It's a Boyfriend/Girlfriend Thing

Chapter 1

First of all, I just want to say the video was beautifully done. The candid photos of us holding hands on the street and sneaking kisses on the sidewalk were sweet. Even the photos of us quietly snuggling on the couch as we watched a movie were cute. I love that these photos exist. I love that there are photos of my girlfriend and I. I just wish my boyfriend hadn't been there to see them.

Let me set the record straight before your brain runs away to that place. My boyfriend knew I had a girlfriend and my girlfriend knew I had a boyfriend. In fact we all started out as friends. Our only rule was that neither relationship be paraded in front of the other. So when the three of us would be together somewhere, I didn't hold hands with either of them. I just enjoyed being in the company of the two people I cared about most in the world who cared about me too. It was our golden rule.

When Serena's friends surprised her with a video at her birthday party, they had no idea about our rule. It's not their fault. They didn't know. But that didn't stop Eli from flying into a fit of jealous rage when it played. Nor did it matter that Serena grabbed my hand for support out of fear, not out of malicious love.

Eli left in an angry huff as soon as the video ended. I don't blame him. He just had to sit through a montage of Serena and I; something that was not meant for his eyes.

Serena gave a short, shaky-voiced, thank you speech to her friends before she disappeared from the party in search of solitude. I don't blame her either. She had no idea those photos even existed or that her friends were going to put them in a video and show it to the whole party.

Now, they are both hurting because of me and I have to try to fix it.

I decided to go after Eli first. Maybe I could calm him down enough for him to come back to the party. I went through the house and out the front door. Eli was pacing up and down the driveway, puffing on a cigarette. I should mention he hasn't smoked in years. So him smoking means he's really mad. Great.

"Eli?" I said gently as I walked up to him. "Are you okay?"

"Do I look okay, Beverly? I mean I'm smoking for fuck sakes!"

"I know. I'm so sorry you had to see that. You have to know that I had no idea her friends were going to do that. I didn't even know those photos existed. They were all candids taken by them."

"It doesn't matter. That doesn't make me less angry or less jealous."

"Well it should. You're not the only person who was caught off guard by this tonight. You're not the only person who got hurt. Serena is hiding somewhere in the house probably crying her eyes out."

"Good. I hope she does feel bad. We had an agreement: no parading in front of each other."

"She had no idea that was going to happen. You can't fault her for that."

"Maybe not but I can fault her for grabbing your hand during the video. Yeah, that's right, I saw that shit. You two being all lovey dove-y."

"You don't know what you're talking about. She didn't grab my hand because she was trying to be romantic. She grabbed my hand because she was scared. She was shaking the whole time."

"It doesn't matter. The rule was broken. This arrangement or whatever the fuck it is, is broken. It's done. I'm done. Bev, you have to choose: her or me."

"You're overreacting. Stop it. It was a misunderstanding. A mistake. Are you really telling me that I can't comfort her when she's scared?"

"Not while I'm there."

"You're insane. And I'm not choosing. I will not give in to ultimatums. You need to go home and cool off."

"Fine. I'll go home," he said as he opened the door to his car, climbed in and turned the engine on. "But you need pick one of us because this shit is bound to happen again and I don't know if I can handle that much anger without punching someone."

Eli backed out of the driveway before I could get in another word. I stood there in the empty parking space for a moment feeling an invisible weight pressing down on my shoulders and a knot slowly forming in my stomach. I started to feel nauseous and empty.

Now, I had to find Serena. I went back into the house. I heard several of her friends ask where she was. I shrugged like I didn't know, but I knew exactly where she was.

I made my way to the east side of the house where the laundry room was. I knew she'd be in there. She once told me it was her favorite room to meditate in. She liked the white noise of the machines and the relaxing scent of the dryer sheets.

I quietly creaked the door open and slipped inside. Sure enough, there she was. Serena was sitting on the floor in a collapsed heap in front of the rattling dryer. I could smell the scent of the dryer sheets that were surely tumbling around in the machine. She must have started it so no one could hear her.

"Are you okay Serena?"

"Not really," she replied through tears and snot.

"I know you had no idea about the video or those pictures. It's not your fault. It's no one's fault. It's not like your friends knew about our arrangement."

"That doesn't change the fact that Eli had to sit there and watch it. I feel like such a bitch. I'm so sorry."

"Why are you apologizing? It's not your fault. It's no one's fault. Stop blaming yourself."

"I can't help it. Please tell Eli I'm sorry he had to watch that."

"I would, except he already left. He's hurt and mad. Let him cool off at home."

"Oh god! He's mad at me. I'm so sorry!"

"He's not mad at you he's mad at the situation. He's misdirecting his anger at me right now. He's not thinking straight right now. He even tried to give me an ultimatum. He wants me to choose between you two. He's angry and ridiculous right now."

"What? He wants you to choose?"

"That's what he said. I told him I don't respond to ultimatums."

"Do you think he meant it? The whole choosing thing?"

"I think that was the anger talking. I think he needs to cool down before he talks to me again, because frankly he doesn't listen 100% when he's mad. I mean who does?"

"I hope you're right. I don't want to lose you. I don't want you to feel like you have to choose."

"You're not going to lose me. Neither is he. We all just need to take a breath and a beat and get past this. It'll be okay," I said and offered her my hand. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up and back to the party. It's your damn birthday after all."