Broken Friendships

“Laurence…” I started.

“What do you want, Allegra?” his eyes were cold.

“I don’t want you to hate me.” I could feel myself crying.

“Well you brought it on yourself. I can’t believe you even have the audacity to ask me for something after what you did to Chris! He bloody loves you and you should have had some consideration for his feelings instead of running away without a second glance. You broke him!” he yelled at me.

I lowered my gaze. Shame does that to you. “I didn’t think—“

“Please, don’t give me the ‘I thought he was joking’ bullshit, Allegra. You can do better than that.”

“I was scared.” I tried to justify myself.

“You could have said that to him. You could have said that you didn’t feel what he felt for you.”

“But I do love him!” I yelled back. “I love him!”

“You’re a coward. I knew that there was going to be something between you and Chris the moment your eyes locked. I can’t believe I pushed him. I knew he loved you, I saw it happening, and stupid me believed that you might have been ready for Chris.” He sighed in frustration. “But you’re not. You’re so afraid of loving again that you let go knowingly of one of the best thing that ever happened to you after Blake died.”

“I don’t want to give up on Blake.” I whispered.

“You don’t have to. You can keep loving him but you can love Chris as well. There’s no conflict there. Chris doesn’t want to replace your late-husband.” He explained.

“I know that now.”

He looked at me with disapproval.

“Will we ever be friends again?”

“I don’t know.” He said honestly.

“Do you think Chris will ever give me a chance?”

“Why don’t you ask him?” he said angrily.

He left me there in my living room. I heard the door slam and I winced.