Chapter 28 by: (Mostly) Kelsey and Owen

“Keep going. You’ve obviously filled her head with stuff about me because she said she “feels like she knows me”. Don’t think I won’t ask her, Alex. You had the balls to tell her what you told her, so you better find the balls to tell me, too” I said, threatening him.

He looked at me, and his eyes were sad. I had always hated seeing that look, that pitiful look. Alex’s eyes always give him away.

“Okay, Stella. Do not interrupt me, do not comment, and do not ask questions until I’m finished. I’m going to tell you everything I think you want to know. When I’m done, you can comment all you’d like. Just let me get through it first, okay? I don’t want to leave something out,” he said, sounding very determined.

He had obviously prepared what he was going to say in his head. He had always been an over-analyzer. He always used to do that—prepared these long speeches after we had a fight. I’m sure they never went according to plan because I always interrupted him, but this time I wouldn’t. This time I would just listen.

I replied with a simple, “Okay.”

“Okay, right. So, Penelope and I met at a GM function. No, she never worked there. She was one of the desert caterers at last year’s Christmas party. You weren’t there—you were on a business trip with Tom, remember? You all had gone to Berkeley to examine a prospective research opportunity, and you told me there was no need for me to come, so I stayed. Penny asked me why I was alone, and I told her my fiancé was off on business for the company. I told her your name was Sarah for some reason. I don’t know why I lied, but I did.

We got to chatting, exchanged numbers, and talked quite often after that. No, we never cheated. We just became really close friends. We talked a lot, almost every day, and I didn’t tell you because I knew what you’d think. I knew you’d think I was lying. It just seemed easier to keep it from you. Penny was also engaged when we met, and most of the time we only talked about our relationships when we talked to one another. I could tell her stuff about us that I could never tell anyone else for some reason, and I was the same way for her.

I left you, Stella, because didn’t know what else to do. I wasn’t happy anymore, and I had no idea why. I loved you, so, so much. But I wasn’t happy. I didn’t want to be with you anymore. And, I guess I was cheating on you, but emotionally, not physically. Somewhere along the line I’d fallen for Penny. Her fiancé had literally cheated on her, with about five other women. They had broken up about a month before we did. All I wanted was to be with her and to take care of her. I’m a terrible person, I know.

I’m sure that this is hard for you to hear now, but it’s about time you heard the truth. I’ve avoided telling you for so long because I didn’t know how to tell you. I just fell out of love, I guess.

Penny has no idea you were my fiancé. She thinks that when “Sarah” and I broke up, Sarah moved away. She thinks you and I have been friends for a very long time, and that you have been storing some of your belongings here because you’ve been in the process of moving and have been traveling. She has no idea you’re really Sarah, and if she did, she’d leave me. Please. Just don’t tell her” he finished, pleading with me in a way I’d never seen him plead before.

“If you didn’t cheat on me, how’s she’s pregnant?” I asked, frustrated that he’s left this out.

“Well, she was pregnant when her and her ex broke up. She lost the baby, though. Shortly after that she got pregnant again, but with my child. And yes, Stella, you and I weren’t together. I wouldn’t lie about that. Don’t you know that?” He asked, trying to make me feel guilty. That wasn’t going to work, though. If anyone should feel guilty, it’s him.

“So,” I said after a very pregnant pause. “You keep your new best friend Penny from me for months because you're afraid I'll think the worst of you, fall out of love with me and rather than talk it out like an adult you just break things off like we were just buddies, completely ignore my emotional situation and not attempt to contact me after our break up while I went through emotional hell, and to top it all off you've lied to your current, pregnant, girlfriend about me and expect me to cover your tracks? You even told the girl I was going to be part of the baby's life? What the hell were you thinking?”

Throughout my entire speech, I kept my voice in a low whisper. However, Alex's reaction was as if I were shouting and throwing things. With every accusation he flinched, as if he actually felt guilt over the things he'd done to me. Looking into his eyes, really truly looking into his eyes for the first time, I saw a coward. The man before me was nothing like the Alex I'd fallen in love with, and I must have been too near-sighted to see when he'd changed.

I almost felt bad for Penelope. The Alex she was with was a much inferior model, but maybe they were meant for each other. Watching Alex cower from my words, probably half-expecting me to storm into the kitchen and tell Penelope everything, I decided to do something worse and better at the same time.

I would go along with it. Perhaps I didn't think Alex deserved to have a happy new relationship, but Penny seemed like a genuinely nice woman that had been hurt in the past and finally sound something that made her happy. If it was my sloppy seconds, then so be it. Probably the worst thing I could do to Alex at this point was actually become friends with Penny and move on with my life.