Fair Trade
Chloe sat in the canteen, her hands clenched tightly around a mug of hot water. She’d hoped to be alone, but she wasn’t: Matthew Scott was there. He’d found her in her middle-of-the-night-secret place, which she knew was his exact intention. He sat down across from her and inhaled deeply.
“We need to talk,” he said; it was such a stereotypical thing to say - it made her want to scream, but she bit back the urge. Instead, she stared blankly ahead.
He leaned forward, as though attempting to further engage her. He spoke softly.
“What are we doing?” he asked. His voice was youthful and desperate; she cringed with guilt. “What I mean is: are we over?”
It was true. Things had been up in the air, mainly because she was confused, they disagreed on key issues, and the connection just wasn’t there anymore. Also, and more importantly, how could she bluntly hurt someone who once showed such kindness to her? In a way, it was easier to show him peripherally how she felt; it was a way to put him down gently. But, he clearly didn’t get it; perhaps walking around the subject for so long was cowardice on her part. He didn’t deserve that.
“Things are just different now,” she finally said after a long, tense pause. There was a beat before she looked up. “I’m sorry if I led you on.”
Scott pursed his lips and sat back. He drummed his fingers impatiently on the table before clenching his hand into a fist.
“Is it him?” he asked abruptly.
The question rang in Chloe’s head for a moment as her eyebrow furrowed. She didn’t know how to answer it, because it was a question she never expected. She looked down, unable to bear his gaze. But then, quick as a flash, she looked up defiantly; she hoped her eyes would say the words her brain couldn’t push through her vocal chords.
“Damn it, Chloe!” he said with a frown. Passion rose in his chest, climbing red into his cheeks. “Damn it, I loved you. I really did.”
“Yeah, you did,” Chloe smiled sadly. “You did, but you don’t anymore. I can feel it. Soon, you will too.”
Scott was always the one who wore his emotions on his sleeve; whereas she kept them buried until they forced their way out. The thing was, she barely had any emotions on the subject at that point; he, on the other hand, had tears welling up in his eyes.
Chloe didn’t know what else to say, so she stood up. But, before she left she had one more thought to add.
“My only regret is that you didn’t feel the change as soon as I did.”
She didn’t look back at him. If she kept facing forward, they would be friends one day - she knew it deep inside. And so, she left a man who thought he wanted her for one who probably didn’t even know she existed. Still, it was a fair trade.
As she strolled mindlessly through the corridors, she walked past his lab and saw him fast at work. The very sight made her heart swell with undeniable joy. She knew she did the right thing.
“We need to talk,” he said; it was such a stereotypical thing to say - it made her want to scream, but she bit back the urge. Instead, she stared blankly ahead.
He leaned forward, as though attempting to further engage her. He spoke softly.
“What are we doing?” he asked. His voice was youthful and desperate; she cringed with guilt. “What I mean is: are we over?”
It was true. Things had been up in the air, mainly because she was confused, they disagreed on key issues, and the connection just wasn’t there anymore. Also, and more importantly, how could she bluntly hurt someone who once showed such kindness to her? In a way, it was easier to show him peripherally how she felt; it was a way to put him down gently. But, he clearly didn’t get it; perhaps walking around the subject for so long was cowardice on her part. He didn’t deserve that.
“Things are just different now,” she finally said after a long, tense pause. There was a beat before she looked up. “I’m sorry if I led you on.”
Scott pursed his lips and sat back. He drummed his fingers impatiently on the table before clenching his hand into a fist.
“Is it him?” he asked abruptly.
The question rang in Chloe’s head for a moment as her eyebrow furrowed. She didn’t know how to answer it, because it was a question she never expected. She looked down, unable to bear his gaze. But then, quick as a flash, she looked up defiantly; she hoped her eyes would say the words her brain couldn’t push through her vocal chords.
“Damn it, Chloe!” he said with a frown. Passion rose in his chest, climbing red into his cheeks. “Damn it, I loved you. I really did.”
“Yeah, you did,” Chloe smiled sadly. “You did, but you don’t anymore. I can feel it. Soon, you will too.”
Scott was always the one who wore his emotions on his sleeve; whereas she kept them buried until they forced their way out. The thing was, she barely had any emotions on the subject at that point; he, on the other hand, had tears welling up in his eyes.
Chloe didn’t know what else to say, so she stood up. But, before she left she had one more thought to add.
“My only regret is that you didn’t feel the change as soon as I did.”
She didn’t look back at him. If she kept facing forward, they would be friends one day - she knew it deep inside. And so, she left a man who thought he wanted her for one who probably didn’t even know she existed. Still, it was a fair trade.
As she strolled mindlessly through the corridors, she walked past his lab and saw him fast at work. The very sight made her heart swell with undeniable joy. She knew she did the right thing.