Cheated Hearts

Harper was running around the morning after my dinner with Chloe Dore. She had one eye lined with thick black eyeliner while her other dark eye remained untouched. Her red hair was sleek, straight and shiny and she was trying to brush her teeth while slipping on a pair of nylons at the same time. I tried not to laugh as I stepped around her to brush my own teeth.

"What's going on today?" I asked.

"Job interview," she mumbled as she spit in the sink and finished putting her black nylons over the white skin of her legs.

"Really? Where?" I questioned and put some toothpaste on my brush.

"This styling agency somewhere," she pointed vaguely to some direction with her hand. I laughed and watched as she finished putting makeup on her left eye. I washed out my mouth and turned to see Harper leaving the bathroom in a flash of red hair and curse words.

"Keaton! You have a text message!" She yelled from the bedroom.

"Mm," I muttered and straightened my navy tie in the mirror. When I looked up, I found Harper standing at the doorway holding my Blackberry with a fuming look on her face. "Keaton. What the fuck is this?" She held out the phone.

Last night was so much fun, Keaton. Thank you so, so much. You made me feel much better.

Love, Chloe

I shrugged my shoulders as I finished reading it. "I told you I went to dinner with someone from work," I muttered.

"Yeah, you did. You didn't say it was Chloe," Harper replied sharply.

"Harper, you're getting worked up over nothing," I said.

"Don't talk down to me like that! Like I'm some kind of unbalanced, jealous girlfriend."

"See, this is why I didn't want to tell you about last night! I knew that you'd misconstrue it and do exactly what you're doing right now!" I said back angrily, "Chloe's fiancée died. Jesus, Harper. She needs a friend!"

Harper's eyes widened, "I know that he died! You've told me. I know that you feel bad for her! I know you do! But I've also seen the way you look at her! And the way you talk about her!"

I was at loss for words. Chloe... Chloe was not Harper.

"You're fucking delusional," I muttered and turned away from her in the cramped bathroom.

"No, Keaton Miller, you're the only delusional shit here."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, "Let's end this here," I said coolly, "I don't like Chloe like that. Nothing happened. I couldn't look at you in the face if it had."

Harper stared at me suspiciously and then sighed, "Fine. Okay."

We departed with an angry peck and resentment on our backs.

______________________________________________________________________________

"And that's why investment banking will take on a whole new-"

God, this was boring. The Etson employees were stuck in a meeting on a new wave of accounts for investors which was basically an eternal presentation put together by a man who was as interesting as gum stuck under desk, droning on and on about nothing. I looked over at Tarquin who pantomimed shooting himself in the head behind the presenter's back. Then I looked at the clock, which read six in the afternoon. Then I looked back up at Beatrix who was blatantly zoning out on the opposite wall. I glanced at Caroline and she was merely picking her nails and reading a magazine on her lap beside me. I took a deep breath and deviously peeked at my phone. 1 NEW MESSAGE

I opened it. It was from Harper.

I got the job! I got the job! I got the motherfucking job!!! We should celebrate! Are you out?

I looked around the bland conference room and knew that we wouldn't be getting out for a while.

That's so great, Harp. I knew you would. But I'm sorry. I can't. Stuck in a meeting on investment banking. I'll see you at home though. You go ahead, I replied.

Five minutes later I got another message from Harper. OK. I love you.

She was a fucking liar.

______________________________________________________________________________

After the meeting which had run late, Tarquin, Caroline, Beatrix and I dashed out of the bank and breathed a sigh of relief in unison as we were met with the crisp night air.

"Holy fuck. If I ever hear investment banking one more time-" Caroline started.

"-I will fucking kill someone," Tarquin finished for her.

We stood in our coats outside the bank's entrance with weary faces.

"Do you finally want to go out tonight?" Beatrix muttered to me.

I sighed tiredly. "I dunno. I'm exhausted."

"Gah, you're such a fuckin' old man. Come out for once in your life," Caroline muttered and laughed. Tarquin grinned at her.

"Wait," I muttered, suddenly getting an idea. I looked at my phone and called Harper.

"'Ello?" Harper answered on the fifth ring. She was a little tipsy by what I could tell.

"Hey honey, uh. Where are you?" I asked.

"I'm at this club called...," she paused, "Luna. It's called Luna. Why? Are you coming?"

I looked at my coworkers, "No, no. I just wanted to check in on you. I'll see you at home."

"Okay. Bye Keat!"

"Are we sneaking up on your girlfriend?" Tarquin asked when I hung up and put my phone in my pocket.

"Yeah. We're gonna surprise her. Let's go," I said and we walked towards the nearest subway.

______________________________________________________________________________

When we arrived at Luna, my vision was hazy because of the smoke and lights. Tarquin and Beatrix headed straight for the bar while Caroline and I found a table and tried to spot Harper. The club was full though and I couldn't find any girl with flaming red hair anywhere.

Beatrix and Tarquin returned with beers and very troubled looks on their faces.

"What's wrong?" I asked them as Tarquin handed me a beer.

"We found Harper," he said in a low whisper.

"Where?" I asked, lifting my head up.

Tarquin nodded towards the farthest corner away from us. I squinted in the lights and smoke. Harper was there. Harper was there sitting on some fucker's lap. My heart plunged as she placed her lips on his lips and kissed him with everything she had.