Lies? or Deception?

"I've never lied to you, Chase. Never."

"Really? Never?"

"Never."

"But you have deceived me, haven't you, Bri?"

"I don't know what you mean by that."

"Let me believe something false. Omitted important information. Glossed over critical facts."

"Important information? Critical facts? Like what?"

"Are you really playing semantic games with me?"

"I'm just trying to understand your anger. I've never lied to you. I don't know why you're questioning me."

"Are you having an affair with Bobby?"

She hesitated just a flash. "No."

"Really?"

"I'm not having an affair with Bobby."

"Sleeping with him?"

She scoffed. "No. I'm not sleeping with him."

"Are you fucking him?"

"Why are you asking me this?"

"Because I thought we had an exclusive relationship."

"What makes you think we don't?"

"These pictures."

"Oh, God."

"Yeah, so I heard."

"What?"

"On the videos. You talk about God a lot. While you're fucking him."

"Videos?" She blanched.

"Videos."

She was silent for a while. Then she looked up, but past his face. "I don't know what to say. I'm so sorry."

"Sorry? For what?"

"For this. For Bobby."

"It didn't sound like you were sorry. On the video."

"Oh, God."

He sat, quiet, contemplative, cool. She couldn't look at him, so she studied her hands.

"How did you get the pictures? And video?"

"Bobby documents his conquests."

She was quiet again.

"What are you thinking, Chase?"

"I think a lot of things, Bri. Are you curious about something specific?"

"What are you thinking about us?"

"I think that you're lying. About feeling sorry."

"But I am. I am so, so sorry."

"Then why did you go back? Several times."

She shuddered and looked away.

"I'm sorry I hurt you."

"But not sorry for fucking Bobby."

"That's how I hurt you, so yes, I'm sorry about that."

"But you kept going back. If you were really sorry, you'd stop doing it. So I think you're lying."

"I've never lied to you."

"We agreed we were exclusive. And you never said different."

"I didn't lie."

"You deceived me. Let me believe you were."

She stared at her hands again. "I really am sorry. I love you so much."

"But you're fucking Bobby."

"No! That's over. I'll never see him again."

"So you lied to him."

"What?"

"When you told him you'd be over tonight after I left to study."

She pulled her hands into her lap. Her eyes stayed focused on the table.

"It's over," she said softly.

"Yes, I think it is."

Her shoulders slumped and tears slipped from her eyes.

"What are you going to say when people ask?"

"That you were fucking Bobby."

She sobbed. "Why? Why would you tell them that?"

"Because you were fucking Bobby."

"You'll hurt us all."

He shrugged. "It's the truth."

"It doesn't have to be like that. We can still be together. I won't do that with anyone else."

"No, I think it does have to be like that. I won't be with someone who lies to me."

"I didn't lie. I never lied."

"You said you loved me. I don't think you can fuck someone else and love me."

"But I do love you. I never lied about that. I love you so much!"

"Really? What do you do that shows that you love me? Something that you don't do with anyone else. What's mine alone?"

She sat quietly. "You're the only person I love."

"I don't believe you. And you have no way to prove it."

He stood, took his empty cup of tea to the sink and rinsed it, then placed it in the dishwasher.

"I'll stay with Jack tonight and get my stuff out tomorrow."

Her head shot up, her eyes wide. He stared back at her, hard, cold, resolute. She sagged again.

"No chance?"

"What do you think?"

She shook her head.

"I'll tell my folks, you tell yours. Good luck getting the deposits back."

She nodded, her eyes back on the table. She heard him move away, the swish of the straps against his raincoat as he shouldered his backpack, his footsteps as he walked to the door. When the door closed behind him, she broke down.

She loved him. Bobby was just a lark, a diversion, something fun to pass the time while Chase was studying for the bar exam. Bobby meant nothing. Chase meant everything.

She loved Chase so much. And now she'd lost him.

She'd never be able to lie to herself about that.

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