s*x With Benefits

2. Chloe

I wanted to make lasagna, but it takes a lot longer than carbonara and you can always eat pasta.

Jessica just finished packing my stuff while listening to music, Beyoncé more specifically and one of my favourite songs of Beyoncé. 'Baby Boy' featuring Sean Paul starts playing.

That's a classic.

I start dancing while stirring the pasta and I get too excited that I throw the wooden spoon across the kitchen and I rush to get it back.

"You are not going to believe what Hailey's sister did," Jessica said, and I thought she was going to say something funny or weird, but seeing the expression on her face, doesn't seem like any of both.

"What did Jane do?" I ask and she turned her phone so I could look at her home screen.

She is on our Whats'App group and Hailey has written a very long text, and I see Jane's and Trevor's names as I rush- read but I stop and start reading the text. When I get to Jane and Trevor's names, I gasp.

"She caught them in his apartment?" I put my hand over my mouth.

"I always knew her sister was a b***h. To screw her sister's boyfriend? That is a very low blow."

"I don't even understand why it surprises me. She is the one I expect to sleep with every guy on this planet. She has slept with all the men in America. She is already half-way there," I shake my head and rush to grab my phone, which I can't seem to find.

"I left it on the counter," I talked to myself and kept looking.

Jessica is writing in the group and is saying her replies out loud, so I could hear too. Right now, I appreciate it because I can't seem to find my phone.

"Trevor said and I quote, 'I thought she was you!' What a lowlife. Hailey and Jane are completely different. Even the way they dress and do their makeup and hair is different. What a lame excuse."

"What else could he say? That is his - Out of jail for free card - of course he would say that. Where the hell is my phone?" I pulled slightly on my hair.

"You are blind," Jessica rushed over to the kitchen counter and lifts it.

It was on top of the black dish towel and I facepalm myself.

"I am," I fake cried and took my phone from Jessica's hand.

There are at least fifty messages on the Whats'App group alone. My brother, Derek has sent me two messages. Hailey has sent me a message and my mother has called me one time and left me a text message.

Then I remember my pasta.

"My spaghetti!" I rush to the other side of the counter and see that I saved the spaghetti at the right time.

I place some on each of the plates and on top of the spaghetti, the bacon and scrambled egg yolks with cheese.

Simple and tasty.

"Let's eat," I take the plates and carefully walk to the coffee table and place them on top of it.

"He is at Hailey's house now. Banging on the door and trying to get her to talk to him."

"If she doesn't call the police, I will."

"Don't meddle, Chloe. We will help if she wants us to."

"I am not letting that sick bastard get his way and play with Hailey's feelings."

Jessica sat on the couch on my right and I went to grab forks.

"This is crazy. Why were we all at some point in toxic and disastrous relationships?" Jessica asked and I mentally agreed.

Ria's ex wanted to give his ex another try. Sara ended her relationship with Nikkie, because she, Sara, is not even gay.

And now Hailey. Right now, we are all single at the age of twenty-six and twenty-seven. Who knew relationships were so difficult?

All the movies and series we watch, that show us how couples struggle and go through hell and in the end they are meant to be.

That's not real life. At least not for the five of us.

I sit down and hand her the fork and we start eating.

"Thanks for cooking. It's delicious."

"Of course. Did you pack everything or is anything missing?"

"Just your charger and makeup. I am guessing you are going to use it tomorrow morning."

"We are leaving at nine am. It's too soon for makeup," I said in a mouthful of carbonara.

"Have you seen yourself after you've woken up? I don't recommend it. It will give you nightmares," she shook her fork at me and I laughed.

"Any news from Hailey?"

"She hasn't written back since Trevor showed up at her door. I hope they are not having make up s*x. That would be kind of incestuous and horrifying."

"That would be disgusting at a whole new level."

"I am sorry for her, you know?" Jessica placed her fork down and looked at me with her sad blue eyes.

"Me too, Jess. They have been so long together. They were the happiest couple I knew."

"And a sister comes in between and ruins everything. That bothers me so much," she said with so much hatred that I practically felt it.

"Are you saying that because you haven't spoken to your sister for over six years?"

"Kinda, yeah."

"It's not the same thing though. Your sister left because of your mother."

"And she never called me," Jessica said with tears in her eyes.

I know this is a touchy subject because Jessica and her sister used to be very close. I have known Jessica since college and ever since, she has talked very little about her family, especially her sister.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I ask her.

"Thank you, but no. It will just make me feel worse."

"Okay."

"Want to go out for a drink?" She asks me and I decline.

I stand up from the couch and go to the kitchen. Hidden underneath the kitchen counter, are several bottles of Whiskey, Vodka and Rum.

"Pick your poison," I take the Whiskey and Vodka out first and she points at the Whiskey.