Someone to stay

~ Somebody That I Used To Know ~

Pov Chloe

- Hey, are you listening to me?

No. I haven't actually listened to half a word of what he said.  I zoned myself for a moment because my attention was drawn to what was happening on the other side of the road.  After last night's party with the Bellas, Chicago and I decided to spend the day together, so we could share as much time as possible before he leaves for a business trip in a few days.  We recently moved to Los Angeles because they just hired me at one of the most important veterinary clinics in the country and Chicago couldn't be more than happy. He is originally from LA, but as the CEO of Crystal Enterprises he often travels from coast to coast in the States.  Two years ago, when we met in New York, he had no intention of staying there, he never liked it as a place. The first time we met was on the evening before his departure for Philadelphia, where he would head one of the company's offices. However, he postponed his leaving for a few days, because, I quote, "this city now seems a little more interesting".  He eventually stayed with me in New York for two years and ended up running the Crystal branch in the Big Apple, giving up his post in Philly. If that's not love.

And now we are here, in the streets of LA, hand in hand, as we head to a place where we can have lunch.  If I'm not mistaken, he started talking about something about the wedding party but I didn't pay much attention to it.  Actually I was supposed to give him my full attention, but my gaze involuntarily rested on two figures on the sidewalk opposite to ours and I can not help but notice the strange feeling I feel at the level of the stomach.  Do I feel almost irritated? I'd say that's the right term. I don't even realize that I'm shaking Chicago's hand more strongly, which didn't go unnoticed by my fiancée.

- Honey, are you sure you're okay?  If you continue like this, my hand probably won't come until tonight.

I turn my eyes to see the worried face of Chicago, and after a moment of silence, where I tried to figure out what was going on, I finally get it.

- Oh God, I'm sorry!  I was lost in thought and didn't notice. Did I hurt you?

I say widening my eyes and pulling my hand away from his, but Chicago is faster than me and interweaves our fingers.

- No babe, but I noticed that you're in the clouds. I didn't think it would bore you to talk about marriage. What were you thinking?

Is there a veil of disappointment in his eyes, maybe? I feel guilty not to have listened to him, he loves me very much and proves it every day.  And knowing that he's been hurt by my behavior makes me feel like shit.

- Nothing really...  I just isolated myself for a moment.  I'm sorry, love. What were you saying?

I keep walking and try to focus exclusively on my boyfriend and the speech he made, even if the image of Beca and the blond duck holding her arm can't leave my mind.  But what do you care about Chloe? It's past  water by now, you have Chicago, in 3 months you get married and she's part of your past. And it has to stay that way.

I can't deny that when the day before yesterday, I gave the news of the party to the girls on the group chat, I was waiting to read one of her answers among others. But it never arrived, or at least not the one I was hoping for. I knew she would find an excuse not to be able to attend the party, but what else would I have to expect? She's still my ex. My beautiful ex, who also showed up at the evening, in a dress that left little to the imagination and made her even sexi- Chloe!! What the hell?! Pervert!! You can't think of such a thing when you're happily engaged and soon you're getting married. Behave yourself.

I had a strange feelings seeing her after two years.  Two years of silence. Of distance. Of broken hearts and unhealed scars. They have been hard years, and I'm still not sure if I will ever be able to overcome what happened between us. Yes, I've moved on, I've met Chicago, in a few months we'll start building our own family, but when someone slips under your skin, they stay there forever.
Like when you throw a stone into a lake, waves form, the water ripples, and once it has calmed down, everything seems to be back to normal. But it's not like that, the lake is not the same as before. It has one more stone, and it will remain there forever.