Out of My Element by Taryn Plendl Page A

right.
    Nick: Where are you?
    Me: With Ava and Talia.
Why?
    Nick: We need to talk.
    Me: I know. I’ll be home
soon.
    I tossed my phone back into my
purse, took a drink and glanced back up at my friends who were sitting
patiently for details. “He said we needed to talk.” I smiled halfheartedly. I
knew we needed to clear the air, but I was afraid it wouldn’t go the way I
wanted, and the thought of trying to reel my feelings back in and just be a
friend to him seemed almost impossible.
    “It will be okay.” Ava touched my
hand.
    “So, enough about me. How are you
all doing?” I asked the girls, trying to take my mind off of my own issues.
    ***
    The drive from the bar seemed to
take forever. Ava and Talia had a way of making me feel so much better about
the situation. They had both had their issues with the men in their lives, and
they had been around Nick longer than me. If they said he was different with
me, I would have to go with that until I was given reason not to.
    I pulled into my parking spot next
to Nick’s car and took a deep breath as I headed into the building. I wanted
this. I wanted him. Not just because he was gorgeous, but also because he was
my best friend. He was the total package for me.
    The elevator doors opened, and I
stepped out. I was so busy digging in my purse for my keys that I almost ran
into the blonde bombshell in front of me. “Oh! Excuse me,” I gasped.
    It wasn’t until I’d looked at her
face that I noticed who she was, and a sense of déjà vu came over me. The woman
who was standing in front of me, glaring at me like I’d just kicked her dog,
was the same blonde that was with Nick the night of the fire.
    She scoffed and moved around me,
punching the elevator button a little too aggressively. I watched the door
close before I finally let out the breath I was holding.
    Damn it! Why was I even surprised?
I was such an idiot. I’d completely misinterpreted his text message. I had
assumed he wanted to work this through, but obviously it was just the opposite.
He just wanted to know when to expect me so he could have his booty call. Apparently
he had decided to keep living like he always had. I guess I should be happy
that it happened before I allowed myself to be with him.
    I leaned against the wall, willing
myself not to cry. I didn’t want to be the crushed, weak woman. I was better
than that. “Come on Chelsea, you can do this,” I told myself softly, pushing
away from the wall and walking to our door. I slipped the key in the lock,
turned it and walked in.
    The door closed behind me as Nick
rounded the corner. “You’re home.” He smiled nervously.
    “Uh, yeah. Apparently a tad too
soon.” I didn’t like the hurt in my voice.
    “What do you mean?” Nick stepped
toward me, but I put my hand up to stop him.
    I set my purse and keys on the
table and walked past him into the living room, stopping before I reached the
couch. “I saw your friend in the hallway.” I stood with my back to him. It was
too hard for me to look at him right now. I didn’t want to be hurt, but I was.
    “My friend? Chelsea, what are you
talking about?”
    I whipped around. “Your blonde
friend. I saw her leaving. God, I’m so stupid!” I yelled, shaking my head.
    Nick’s face changed when he
realized what I was talking about. “Shit, Chelsea, it’s not what you think.”
    I closed my eyes and took a ragged
breath. “We are playing an entirely different
game, Nick. While other girls might wait patiently until you breakup with your
many girlfriends, I can’t. You see, I have been waiting all my life for
something real. And if this isn’t real, no way am I spending another hour on
waiting.” I turned and walked toward my room, but I was spun around as Nick grabbed
a hold of my hand.
    “Damn
it, Chelsea. Don’t walk away. You need to listen to me for a minute,” Nick
pleaded.
    “There
isn’t anything else to say, Nick. I know what I saw. I think we need to just …”
Before I could