“Woah woah woah I think you will find all three of us are pretty famous…well maybe not so much Denaun”
Deshaun ducks at Denaun throws the closest thing he can reach at him, the cd case hits the decks and then splinters onto the floor.
“To be fair Deshaun I at least know him from D12 but what band were you in?”
Chloe grins mischievously at him,
“What you gonna throw a cd at me?” she raises her eyebrows knowing she hit home when he grumbles
“Its not a band”
“Aww I didn’t mean it mate, I was only teasing, didn’t realize you still got so sensitive”
“I'm not fucking sensitive!” he reacts defensively
“Sorry, sorry you are right, precious”
*****
Marshall doesn’t event try to downplay the dopey grin on his face, he doesn’t give a shit if he cops it from the boys she makes him laugh and he hadn’t been this happy in a long time. To busy watching Deshaun and Chloe banter back and forth he doesn’t notice Dre sidle upto him and quietly ask,
“What's your play here dogg?”
Not wanting to answer Marshall looks back to the Chloe trying to evade the question but apparently Deshaun had decided the only peace offering available was their old tradition and they were walking out in search of a coke.
Dre is still looking at him determined, waiting for an answer.
“What?” Marshall finally turns to him sighing
“What's the end game here”
“We are having a bit of fun”
“Bitch please, it took me one second of seeing your face when you looked at her, this aint a bit of fun. D said she’s married, that true?”
“What so we are mister morals now are we? Gon act like you never fucked around”
“And that would be fine but I can see you aint fucking around, is she?”
“You know what Dre how about you just mind your fucking own”
Chloe and Deshaun walk back in and Marshall strides over and grabs her hand,
“Come on, I’ll take you to lunch” he mutters leading her out of the booth as she waves a goodbye back to the boys.
*****
Despite the insistent exit Chloe doesn’t let it phase her, the familiar and comfortable banter with Deshaun had made her feel like herself again, a person she hadn’t felt like in a long time, the light happy feeling helped her float out of there.
“So where we going?” she grins at him
“Wherever you want”
She is flooded with the warm fuzzies again and all thoughts of Chris and back home are out of her mind.
Letting him lead her out of the studio she waves at the lovely receptionist who greeted her, it had been brief but you had to pay dues to good small talk these days, she receives a reciprocal nod in return and a tiny bit of faith in the general decency of mankind has been renewed.
Marshall opens the door for her, ever the gentlemen and it only makes her feel lighter. If she were honest with herself she would admit that the email from Charlotte was taken as a get out of jail free card, any guilt assuaged by the classic playground ‘he did it too’ defense, that she had been waiting for a reason to fully throw herself into Marshall. As if she had a choice. But again that is if she was being honest.
“So something is different”
His directness throws her off
“Is it? I mean I guess in the broader scheme of things it is weird walking out of a recording studio with you.”
“Yeah I guess you could say that. I was going more for what seems like a more causal demeanor”
“Wow so not only an accomplished recording artist but a degree in psychology majoring in body language I see”
He ignores her quip
“So what happened?”
“I don’t know what you are talking about” she absentmindedly plays with the loose thread on the bottom of her dress.
“Chloe”
Hearing him say her name makes it all come tumbling out.
“Right” he says after she finishes “So he is fucking around too”
It’s the too that delivers the blow, its not that she was that much in denial that she didn’t class it as cheating but hearing that blunt too, well that definitely took away any elated feelings she had.
“Feeling guilt free were we?”
She turns to look at him surprised, second guessing herself if she had spoken aloud.
“Huh?”
“Come on Chlo it clearly made you feel better”
“Right coz I'm the only shitbag in this situation?” Her back is up
“Not what I meant but if you wanna put a fine point on it I’m not married.”
“No, but you clearly know I am”
“Obviously, kinda hard to miss that fact”
“Then I guess you are just the most infallible noble…”
“Chloe” he cuts her off and looks for an opening to pull the car over, “I'm not defending my actions, I don’t feel the need to, but I'm not trashing yours either.” Finding a spot he pulls next to the curb, “Fuck they definitely benefit me” he pulls the gear into neutral and turns to look at her.
“I only asked what was going on”
Lowering her head she mentally berates herself for loosing her cool at him,
“Sorry I didn’t mean to lose my shit at you”
“Classic deflection I’d say” he smiles
“Or at least that’s what the medical board says”
She smiles weakly at his attempt to lighten the mood.
“Look I get it, it would be hard finding out he is fucking around”
She involuntarily winces at the bluntness of his wording and sees by his set expression it wasn’t lost on him.
“Hypocrisy thy name is” she mutters.
Silence envelops them for a moment until he breaks it.
“Look you need a drink, fuck lunch..i know what will cheer you up”
He puts the car back into gear and peels out from the curb. Twenty minutes later they are sitting in what was once known as their spot passing a 40 between them.
“I didn’t mean to sound like cunt before” he says handing her the bottle
“And which bit was that?” he smiles at her teasing tone, feeling the easiness come back between them.
“I know.” She says finally
“Its just so fucked up, I have no right to be angry but I am. But also I’m not”
She takes a long chug and then passes it back, wiping at the droplet of amber liquid on her lips.
“I get it” he says nodding.
Anyone else she would dismiss the attempt at empty empathy but not Marshall, she knew he did get it. She accepts the bottle again and takes a sip at peace with her confusion.
YOU ARE READING
Ghosts of the Past
ParanormalMarshall was Chloe's first everything; boyfriend, kiss, love. They met whilst at school when Chloe had moved to Detroit with her mum from Australia, although only together for two years before returning back to Aus it was meant to be them against th...
