Life is Stranger

The Destroyer of Worlds

"Chloe?"

Chloe couldn't move. She couldn't speak. She couldn't do anything. Eventually a word found its way out through her parched, dry lips. "Rach?"

"The one and only."

"What...who...who's...in bed with us?"

"Don't you remember? Why don't you turn around and find out for yourself?"

"I don't...I don't want to. Rach, I..."

"You certainly weren't this shy last night. How could you forget? It's Laura. Who else would it be?"

"Laura? But...why...how? I don't...I don't understand. Did anything...did anything...happen?"

"Did anything happen? Are you fucking kidding me? Girl, you were a total beast. It was fucking wild."

"What? I...I don't believe you. I would never...I love you, Rach. I wouldn't...I just wouldn't..."

"But you did. Both of us. Over and over again. Oh man it was soooo fucking good."

"You're lying. This...this isn't happening. I must be dreaming. I'm having a nightmare. This isn't real. It can't be. It just can't be."

"Trust me girl, this is very, very real. You aren't going to wake up from this. There is no escape."

"But...but..."

Laura finally roused fully. "Mmmmmm. Hello sexy." she murmured as she pulled the blue-haired girl closer towards her.

"Let go of me. Get off me. Is this...is this some sort of trick? Are you trying to prank me or something? Well I don't think it's funny. Not at all. It's...sick. And twisted. Rach, how could you be so cruel to me? What the fuck?"

"You think I'm lying to you? You see those photos there on the table? Take a look at them. Go on."

"No. I don't want to."

"Fine. I'll do it for you then, shall I?" Rachel suddenly leapt from the bed and grabbed a handful of photos from the bedside table and thrust them one-by-one into Chloe's face. "Who's that, then, hm? Sure looks like you to me. And who's that with you? Why look, it's Laura. Look at what you're doing to her. Go on. Take a real good, long look. And this one. And this? Hey look – all three of us are in this one. If you want, I can show you the video. Still think I'm lying to you?"

"STOP IT!" Chloe grabbed the pictures and threw them across the room. "I DON'T WANT TO SEE ANY MORE."

"That's not what you said last night."

"Yeah. Chill out Chloe." whispered Laura into ear as she slid her hands down Chloe's naked body. "Relax. Come on. I know how to sort you out. You know you want it."

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME! DON'T EVER TOUCH ME AGAIN!" Chloe yanked the hands away from her body and rose from the bed unsteadily, her whole body starting to tremble, tears beginning to flow from her blue eyes. "Where...where are my clothes?" she asked through her tears.

"You're asking us? They'll be wherever you threw them. You couldn't get them off quick enough." said Rachel.

Chloe frantically searched the room and was immensely relieved to find her clothing strewn in one corner of the room. She dressed as rapidly as she could.

"Leaving so soon?" asked Rachel, a wide grin upon her face.

"Rach, why? I don't know how this happened, but...I love you, Rach. I really do, I swear. I'm sorry. But I don't understand...why aren't you upset?"

"Seriously? Don't you get it yet? Jesus H! Why the fuck would I be upset? Last night was awesome. Girl, you were on fire."

"But...but I thought...I thought you loved me."

"Loved you? Oh please. You seriously can't still think that! Don't be so goddamn naive. Grow the fuck up! You're playing with the big girls now."

"What...what are you saying?"

"What the fuck do you think I'm saying? Holy crap, just how stupid are you? Let me spell it out for you - I don't love you. I never have. I was just using you for sex. I've been screwing Laura for ages. Is that clear enough for you? Or do I have to carry on?"

Chloe's face fell at the words. The agonisingly painful silence deluged the room like a tsunami, settling over the three girls as if it were a smothering, stifling, all-encompassing blanket. The sound of Chloe's world falling apart was almost audible. The roaring of wave after enormous, unstoppable wave crashing onto a desolate, barren shore, sweeping aside all before it. Wrecking everything. Destroying everything. Destroying Chloe's world. Destroying her.

"Love's massively over-rated anyway." said Laura, finally breaking the silence. "You've gotta admit the sex was hot as fuck. Who needs love? I don't see why we have to end here, Chloe. I'm just gonna come right out and say it - I want you, Chloe. I think you're sexy as hell. I want to bang you again and again. Rach, you're okay with that, right?"

"Sure. Whatever. I couldn't care less. Do whatever the fuck you want with her."

"Well Chloe, how about it? We're outta here. Today. We're going to L.A. Come with us. You'll love it. Just think of all the fun we could have there. Compared to that, last night will be nothing. You're hot as fuck, Chloe. Come with us. Please. You won't regret it. I mean, what's left here for you now?"

Chloe's tearful gaze shifted from one girl to the other, utterly unable to believe what she was seeing and hearing.

"Hello? Can you hear us? Anyone home?" asked Rachel. She snapped her fingers in front of Chloe's face. The blue-haired girl's eyes didn't even flicker.

"You...you've been cheating on me? With...with her? How l...long?"

"Long enough. Like it matters a fuck."

"Rach, please...don't do this to me...to us...I lov..."

"Stop right there. I'm sick to death of hearing you say that. Don't say it. Ever again. And don't beg. You look ridiculous, and it'll do you no good. What's done is done. You and me are done. I'm bored with you. The only question remaining is - what are you going to do now? Well?"

Chloe stood there for a few seconds staring at the woman before her, hot tears streaming down her face. Then she shakily turned and stumbled for the door, her legs weak and threatening to give out at any moment. Rachel's parting words stung her ears...and her heart.

"That's it – run away little girl. Go running back to your precious fucking Max. You don't think that she loves you either, do you? That's why she left you. That's why your dad left you. That's why your mom chose that dickhead David instead of you. They never loved you. None of them. Nobody does. You're just a cheap, lousy slut. You're nothing. No one is ever going to love you. You might as well just go and kill yourself. Nobody would even miss your punk ass."