The Art of Loving

[17] The Bennett Family

Ellie took a deep breath and sighed. "What about her?"

"I know you don't like her. But she's still a friend an-"

"A friend who'd like to get more than friendly with you," Ellie interrupted him.

"I know," Brian told her. "And I know that last time I didn't exactly help to make you feel better about her, but there's really nothing I want from her. I have you."

Chewing on her lip, Ellie thought about what he was saying. "She's going to think she has some sort of claim on you because she knew you first."

"She doesn't," Brian tried to argue with her, but that didn't convince Ellie.

"She does. I'm sure she does. I know that kind of person."

"You don't know her, Ellie," Brian told her.

Ellie looked at him and shook her head. "I don't want to know her. Really not."

"Maybe you'll like her," he said, looking at her.

"No offence, but I doubt that. I don't trust people like her. Girls trying to get friendly with me but secretly lusting after my boyfriend, trying to steal him, trying to get him to cheat on me." Ellie shook her head and crossed her arms. She had a very firm opinion about this topic, because she had more experience with two-faced people - women especially.

"But she can try all she wants, she's never going to succeed."

Ellie sighed and shook her head. "If she really wants to, she'll wear you down."

"Do you really trust me that little?" Brian asked with a slight accusing undertone.

"It's not about that," Ellie tried to argue, but Brian shook his head.

"Yes, it is about that, Ellie. Even if you try to find excuses you know it is about that. I don't blame you, but it's still about your ex somehow."

Ellie didn't say anything in reply to that, because she was starting to see Brian's point.

"The only reason I ... I did allow Marcia to try a little more was because Roger suggested that I do that to make you jealous. That's all. You can ask whoever you want, last time was the only time I spent a little more time with her. I swear. I'm not even interested in cheating on you. Do you really think I .. I did all I did to be with you just to cheat on you?"

"No," Ellie sighed. "No..."

"Exactly. Be nice to her."

"Brian, I-" Ellie tried to talk to him, but Brian immediately cut her off again.

"No, wait, just listen to me. Think about the effect you have on her. You're my girlfriend. You could be confident, happy, letting her know that what we have is good, that we have a good relationship, or you could be nervous, insecure, jealous, giving her the impression thatg her the impression that maybe there's a reason you're not confident about our relationship." He glanced at Ellie for a moment to see if his words had any effect on her. "Think about it. If the guy you ... you're interested in was with someone else, would you try to steal him from a bitchy girl or from a lovely girl, who's nice and who you like?"

"Yes, yes, okay," Ellie gave in. "You have a point. Fine. I'll be nice to her, I guess. If I have to talk to her. Don't think I'll be going up to talk to her."

"I'm not expecting that. But I really do think that you'll make a much bigger, and a much better impression on her if you're nice. Because you are really nice. Let her see that I'm with a good person, because I'm guessing that she might accept that more easily."