the door hit you on the way out."

Chloe stifled a laugh, reassessing the situation. It all made perfect sense to her now. This was one big misunderstanding.

"You poor girl," Chloe tsked, "I see what's going on here. Look, doll, I hate to tell you this, but Eve doesn't love you."

Aurora furrowed her eyebrows. "You don't know what you're talking about."

Taking a regulating breath, Chloe sighed. She needed to stay on top of this discussion. "In case she gave you a fake name, surprise, her name is Eve. And, she sleeps with any girl she meets, so please don't think you're special."

"You don't know anything about her." Aurora lowered her voice. Evangeline didn't need to hear them. She was probably in bed and asleep. Or, at least, Aurora hoped she was. "Do her a favor and just leave, Chloe."

"Excuse me?" Chloe couldn't believe what she was hearing. She closed the space between them, looking up at Aurora. "You're nothing but a toy for her to use and discard. I'm her best friend. I'm not going anywhere."