How Could You?

**May 2013**

We stood staring at each other.  Craig kept looking back and forth between Monroe and me.  When I finally took a good look at him, he looked like he had showered.  I cocked my eyebrow at Monroe and he smirked.  I have always had such confidence around Monroe.  It was like he provided me with a backbone.

“Going somewhere Bella?” Craig asked rather sarcastically.  Monroe went to say something and I lightly grabbed his arm to silence him.

“Looks like you had a shower.  Working hard again?”  I pushed past him and he grabbed my arm lightly and looked at me “what is going on? Where are you going?”  I pulled my arm away and said in my most sickeningly sweet voice “Oh, just out with Monroe.  I left the details on the dining room table.”

Craig walked into our place and Monroe and I made a quick getaway towards the elevator.  As we got in we heard the door open and Craig yelling “Bella wait!! Bella please don’t” as he barrelled down the hallway.  I stood in the farthest corner as the door closed tightly and started to cry again.  Monroe pulled me close and didn’t let go.  We got to the lobby and exited the building and hailed a cab.  As we got in and it pulled away I saw him....running after me....calling for me.

We quickly pulled away into traffic and my phone instantly started ringing with Craig’s personalized ringtone. I went to answer it when Monroe snatched it out of my hands shaking his head.  He knew that Craig would work his magic and sweet talk me into coming home.   He tucked my cell into his jacket pocket and took out his phone told the cab driver ‘Fairmont Royal York’ and started making phone calls.  I paid the driver despite the looks that Monroe was giving me; we grabbed my luggage from the trunk and headed into the hotel.  Monroe hung up and looked at me “all arranged”, as we headed for the elevator.  I could hear the muffled ring coming from inside his jacket, but I knew Monroe wouldn’t give it up to me until we were well out of Craig’s reach.

“Where are we going?” I asked as we exited the elevator and went to his hotel room.  He tried his best to ignore me, as we got into the room and he started packing.  He handed me his phone “Call your boss, and tell him you need to take some personal time.  DO NOT CALL CRAIG!”  I nodded and phoned my boss, and asked if I could take some personal time due to a family emergency.  He obliged and offered to help if he could; which I graciously thanked him for but declined.  I didn’t need any more people finding out what happened.  I handed the phone back to Monroe and asked again “Where are we going??”  He smiled and said “It took a lot of me cashing in favours owed to me, and a lot of favours I’m going to owe some people...but we are going to St. Lucia.  You need to be as far away as possible right now, so you can clearly think about your next step.”  I smiled and a tear rolled down my cheek.  What did I do to have such an awesome BGF?  I hugged him tight and thanked him, and Monroe just apologized for having introduced us and having to break us up.  Though my head acknowledged that it was over, my heart wasn’t ready to give up yet. 

I asked for my phone back and had to promise that I wouldn’t call Craig or Chloe or answer any of their attempts to contact me until we were out of the country.  He handed it to me and I saw 20 missed calls mostly from Craig but a few from Chloe and Courtney.  I didn’t even look at the texts but there were a bunch of those too.  We were walking down the hall with our luggage and heading for the elevator when my mom called me. 

I answered and she immediately starts raising her voice “ISABELLA WHERE ARE YOU? CRAIG HAS CALLED HERE WORRIED SICK.  HE SAID MONROE KIDNAPPED YOU; TELL ME NOW WHAT IS GOING ON???”

I immediately start trying to calm her down. 

“Mom relax Craig and I need some time apart, things have happened that I do not want to discuss on the phone.   No Monroe didn’t kidnap me; we are going away so I can clear my head.  You’ve known Monroe his whole life; you know he wouldn’t do that.”  She immediately calmed down and asked if the wedding was still on, which I couldn’t give her a straight answer to.  We stepped out of the elevator and I promised to call my mom when we reached our destination.  She seemed to be calmer as I hung up and we got into another cab.  “Pearson .... departures terminal 3”

I closed my eyes gripping my phone as we made our way to the airport.  I must’ve fallen asleep because next thing I know Monroe is shaking me awake.  My phone rings as I am getting out of the cab.  I didn’t even think twice when I answered it.

“Oh good you answered, baby just listen don’t say anything.  I know this looks bad, but Bella she means nothing to me.  I was lonely you and Monroe were off planning the wedding, or you were tired from work and planning that I needed an outlet.  I know it was wrong and I am so sorry, please come home.  Let’s talk about this.  Remember what I said I love YOU, do you remember that?”

My eyes are welling with tears and the anger surged through me as I respond “so this is my fault? It’s my fault that I was too busy to fuck you so you turned to my best friend?!  Really is that what you are saying?  So every time I don’t have the energy to fuck you...this is going to happen?   I....”  and just like that Monroe grabbed the phone and hung up on him and stuck the phone inside his jacket.  He grabbed me and held me as I cried into his chest; he slowly leaned down and whispered “let’s get out of this place.  Time for sunshine, drinks and cute cabana boys.”  I giggled between sobs and nodded before sticking my shades on and walking with Monroe into the airport.