Them

After the confrontation, Lexi had to leave the apartment to clear her head. ‘A walk around the block will do,’ she thought to herself ‘or perhaps around the globe,’ she added in despair. The gravel scraped underfoot as she strode angrily across driveway after driveway and lights flashed over her face when she walked under streetlamps. She was moving fast, fast and away from her.

Lexi could not believe it. Her fiancé of two years had dropped a bomb on her. A bomb of considerable explosion, no, a bomb of truly massive fallout. A truth so earth-shattering, it had Lexi questioning if that is the kind of person she could spend the rest of her life with. She felt bile rise in her throat at the thought.

Claire; perfect, wonderful, Claire - or so Lexi had thought. After 6 years of being together, she should have been suspicious that nothing had been amiss. Throughout all their time dating and being together, they hadn’t had a single argument. Heated debates; sure. Never a true argument, until that night.

Lexy stopped at a bus stop and waited. It was an empty box with a flickering white light over her head. It was somehow colder underneath the bus shelter. The chilly night air bit at her nose. She regretted not bringing a scarf with her in her haste to leave the apartment. She had been in such a hurry to leave, she left in a matter of seconds.

Her body was stationary, still, and rigid, but her mind was still racing - replaying the past 10 minutes.

“I don’t see how this is a big deal!” Claire huffed at Lexi.

“A big deal? It is a huge deal!” Lexi had replied, face hot with rage. “How could you not tell me? After all this time?”

“I knew you wouldn’t like it!”

“So, you decided to see them behind my back! Every weekend Claire! How could you?”

Claire seemed to struggle to find any words to say in response. That was when the tears started for the both of them, and Lexi grabbed her jacket, vanishing into the night.

Her mind was still reeling. If Claire needed…more from her, she should have asked Lexi before getting it from another! ‘She should have spoken to me before sneaking around behind my back!’ Lexi’s eyes began to water again, betrayal burning hot in her head.

A bus arrived at the stop, its headlights shone through the oppressive cold air - a beacon of escape for Lexi. She couldn’t see where it was headed and didn’t care. She had to get out of town before the pain in her heart could swallow her whole. The doors to the bus swung open with a hiss.

“Lexi!” Claire’s voice cut through the night air. “Lexi!”

She saw Claire appear around the back of the bus running towards her. Seeing her triggered a change in Lexi. She loved Claire so much it hurt.

“I’m sorry!” They exclaimed at the same time.

“I won’t see them anymore, I promise!” Claire proclaimed.

Lexi felt her heart sink.

“Do... do they make you happy?” She asked.

“Not as happy as you do,” Claire replied, avoiding the question.

“Do you love them?”

There was a very pregnant pause.

“Not as much as…”

“Don’t give me that, Claire!" Lexi snapped, her earlier attitude returning. "If you love them, I can’t stop you seeing them!”

“I love you more than I could ever love them. I feel…passion for them, but not enough to give you up! Please don’t leave, Lexi!” Claire begged.

“Are either of you going to get on my bus?” The bus driver’s sharp voice suddenly cut into their emotional bubble.

Claire looked into Lexi’s eyes. There was a frozen moment when the couple connected again.

“Are you?” she asked.

“I…. am not,” she said slowly. She couldn’t throw Claire away, no matter how much she wanted to.

The bus drove away. Lexi and Claire began their walk back home.

“Is this a dealbreaker?” Claire asked, her question hung in the air.

Lexi thought for a moment. “No,” she stated.

“Can I see them, and still be your fiancé?”

“Yes, but I will never, ever see them myself!”

“I know, I know! I would never ask that of you!”

Lexi hummed her skepticism.

“But… they really are nice. They’re so friendly, welcoming, and peppy!”

“Claire…”

“I know! I just love them.”

“I will not tolerate the singing, Claire.”

“It’s not that bad!”

“Yes, it is! I hate musicals!” Lexi exclaimed. She still couldn't believe Claire had been seeing them every weekend without telling her. Claire knew she hated spontaneous singing!

Claire hugged her suddenly.

“You love me more than you hate musicals, right?”

Lexi smirked, slightly embarrassed by her earlier dramatics.

“Yes, Claire, I do.”

A/N: Surprise! The 'them' was musicals! haha! This was great fun to write. I hope you enjoyed - and don't mind me misleading you all!

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