Chloë

II

When I went home, later that day, I asked my sister about Alex.
"Oh, no" she shook her head in utter disappointment. "That guy is a train wreck. Trust me, you do not wanna go near him."
I whined. "But why?"
"I don't know, some stuff happened with his girlfriend – well, now ex girlfriend – and now he's always wasted." So that was what the previous night was about – Alex getting shitfaced drunk before the party even started.
"I mean, you know you were drunk for a week straight after you and Chris broke up last year" I shrugged nonchalantly, as if I wasn't trying to put Alex in a better light under Sophia's very critical eyes.
"Alex has been drunk for a month!" She raised her voice and I motioned her to calm down, because I wasn't the bad guy here. "Sorry, it's just... it's really frustrating! He could have a decent career in the media, and he's throwing it all away for some girl who cheated on him."
I hissed, feeling sorry for Alex. "She cheated, uh? That sucks."
"Yes, it does." Sophia finally lowered her voice. "He used to be a great guy, too."
The way Sophia talked about Alex hinted that there was much more about them than she wouldn't tell me.
"Do you... like him?" I hesitated. I desperately wanted her to say no, she didn't, that they were just friends, but I couldn't pinpoint why: I didn't know Alex, I'd barely even talked to him. All I knew about him was that he was the only person I'd met in my whole life who thought I could compete with my sister, and for some reason that made me feel... something for him, even though I would never admit it to my sister. Yes, I would probably eventually tell her that I did, in fact, want to fuck him, but just once.
"Oh, god, no." Sophia scoffed, shaking her head violently. "I couldn't."
"'You couldn't'," I air-quoted, "because you're screwing his best friend?" I smirked, and when Sophia blushed, which wasn't common for her, I knew I'd hit the jackpot. "I knew it!"
"Well, of course you knew it, you found me naked in his bed!" Sophia laughed, clearly embarrassed.
"He's hot." I commented, and Sophia nodded excitedly, as if to tell me she was aware.
"It's just sex, though, so don't go around telling people. I don't think his friends even know."
I scoffed. "After the way I heard them talk about you, and considering Jack seems like one who likes to brag, I'm pretty sure he told them."
Sophia gave me a look, as if to say she wanted to ask, but at the same time she wanted what the guys were saying about her to remain a mystery.
I got distracted on my phone, and I didn't realize my sister was staring at me until she spoke. "You know, you would be very good for Alex, with what he's going through."
I scoffed. "Me? Being the cure to a broken heart?" Sophia nodded. "The same me who's never dated anyone because feelings suck?" Sophia jokingly hesitated, before nodding again with a grin on her face.
"I don't know, you guys are similar in so many ways."
"Oh, so now I'm a twenty-something-year-old alcoholic? Fuck, I think I missed a big chunk of my life!" I laughed, and Sophia playfully slapped my arm.
"You know what I mean!" she laughed, but finally dropped the subject.
"Didn't you just say I should stay away from him cause he's a train wreck?"
"I changed my mind." Sophia shrugged.
I liked the way I felt when I heard Alex say what he said, but I didn't want things to go any further. Like I said, feelings suck.
"Seriously, though. You should date him." I didn't like the way Sophia was suddenly so serious.
"What? No! I'm not going to break my no-dating rule to be his pick-me-up."
"Can't you at least give it a try? It would help both him and me, and maybe you'll like it." She pulled her usual trick of the sparkling eyes. "I'd do it myself if I didn't have to work with him!"
"It doesn't sound fair." I sighed. "Why do you care so much, anyway?"
"Because, like I said, I work with him and it's impossible like this. And because he's a nice guy. I know the girl who did it, she only deserves to be crushed by a thousand concrete blocks."
"I get it, okay? I feel sorry for him, too, but I think it'll be a thousand times worse if he finds out I've been going out with him because of you. If he even wants to go out with me."
"What if I gave you half of what I make as his manager?"
My eyes opened in shock as they stared at my sister, the person who was trying to buy me for immoral things. I hated the idea even more, now, but I couldn't help but think that I was in desperate need for money and I wasn't in a position to be picky.
"You won't have to work! You can just find whatever it is you love and have a great life!"
And even though I hated myself for it, I had to say yes.