Beautifully Revealed by Bethany Bazile

up?”
    “Let’s not do this bullshit , Arianna. That has to be the most ancient trick in the book. Couldn’t you come up with anything a little more original?”
    She pouts her overly red lips at me before sighing in defeat. “Okay, you got me. I miss you.”
    “What is there to miss ? All we ever did was fuck.”
    “Maybe that’s the problem, you were the best fuck of my life.”
    “Arianna, you know I’m with someone now.”
    “I heard she moved out.” She smiles coyly at me.
    “Whether she’s staying with me or not is irrelevant, she’s still mine.”
    “Wow, I always thought I would be the girl to change you, make a committed man out of you…” A sad look crosses her face. “Can you tell me where I went wrong? What she did differently?”
    “Why is it always a competition between women? You did nothing wrong and she did nothing right. When you feel it there’s nothing someone can do or not do to change it. It’s sort of just there and it’s unexplainable.”
    “Alright I get it, you’re in love and we’re over. Can we at least be friends? For real this time, I won’t try to break up your relationship, or make catty remarks about Isabella anymore.”
    I give he r a suspicious look and she smiles at me before crossing her heart with her finger.
    “Alright ,” I shrug my shoulders. Hopefully my answer will get rid of her quicker.
    “Great,” she says jumping up from my desk. “Let me take you for our first friendship cup of coffee.”
    “No, that’s a bad idea.”
    “Come on Liam, it’s just a cup of coffee.”
    “Arianna, I swear if this is some kind of ploy…”
    “It’s not. It’s coffee between friends.”
    “Let’s go, but I’m paying.” I need to get out of here and stop thinking about Ella.
    I find myself smiling at her silliness on the ride down the elevator, she was always a carefree, happy sp irit. It’s nice to see her acting like herself again, instead of the petty jealous version I’ve seen lately. We exit the elevator at the same time that Ella and Lillian step off the opposite one. She freezes and watches as Arianna and I walk by her. I’m not doing anything wrong and I definitely don’t owe her an explanation. I hardly glance her way so I’m a little startled when she jumps in front of me, stopping me midstride. She gives Arianna a nasty look before pulling me off into a corner.
    “What are you doing?” she hisses at me. I almost smile at how cute she is when she’s angry.
    “ Going out for coffee with a friend.” I glance at my watch in an attempt to rush her little confrontation.
    “Is this Alice all over again? Soon as we disagree about something you’re ready to run out and further damage what’s left of us.” She accuses.
    “We’re friends. You go out for coffee with Harris weekly, don’t you?”
    “It’s not the same, Liam .” She’s practically seething and I have to put an end to this before she makes a huge scene in my lobby.
    “It is the same. Now go home to your friend and stop making a scene.” I leave the building with Arianna, a little annoyed that she threw Alice in my face again. I thought we had left that behind us.
    Arianna senses the change in my mood and tries to cheer me up with her quirky jokes , but I’m not in the mood, and I barely even talk while we’re in the coffee shop. We part ways outside the café with a hug and a promise to keep in touch, but I doubt that will happen because it felt a little forced and awkward being around her. Sometimes it’s best to leave the past behind you.
    ********
     
    That night , as I lie alone in my bed, my head is pounding from the rage I feel. Every second that I spend alone in this bed pisses me off more. Why did I have to fall in love with the most difficult woman in the world? The secrets she keeps are like a huge wall between us. I don’t know what else to do to get her to trust me with her past.
    The investigator I hired is having a hard time uncovering anything on that