This Is Why I Hate You Too

18. Patterns, Patterns, Patterns

"Well, why did you get discharged?"

"I never got discharged; I left on my own volition. So did Rachel."

"Is it true that you were meant to be deployed to Afghanistan, but you transferred to South Korea to be with Mr. Lindfelt?"

"Half true; I was supposed to go to Afghanistan, but I didn't transfer to South Korea for him. I transferred to South Korea for Rachel."

"Really?"

"After I found out I was getting sent to Afghanistan, I had a whole meltdown. Rachel was in Mississippi. She called me a week before telling me that she was going to South Korea, and I just. . . I never told him that. I lied to him. I just wanted to see Rachel. Nothing more."

"Was Mr. Lindfelt your platonic soulmate?"

"Absolutely not." Corey shook her head. "I don't know how the fuck he got to that conclusion."

"Did Mr. Lindfelt try to kiss you once?"

"He did." she turned away from his eyes, her fingers playing with her blond locks.

"Did you call Mr. Lindfelt 'an uneducated little troublemaker'?"

"No."

"Were you upset with Mr. Lindfelt volunteering to be deployed in dangerous parts of the world?"

"No."

"Okay, this is a big one; is it true that you were in a somewhat polyamorous relationship with Mr. Lindfelt and Miss Norman, where Mr. Lindfelt and you would take turns having intercourse with Miss Norman?"

The entire room gasped. Shock overtook Corey's face. She was speechless for a second. "No. He said that shit?!"

"Yes, he did."

"I am so killing this man."

*********************

"My name is Rachel Norman, I'm twenty-three," it was Rachel's turn to speak, "I was born on October 3rd, 1995, and I was serving as an airman alongside Arthur Lindfelt."

"How did you meet Mr. Lindfelt?"

"I met Arthur while we were deployed in South Korea. I. . . I never liked him, but he was way too interested in me, so. . I had to compromise my values."

"How?"

"We were in a fake relationship for two months. We didn't have sex or anything! I just—I was a closeted lesbian, and I didn't want people to harass me, so I felt obliged to act like I was in a relationship with Arthur. He was also way too pushy, and I didn't want him to kill me for rejecting him, so I played the part of his new girlfriend for that period of time. I never slept with him though."

"Okay. . . why was he saying he was in a polyamorous relationship with you and Corey?"

"Well, like Corey told you, we both kind of. . acted like his therapists for a while, so I guess he thought we both wanted to sleep with him. Corey and I were in a relationship of our own, so we both clung onto him to protect ourselves from getting attacked because of our sexual orientations. But. . after an unspeakable incident where Corey and I were raped by a few airmen who knew the truth. . . we just ended up leaving anyways and I've never spoken to her again since. Is it time for me to say if things are true or not?"

"Yeah, let's start—were you in a relationship with Mr. Lindfelt?"

"Yes."

"He—he used to refer to you as. . ah, good Lord."