Pitifully Ugly

Chapter 10

Let’s just be friends…blows.

I was furious when I returned to my apartment and the power

still wasn’t on. I wanted to go into my Rainbow Room account

and reread all the messages exchanged between Hailey and me.

To further exacerbate the situation, I’d forgotten to retrieve my

cell phone, and I wasn’t going back after it. I threw myself onto

the sofa and watched the moderate rain against my window.

I think she’s someone I really want to get to know.

Was she referring to me? Or had she met someone else and

decided that night to tell me who she really was? My mind started

to answer . She did seem a bit put off when you told her about

Marci. She asked a lot of questions. Stop that, leg!

I looked down and noticed that my right leg was dancing a

nervous jig. I crossed my feet at the ankles as my fingers began to

drum on my stomach. Hailey had played me nevertheless. Then I

thought about her throwing my callous response to her question

back in my face. Keep up the lie and hope she never finds out.

That’s how the game is played. That’s why she’d been so cold and

distant.

My head started to ache as I thought back on our conversation

the night before and the pained expression Hailey wore. Was I the

cause? Yes, dumbass, how obvious does she have to make it? My

brain was certain, but my heart wasn’t as quick to jump on the

bandwagon. It whispered, tread lightly.

And then there was Marci. How much damage would I do to

Robin Alexander

whatever might be happening with Hailey if I went through with

the date on Friday night? In my heart, I knew that I would be

letting Marci down by the end of the evening. The connection I

wanted to feel with her wasn’t there. Instead, it was with a woman

who had not been honest with me.

I went from being desperate for a date with anyone to this

conundrum in a flash. Timing sucked, women sucked, and I just

plain sucked at dealing with it.

I blinked as the power came back on. The handset on my

coffee table was dead. I hoped that the one in the bedroom still

had a charge as I went for it and dialed Kalen’s number. “Hello?”

Kalen’s voice was soft and low, and I knew I had woken her.

“I’m sorry I woke you, sis. I meant to call you earlier to see

how you were feeling, but the power’s been out.”

Kalen groaned. “Shit, it’s almost two.”

“Sounds like you needed the sleep. Mom always says that you

heal faster when you rest.”

“What’s wrong? I hear something in your voice.”

“I’ve got a problem.” I returned to the sofa and sat down.

Everything about meeting Newbie online and finding out that she

was Hailey came out in a rush. Kalen stopped me a couple of

times and made me repeat a few things. Especially when I told

her about the conversation I had with Hailey the night before.

“Oh, honey, it’s you she’s interested in,” Kalen said when I

had finished. “This has disaster written all over it.”

“Because of Marci?”

“No, let’s take her out of the equation for a minute. Hailey

cheated on her husband. That shows she can’t be trusted. She’s

been with one woman, and now she thinks she’s gay. And she’s

been in that online dating thing where the psychopaths hang

out—minus you and maybe Marci. Don’t walk away from this

woman, run. Hell, move out of the building.”

Perhaps seeking Kalen’s advice wasn’t the smartest thing

to do. Objectivity wasn’t her strong suit unless it was regarding

someone she fixed me up with. “She’s extremely remorseful about

what she did to her husband.”

Pitifully Ugly

“Not everyone brags about their infidelity, especially if

they’re trying to impress someone else.”

“She could’ve left that out…” like she did everything else.

“Shannon, go out with Marci and see where it leads. If you

don’t feel a spark, then be upfront and tell her so. Leave Hailey

alone. I’m telling you, she’s trouble.”

“Okay, okay,” I said, ready to be finished with the conversation.

“I need to go now and do some work. I’ve been out of the loop all

morning.”

“If I didn’t feel so shitty, I’d be on my way over there,” Kalen

said. “Bye, sis,” I said quickly before I disconnected.

I debated sending Marci a text message and telling her the

date was off, but I couldn’t make myself take the cowardly way

out. I’d put that call off for another day, though. I knew that I

wouldn’t be able to work with Hailey being so close. Now that I

was somewhat calm, I wanted to hear what she had to say, so I

took a trip downstairs.

Hailey opened the door on the second knock and held it open

wide. I walked in and scratched Fuzzy on the head before taking

a good look at her. She looked more composed than she did in the

garage earlier, but she seemed nervous as she offered me a seat. I

sat on the sofa while she took a chair across from me. Fuzzy went

to her immediately and laid her head on Hailey’s leg.

“If you were in my shoes, would you be upset right now?” I

asked.

“Yes.”

I nodded and looked away. That’s all I had in my arsenal. I

was full of things to say as I rode down on the elevator, but once

I was in Hailey’s presence, I went blank.

“I should’ve told you who I was the minute I figured out who

you were,” Hailey said. “I’m sorry that I didn’t.”

I forced myself to look at her. “The other night after I went

out with Marci, were you talking about me when you said you

were taken by someone?”

Hailey looked away then; I could see a slight flush begin to

sweep over her cheeks. Her lips twitched. “It’s a moot point, isn’t

Robin Alexander

it, really?” Something in her tone seemed like she wanted me to

argue the point.

“Why?”

“Look.” She rubbed her hands together. “I would really like

us to be friends.” Her lips twitched again. “I know we’ve gotten

off to a bad start. The reasons I wasn’t upfront pale in comparison

to what I’ve done, but I really want—need—your forgiveness.”

“Friends, like playing tennis and chatting in the courtyard?”

I asked as my chest filled with pain.

“That’s all I can offer right now.” Hailey’s eyes grew watery,

and as bad as I wanted to press her for more, I let her off the

hook.

“I forgive you,” I said as I stood. “Sure, we can be friends.”

Hailey stood and followed me to the door. Fuzzy stayed close

at her side. “Thank you,” she said as she pulled me into a hug. She

held me in her arms for a minute before squeezing me gently. “I

hope you have a good time on Friday.”

That hurt. I pulled away from her grasp and walked out the

door without looking back.

Pitifully Ugly