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Chapter 7

I can hear Bonnie's piercing laughter so clearly over the phone that I have to move it away from my ear in order to preserve my sense of hearing. "Wait," she snorts, desperately trying to catch her breath and fill her lungs with much needed air. "A grown man actually used a 'dog ate my homework' type of excuse?" laughter starts bubbling inside of her throat again.

"I'm really joyful my miserable life fills you with amusement," I say sarcastically, rolling my eyes while digging through my suitcase. I haven't even unpacked, I didn't even think I'm going to stay here for so long. I thought I'm going to be out of this place and back in New York in a week, tops.

I thought Stefan couldn't wait to sign our divorce papers and be done with me in every way possible. I thought there's no chance Katherine would accept my proposal.

"I'm sorry," she chuckles, obviously not sorry, "But 'honey the dog ate our divorce papers' is something I've never heard before. And I've been living in New York my whole life! A lot of guys here use a lot of shitty excuses."

That's true, but Stefan's always been special and creative in that area, ever since we were kids and he had to excuse himself from not doing his homework.

"I kinda believe him, Nessa eats everything she gets her paws on," I don't know why I defend him. Take his side in what's clearly an elaborate scheme to deliberately mess with me.

"Nessa?"

"The dog."

"Wait a minute," her voice turns all serious, as if she just comprehended the severity of my situation, "His dog is actually your dog? You two owned a dog together?"

I don't reply anything to that question, partly because I don't think there's really any real need to point out further that we indeed owned a dog together. And partly because the tone of her voice makes me think there's a point hidden behind it, and I'm afraid to find out what that point is.

"Girl, you've been trying to convince me what you had wasn't serious. A stupid mistake you made right after finishing school. But owning a dog together takes serious commitment."

My web of lies keeps thickening, and it's hard to build viable arguments based on lies. Her words make my throat tighten, but my mind doesn't stop producing thoughts or words, it just keeps them from falling out of my mouth. We owned a lot more than just a dog.

"It's just a dog," I try to turn the whole thing into a joke, but we both know it's more than just a dog - her theoretically, me emotionally. Nessa is a metaphorical foundation of the life we were supposed to build together.

"Umm, no," she says with her 'I'm your totally laid back - new age - trust me I read Eat, Pray, Love - psychologist' type of voice, "If you owned, for example, a gold fish, you could say it's just a gold fish. A dog is a whole other level."

She has a point and I hate when she has a point because, somehow, it never works to my advantage.

"Whatever. You're supposed to be team Matt," I point out, hoping to create a certain amount of guilt in her.

I'm met with a short period of silence. "I wasn't even aware that there are teams. Are there teams, Elena?" she whispers into the phone.

"No!" I yell, knowing exactly what she's aiming at. At the same time, I pull out the dress I've been looking for and fall right on my ass. "Not like that, at least. There are team loving fiance and team ex husband slash douche who won't sign our divorce papers."

"Elena, you know that I like Matt. He's nothing but good and kind and successful and he's so good to you, and for you. But," she points out, "He's as exciting as a broomstick, and we both know how wild you can get after several shots of tequila. I'm the one who has to look at your face when it falls after he tells you, week after week, that he would rather stay home, order take out and watch a movie," she sighs. She has never told me this - that my face falls, and I haven't noticed it. "I just want you to be happy, even if it's with a nobody in a no name town on the edge of the Earth."