Chloe After Dark

Chapter 3

With only two hours before the Uber cab would come to pick her up, Chloe had to risk bumping into Daniel by going home. She hurried back to the apartment to get changed, the outfit she'd thrown on in the morning at the height of her hangover not being suitable. Carefully opening the front door, she was relieved to find he wasn't there...and yet, at the same time, something deep within her felt disappointed. They had been soulmates for three years, and his sudden departure made her feel empty and frightened. The whiff of depression she'd fought back earlier returned with greater force as she looked around what had once been their home; she found herself sitting on the sofa, shoulders hunched, tears trickling down her cheeks. This is ridiculous. We've only fallen out about money. I'm sure he still loves me, and I still love him. We can get through this together.
​Jumping up with new resolution, Chloe rummaged through her bag and pulled out her mobile. Thumping speed-dial, she called him...only to hear a recorded voice saying, "This number has not been recognized." The phone dialed the number itself, so it can't be a mistake. What's going on? She tried again, knowing perfectly well it wouldn't work, then threw the iPhone down on the sofa in a fit of temper, making it bounce off onto the floor. Crossing to their computer, she logged on to Daniel's Facebook account and found it had been deleted. So had all his other social media sites. Now there was no way she could contact him. Her frustration and fury soon gave way to self-pity as she realized the more important fact, that he didn't want her to contact him. Tears returned again, big-time now, and she flopped back onto the sofa and curled up into a ball until the sobbing subsided.
​The endorphins released by the crying calmed her down, and there was well over an hour until eight thirty, so she decided to get ready early. She took another quick shower, catching sight of herself in the full-length mirror opposite that she and Daniel had often used to watch themselves having sex. The memory turned her on, suddenly and unexpectedly, and she stood in front of it to look at herself. She was now twenty-five and in her prime. Her small breasts were firm and pert, her tummy flat, and her mound of Venus prominent, only slightly concealed by the Brazilian she'd had for their recent holiday in Mexico-which they couldn't afford. Turning around to look at her butt, which Daniel had always said was her best feature, she felt pleased with its curves and tightness, and the narrow waist above it. She had certainly gone from being a gawky teenager to a beautiful young woman, an ugly duckling into a swan. My face is my best feature, not my ass. Gazing directly at herself in the mirror and experiencing that strange feeling of looking at someone else, she saw an exquisite oval face with flawless, dusky bi-racial skin and long jet-black hair staring back at her. Big hazel eyes (Daniel had always loved her combination of hazel eyes and black hair. It reminded him of the Brazilian supermodels he lusted after on Victoria's Secret), a pretty nose, and perfect white teeth were her best assets. Mom made me look after my teeth, and for once, she was right. Didn't think so at the time. Cleaning them after every meal and no sweets is hard when you're ten. But it's paid off. Thanks, Mom!
​Dabbing herself dry on the expensive, fluffy blue towels Daniel had insisted on buying to match the bathroom décor, Chloe noticed she was still wearing the single-diamond gold ring he had bought her when they moved in together. She'd said it looked like an engagement ring, but he'd gone silent at that point, and she hadn't mentioned it again. Bastard! I'm on the market again now, so I won't wear it, in case some other guy reads the signals wrong. Still naked, she padded into the bedroom and pulled open her underwear drawer. Pushing her colorful collection of thongs aside, she placed the ring in the far corner...and saw the box. Her vibrator. The one she had bought when her love-life with Daniel had dwindled to almost nothing. Not a rabbit, just an ordinary one, dark red and smooth and straight. She turned the base and it buzzed loudly, the batteries still at full power. A sudden urge for release surged through her. All the upset, emotion, and stress of the last few days overwhelmed her, and she longed to be somewhere else, if only for a few moments. She lay down on the bed and parted her legs.
​To start with, she used her fingers. Teasing her lips apart, she stroked backward and forward across her clit, and then round and round the whole of her vagina. She was already wet at the thought of doing this, and now she was so wet she was aching to come. Picking up the vibrator and turning it to max, she slipped it gently into herself and slid it in and out, going deeper with every stroke. She felt her climax building, and even though she knew she didn't really have time for this, she paused and teased herself to heighten the pleasure even further. Suddenly, when she knew the time was right, she withdrew the vibrator and pressed it hard on her clit, rolling the tip backward and forward across the tiny raised mound. Her orgasm was almost immediate and so powerful, making her buck her hips and cry out in a voice loud enough to be heard next door. Waves of pleasure took her over completely, and she found the release she'd been so longing for...but it was followed almost immediately by a sudden drop, a feeling of shame and guilt, anger with herself.
​Chloe tried to brush these feelings aside as she dressed in some tight black pants and a contrasting pink sweater, but they wouldn't go away. Why did I do that? I'm not a teenager anymore, stuck in my bedroom, longing for a boyfriend. Or maybe I'm not really any different. Whatever I am, it's sad-really sad. She brushed her hair and put on her makeup, making herself look lovely. But she didn't feel it inside. She felt sick with misery. This could be my life from now on. I could lose all I own to pay my debts and end up in some tiny rented apartment at the top of a dirty tenement building with a broken elevator and stairs that stink of piss. The realization hit her with force, and the depression she'd kept at bay so far got the better of her. Maybe I should end it now. No money worries. No men trouble. No stress. Just escape and peace. Peace forever.
​Suddenly realizing what she was thinking, Chloe shook her head and blinked. "No way!" she said out loud, jumping up and walking around the apartment as a result of this epiphany. "I'm not a quitter! Life's short enough anyway, without making it shorter." Then she caught sight of the clock on the wall, which said eight twenty. Blaire's cab will be here any minute, and I'm all over the place. Can't let her see me like this. No way she'll want to employ me if she sees I'm falling apart. So, she sat down and concentrated on doing some deep breathing, another trick her mother had taught her. It worked, like it always did, and afterward, she felt ready to face whatever was coming next, however scary that was likely to be.
​Just before eight thirty, having checked repeatedly she'd gotten everything and was ready, she wandered over to the window to watch for the car. The scene outside was typical of a weekday at this time, older people hurrying home from work, looking tired and hungry, and younger ones heading downtown for a night out. Chloe envied them all. She would like to be at work or having fun, but neither option seemed remotely possible at the moment. She was about to turn away from the window and stop feeling sad, when a group of young men came around the corner, making a lot of noise. Some were smoking, others carried cans of beer. They were clearly intent on having a good time, and the leader of the group was walking backward and making them all laugh. With a shock that jarred her to the bone, she realized it was Daniel. He wasn't hiding away at home like she was, miserable and full of regrets. He was out with his friends, having a good time. She felt furious and thought about shouting out of the window at him, but soon realized that was a really bad idea. Then, as the group drew level with the building, she saw him look up at their apartment, and she had to duck back behind the curtain so he wouldn't see her. The last thing I want is for him to see me peeping out the window at him like a schoolgirl with a crush. As the gang moved away, she did look out again, and it occurred to her Daniel wanted her to see he was having a good time without her, that he was free now, not a care in the world. Bastard! I hate him. Thank goodness the cab's here now. Hope I'm up to the job. Don't really think I am. Actually, I'm sure I'm not.