Second Chances For Failed Romances

“I can’t believe you and Jack-” I said as I played with my breakfast.

“Audrey - we didn’t have sex. We just hooked up so stop acting like I-” Elyse began speaking across from me.

“Just hooked up? Elyse, I always thought you’d pick the perfect man - but no, I was mistaken. You picked one from the bottom of the pit of hell. Jack Barakat is nothing but bad news,” I said, upset at her.

“Jesus fucking Christ Audrey,” she began, shaking her head, “just because you and Alex have troubles doesn’t mean I need to give up too. First of all, they’re not even the same guy. Second, you overreact about Alex trying to kiss you - I mean, how old do you think you are? Twelve? The kid is dying for you even though you always treat him like trash. And Jack is a really nice guy - you should be happy that I found someone that makes me happy.”

“Someone that makes you happy for now, Elyse. Tomorrow he’ll chew you up and thrash you like no other,” I paused, keeping eye contact, “either way, I don’t know how that shithead got to you after seeing you just a couple of times.”

Her eyes dropped my gaze and turned to the table. “Holy shit,” I began, “you’ve been seeing Jack haven’t you? You’ve been hiding this from me?”

She quickly looked up at me, “no! I - no!” she tried to lie as I stared at her incredulously. She ran a hand through her hair and began, “I thought it was bad timing. I didn’t want to throw everything going on in my life at you when you had so much to deal with yourself…”

I laughed, hurt by my only friend, “you know what - forget what I said. You and that fuck face were made for each other,” I handed her a sarcastic smile and stood up, “you’re both complete assholes,” I finished as I grabbed the keys and stepped outside the apartment.

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I walked down the same boulevard where I hoped my dreams could launch to reality – where the boutique was located. I had never felt so alone – not even when I left Baltimore for L.A. did I feel this lonely. At this given moment I felt like the only thing I had was my dreams and aspirations. Everything else either left or I kicked out of my life.

Elyse had called me twice, yet I never picked up. It was nearly ten hours since I’d left the apartment and I’d been doing nothing, really. Just walking down the streets of L.A. noticing how different everything is for everyone. I called Alex once, being the pathetic and miserable being I felt I was, yet I was sent to voicemail after a couple of rings.

I heard my stomach grumble and decided it was right – I should grab a bite. I walked inside the nearest restaurant and waited to get seated. As I skimmed through the menu I couldn’t help but overhear loud conversations that were being thrown around the room, until a certain voice and certain comments caught my ear.

I extended my neck and covered most of my face with the menu, to see if my instincts were correct. There he was; Alex was sitting a few tables ahead of me, just far enough, with a beautiful blonde across from him. Whatever she must’ve been saying had really caught his attention because his eyes were dug deep into hers. He smiled, she made him smile, and that killed me on the inside. It had been less than a day and he’d already moved on from the ‘nothing’ we had going on.

I felt like the most miserable being on the face of the earth. I dropped the menu on the table and walked out of the restaurant as soon as he started laughing; she’s funny too. It was impossible for me to take it in. It was impossible that I had realized so much in just a few hours of loneliness. Most of all, it was impossible how I never noticed how much I needed Alex and how bad I was dying to be that blonde across from him, being able to make him laugh and smile like she did.