The next morning, Ella Lopez waited at a Starbucks downtown. Her leg bounced anxiously as she hummed her latest favorite song in her head.
"Hey Ella," Chloe greeted her as she came up from behind. Ella perked up and rose from her seat to give Chloe a hug.
"Hey Chloe!" Ella replied chipperly as Chloe gently closed her arms around Ella's back.
When the two sat down at a small table near a side window, Ella got a good look at the friend she considered a sister.
Chloe, who was normally the dictionary definition of professional, looked like she had just partaken in a life-changing bender. Her bangs weren't brushed or straightened, the rest of her hair hung in a loose, low, frizzy ponytail. She took off her dark sunglasses now that they were indoors to reveal large dark bags under her eyes and pinkish-red rims lining her them instead of sharp-black or blue eyeliner. Ella noticed that her face was a paler shade and more wrinkles were forming on her forehead and under her eyes. Chloe must not have bothered with makeup today either.
"Oh honey," Ella's voice fell and her heart clutched at her friend's appearance, "What's the matter?"
Seeing Chloe like this brought Ella near to tears.
Chloe sighed, shook her head, and shrugged. "I...I don't think I want to talk about it." She said lowly and then suggested, "Maybe I just need a stronger coffee today instead of my regular soy milk latte?"
"Ah. Jose Cuervo wasn't kind to you last night, was he?" Ella guessed.
Chloe scoffed and answered, "No. I wasn't drinking. I just," she sighed and then continued, "I just really need to hang out with my girl and drink some coffee. Get my mind off of everything."
Ella perked up and slowly rose to her feet again assuring Chloe, "Don't worry girl, I gotchu."
Ella ordered them both venti hot coffees and returned with them ten minutes later with a caring smile. When Chloe reached into her bag to grab money, Ella stopped her.
"Whoa whoa whoa. Not a chance, chica." Ella demanded, placing the large white cup in front of Chloe.
"When my girl's been hurt, Imma take care of her." Ella explained proudly as she sat down with her own drink.
Chloe thanked her quietly - because her voice was still hoarse from crying last night - and she took a sip. She grimaced at how sweet it was; there were a few more shots of espresso and many more grams of sugar in this one coffee than she'd probably ever had in her entire life. It warmed her all the way down her throat, to her stomach, and it spread to her fingers and toes; it made her feel a bit more relaxed than she had in the last twelve hours or so.
Ella tapped the table nervously.
"So what's up with you?" Chloe observed, "You're normally not this anxious and I doubt it's because you're that worried about me."
Ella half-laughed at the joke. Now that she saw how upset Chloe was over something, Ella didn't want to upset her more with her news.
"Trust me, I'm really worried about you. Chloe Decker doesn't look like a drunk, hopeless, kindergarten teacher unless somebody's shattered her heart,"
Chloe hung her head slightly at the comparison. This is the third time now that Ella has seen Chloe the morning after a man she cared for deeply broke her heart. The first time was after Pierce broke up with her and told her she wasn't worth it. The second was three years ago when Lucifer left. The third was now, but if Chloe was being honest with herself, her tears and empty feeling had nothing to do with a man and everything to do with herself.
YOU ARE READING
The Beginning of the End
Fanfiction"Hey," She began quietly, much like how she greeted him in the penthouse several times when he hadn't known she was coming over. "Look, I promise that I'm trying to be okay with you leaving. I know why you had to do it. It was so brave, and I knew i...
