The weather was just cool enough for the two of them to ask each other if they were sure they wanted to eat outside, but sunny enough for both of them to still want to. Trevor led the way to the far table that was away from the other patrons, with Raquel not far behind. Although the typical pleasantries had taken place, she could tell that the conversation that they would soon be having would have little to do with the weather.
As Raquel poured herself a glass of tea from a pitcher that they were sharing, she listened to her friend reveal his true feelings regarding the break-up between him and Sophia. Most of his feelings of anger and regret were perfectly understandable; predictable, even. However, it was the reason driving these emotions that she didn't expect to hear. Trevor informed her of the night Amelia and Estelle had slipped something in his drink, and the kiss that they shared with Sophia. She sighed heavily as she offered a sympathetic ear.
"I don't know what I'm going to do with that girl," she lamented as she shook her head with disappointment.
"Well...I'm sure she was only working out some anger issues with me." Trevor cautiously replied.
"What do you mean?" Raquel inquired.
Trevor took a long pause in order to gather the courage to reveal everything. "I was cheating on her."
"Oh Trevor...why would you do that?"
"I don't know...I can't even remember how this all started in the first place. I guess it just happened." Trevor glanced up from his plate to see that Raquel was staring intently at him, expecting a more reasonable explanation than that. "I guess I was just being stupid."
"Well...I'm not saying that it justifies their actions, but maybe you two should have worked this out before things got out of hand."
"How was I supposed to know?"
"Oh come on! Even I knew that Sophia had a crush on Amelia. Don't tell me that you never..." Raquel stuttered at the hurt look on Trevor's face, "...you...never? You really never knew? Trevor...love...how could you not know?"
Trevor considered this question. When did it get to the point to where he no longer knew his girlfriend? Maybe he had been so focused on work that he rarely gave himself time for anything else. Maybe it was just because he had lost interest in life, and was simply going through the motions. The two sat in silence as the world continued to go about its business around them. Trevor's eyes rested on the steady stream of people walking alongside the street. His mind was replaying random moments in his recent past. He was surprised to find that very few of them included Sophia, which was the one thing that should have been consistent among the memories. Instead, all that filled his mind were remorseful thoughts of Kaylin. He had let himself become infected with her poison, and now he had helped destroy the life of someone he loved.
Suddenly he raised his head as if he had been charged with a newfound purpose. "Raquel, listen; there's something I have to do. I'll talk to you later though, k?" he said as he dropped a ten dollar bill on the table to pay for his lunch. Before Raquel could ask where he was going, he quickly grabbed his coat off the back of the chair and left.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Baby, let's go out." Amelia suggested to a very mopey Estelle, "You haven't even been outside in days."
Estelle had been sitting on the couch with a blanket over her legs ever since Kaylin sent her that video of her and Sophia having sex. She was wearing an oversized t-shirt that said "Ask me about my apathy." She stared at the television with a permanent deadpan expression, though it was clear that her brain was far too distant to register anything on the screen. The only time she got up was when she had to pee, and the only time her face changed was when the video flashed in her mind and made her cry.
"No thank you," Estelle said with a monotone voice.
"You know, if you don't get enough sunshine you're going to wither away." Amelia said in a soft, yet, playful, voice.
This caused a tiny giggle to emerge from Estelle, despite herself. However, this loosening of the grip on her emotions caused her to cry a second later. The sight of her lover's sorrow broke Amelia's heart. She came over to the edge of the couch and hugged Estelle's head.
"Baby, it's going to get better; I promise. I'm so sorry I let this happen."
"I don't blame you...I just...I really thought that...she was the one...you know? The one for us..." Estelle spoke in between sobs.
"I know baby, I know."
Just then the doorbell rang. Amelia sighed and rolled her eyes, but let go of Estelle to go answer it. Her eyes immediately narrowed at seeing Trevor standing there. For a moment they stood, deadlocked, but then Amelia decided to step outside and close the door behind her.
"I don't know why you would even think to come here, but-"
"I won't stay long, I promise. But I have to tell you something."
Amelia considered those words, then said, "Speak quickly."
"Look...I'm not proud of this, but Kaylin and I have been plotting against the three of you ever since Sophia and I broke up."
"Oh really? And how's that?"
"Like when she embellished what she saw at the mall the other day in order to make you jealous. Or that conversation you two had about how you're too good to be held down by another woman." Trevor's knowledge of that private conversation caught Amelia off-guard. Her face must have betrayed her thoughts, for he added, "She tells me everything; it's all been part of her plan."
"And why would she do that?"
"Because she wants revenge. Same as I did. I hated you two after that night and wanted nothing more than to make all of you suffer. But I realized that what we were doing was pretty fucked up. I tried to talk her out of it, but the bitch is crazy. She kicked me out."
"Well it looks like nobody wants you anymore, doesn't it?"
"I'm not here to ask for forgiveness; I just want to set things right."
"Why?"
