A Strange Arrangement

I stared at her in disbelief not fully accepting what I had just heard.

“Cassidy Brooker? The fucking event planner? Are you kidding me?”

She rose and extended her hand for a shake. “Hey! It's so nice to finally meet you. Kris has told me so much about you.”

“Really? Because he hasn't said a word about you.”

I didn't acknowledge her gesture or comment at all. I just continued to look at her confused. Who the hell did she think she was dating the love of my life?

“Lex.” Kris said trying to break me from my trance. I looked at him and he gestured his head towards to the direction of Cassidy's outstretched hand.

“I don't understand what's going on.” I finally managed to choke out.

“This is your surprise. A Valentine's double date! And I wanted your first meeting with Cass to be major. I couldn't think of anything more major than you guys meeting today.”

My heart felt like it was beating out of my chest. This new found pressure had suddenly developed and it was getting harder to breathe as well as fight back tears. I had actually believed this whole set up was just for him and I. How stupid could I have been? I had to get out of there.

I began running as fast as I could away from them, which wasn't very fast at all since I was wearing heels which I instantly regretted. I could feel the stares of all the people in the dining area looking at me and I could hear Versteeg not far behind me calling my name. It didn't matter to me. I wasn't going to stop. I hurried past a man who had opened the restaurant door for his wife and felt the cool Philadelphia night air hit me right away. It was almost soothing. I kept trying to move as fast as my legs would carry me, searching for a taxi to whisk me away when Kris grabbed my arm.

“Whoa, whoa, slow down. What the hell, Alexandria? What are you doing? What's the matter with you?”

“You asshole! You fucking asshole! How could you do this to me?!” I screamed at him. I was shocked by my own response. I had never gotten mad at Kris, or anyone else for that matter, the way I was doing so at that moment.

“What are you talking about? Do what? I set up this elaborate double date for you and I. What are you upset about?” he asked seeming insulted by my fury.

“Fuck, Kris! You have a girlfriend? I'm supposedly your best friend and I had no idea about her! What the hell?!”

“That's the reason you didn't know about her, Alexandria! Because you're my best friend and I care about what you think too much to introduce you to just anyone.” he explained.

“You know what? Maybe I'm tired of always just being your best friend!” I turned my head so he wouldn't be able to see me start crying but it was useless. The tears started streaming down my face quicker than I could wipe them away.

“Lexi,” Kris tried to put his arm around my shoulder but I brushed him off.

“No! This is all your fault!” I said choking back tears.

“I know I should've mentioned Cassidy to you-” he began.

“No, damn it! You're missing the point! It's not the fact that you didn't tell me about her. It's the fact that there's a her, period. It's the fact that you're oblivious to...to...” I didn't want to finish the sentence that would end over a decade's worth of emotional torture for me.

“Oblivious to what?” he asked searching my eyes for the answer.

“To the fact that I'm in love with you.” His face changed to a look of surprise and confusion.

“You're what?”

“I'm not going to repeat it. You heard me just fine.”

“I...I didn't know, Lex. I didn't think-. I mean I just never saw you-” he started before I cut him off.

“Don't you dare finish that sentence. I've been with you through every good time and bad time. Through every injury and trade. We have more in common and I know you better than anyone else in your life. I love you flaws and all, and you're going to tell me you never saw me as more than a friend? You know what? I don't even see you as that anymore.”

And with that I turned and began walking away from him. He ran in front of me and tried to stop me.

“Lex, wait. We need to talk about-”

“We don't need to talk about anything. I'm done with this conversation and I'm done with you.” I said coldly.

“Don't say that.”

“Do me one last favor and get out of my way.” I told him as I stared him blankly in the eye. His eyes pleaded with me to reconsider but I had nothing else to say. When he didn't move I proceeded to walk around him. He didn't call my name and I didn't turn around to see if he was looking at me.

As I searched the streets for a taxi, I pulled out my phone and dialed Sara's number.

“Giving me a mid-date update already?” she said when she answered.

“I'm an idiot, Sara.” I said beginning to weep again.

“What? Why?” she asked sounding concerned.

“He has a girlfriend. Cassidy fucking Brooker.” I told her.

“The event planner?! He's dating her?” she inquired.

“Mmhm, and the big surprise was a double date so he could introduce us.”

“Ooh, awkward. How'd that go?”

“I ran out of the restaurant. He followed me and I basically screamed my feelings at him on the sidewalk.” I answered her honestly.

“When you say you screamed your feelings at him...” she began waiting for me to finish her thought.

“I mean as I was dramatically tearing up, I admitted that I was in love with him and he in return began to tell me that he never saw me in that way. And then I told him I was done with him and I left.”

“Oh man. I'm really sorry about everything. I feel like it's partially my fault because I got your hopes up.” Sara said.

“It's not your fault. You interpreted the photos the way you saw them. You didn't know,” I sighed. “I just feel awful. I love him, Sara, and I don't understand why he doesn't love me.”

“Don't beat yourself up. We'll go drown our sorrows in some chocolate cake for lunch tomorrow, okay? Sound good?” Sara asked.

“Yeah, that sounds great.”

“So, what are you going to do now? Go home? Because that sounds like it would be pretty awkward.” she told me.

“Yeah, it would,” I rubbed the side of my face and thought for a second. “Hey Sara?”

“Yeah?”

“What's Eric's address?”

And five minutes later I was in the back of a cab heading up town towards Eric Beckner's apartment.