"I think it's about time." Chloe murmured while lighting a cigarette. She inhaled deeply with the tobacco stick clasped between her painted lips. She held it in for only a moment and released a gray cloud in a breathy sigh. Her dark brown eyes flashed quickly at a stout young man struggling to put on a pair of high top canvas sneakers "We're going to be late, c'mon!"
"Hold on! These sneakers take time. You know that!" the young man in the chair rebuked.
"Christ," Chloe rolled her eyes "It sounds like your trying to shove your feet into a pair of women's boots before a drag show."
"Fuck You!" he grunted "They need to come up with an easier way to get these things on." With a final mrph! he managed to have the shoes in their proper place.
"Let's get going, Duke," Chloe started toward the door adn then paused "unless you want to put some make-up on and waste more of my time."
"Seriously, fuck you." Duke Spat "You just walked into my house twenty minutes ago and shouted 'We're going to a party, Fatass! Get Up!'"
"I only said it like that because I love you." Chloe giggled.
"Of course you did." Duke walked out the door and started for the car.
"Don't leave without me jerkface!" Chloe cried as she hastened towards the car. While running, as a result of a great deal of practice, she expertly through her cigarette to the ground and doused it with a quick, moving jounce.
"where is this party, by the way?" Duke asked as he tousled his chesnut brown hair and opened the car door.
"Well," Chloe bit her lip "it's at Miranda's"
"That's forty five minutes away!" Duke moaned "I wish you would have told me that before."
"If i told you before you wouldn't have wanted to go." Chloe admitted nonchalantly as she sat in the passenger seat. Duke released a terse sigh and sat in the seat next to her. He fumbled in his pockets on a 10 second epic quest for his car keys. He succeeded and placed the key into the ignition. He turned it. It grunted but refused to begin. Again he turned the key. Buh-rum-rum-rum-rum. He turned it once more and the automobile began with a loud cough.
The radio started.
Song: Daylight by Matt and Kim
"Oh, oh, oh," Chloe paused from applying her dark blue eyeshadow "I LOVE this song!"
"Yeah," Duke agreed as he set the car in reverse "It's pretty good."
"Turn it up!"
"No." Duke stated firmly as he pulled onto the road.
"I though you liked this song..." Chloe pouted.
"I do, I'd just rather not be distracted by loud music. He admitted as he caressed his short but full beard.
"You want to talk don't you?" Chloe threw her makup into her purse "I know what you want to talk about."
"I didn't say anything" He gulped.
"It's ok," Chloe briefly played with her pixied blonde hair "It needs to be discussed.
Song: Cosmic Love by Florence and the Machine
"what are we?" Duke asked emphatically.
"We're friends." Chloe shrugged.
"That's all?"
"I don't want to say yes and hurt you, and I don't want to say no and get your hopes up."
"What if that isn't all I want? What if I want us to be something more?"
Chloe paused. She stared out the window and watched the passing scenery of suburban neighborhoods and harvested fields.
"I don't think I do. I don't."
"We always do what you want. I'm getting tired of bending to your every fucking whim in the hope that one day you might just accidently say 'i love you' and mean it."
"Duke, It doesn't work like that. You can't foce it! If it's sex you want...I'm fine with that."
"It's not that at all. I'm aware that you're willing to sleep with me because we already have. I want you to love me!"
Song:Ode to Divorce by Regina Spektor
"I can't!" tears began forming in the corner of Chloe's eyes. "I can't...and I won't. Our friendship means too much to me."
"You know you've got me." Duke accused "I would break my fucking back for you, and you know it!"
"No, no, no! It's not like-" Chloe began.
"Really?" Duke was yelling now "It's not like that? Every god-damn time we hang out it's what you want to do. If it isn't, you just sit around and bitch and moan the entire time!"
"Is that really how you feel?" Chloe's voice was shaken and she was visibly shocked.
"Yes." Duke took a deep breath and talked in a more normal tone "But, it would all be ok if you just told me what I want to hear."
"this is why it won't work." Chloe turned back to the window "We're vipers. We're fucking vipers."
They both fell silent.
Song: What's a Girl to Do by bat for lashes
Silence.
Song: The Bed by St. Vincent
Silencio.
Song: Truce by the Dresden Dolls
Ruhigkeit.
Song: Asleep by the Smiths
"Please," Chloe finally pleaded "Please, you're my best friend..."
"I just don't know anymore," Duke reasoned "I just feel empty now."
"We'll get over this in no time," Chloe laughed nervously "this isn't the firt time we've argued."
"You and I both know that this time will be different." Duke said flatly.
"But it doesn't have to be..." Chloe stared at her lap "If you'd only just forget those silly feelings."
"So it's my fault?" Duke stared intensely at the road before him.
"No, I-" Chloe looked up "we're here."
"Yeah," Duke pulled the car against the curb "you go in ahead of me, I need a minute."
Song: Made Up Love Song #43 by Guillemots
Chloe exited the car and began walking to the door. She turned around briefly to look at Duke. She sighed heavily, and went to the door.
Duke looked up longingly at her as she walked away, then quickly returned to staring at the steering wheel. He looked slightly to the left...he remembered he hadn't shut the car off.
He put the car into drive.
Song: Dog Days Are Over by Florence and the Machine
He was free.
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