Lindsey

Everything sucks.

Since I felt my world come crashing down and the happiness I let myself feel was ripped right out of me... everything just sucks. I feel like my heart was pulled from my chest and stomped on. This hurts so much more than when I caught Lucas cheating on me with Nadia. That is something I would never have thought possible until I met Chase.

I really felt like I was starting to fall for him- hard. And then I get a bomb dropped on me by Val and her friends. It would have been hard enough knowing that he just took one other person to that rooftop, but hearing it's his place to go with all of his hookups- that kills me.

He told me I was the only one he took there. He said what we had was special, and he really cared for me. I guess it was all just a very well-choreographed lie. Start with seemingly harmless flirting, make me comfortable, shove my guard down, then come in for the kill. I believed things would be different here, and I could feel myself coming out of the shadows and letting myself live again.

That was a mistake.

He's called and texted more times than I can count. I don't even read the texts or listen to his voicemails. What's the point? He's just going to try to reason with me, try to cover up his lies. I can't get sucked back in.

Taylor said she talked to him the other night. She said he swears up and down that he didn't do it. He said Val and her friends were lying, but I don't see how they could come up with something so elaborate, so close to what I experienced if they hadn't been there too. And not just one of them, all of them. And probably countless others.

I even asked around at work to see if anyone knew about a romantic rooftop garden that fit the description of the one Chase had taken me to. The result? Not one single person knew about that place. No one had even heard of such a location in that part of the city. Even Taylor didn't know about that place until Chase and I mentioned it to her.

That, to me, can only mean one thing. You only know about it if you've been there.

I really want to believe that Val is lying, that she made the whole thing up, but how could she possibly have made it up? Her friend even mentioned the blankets and wine; how would they know to mention those specific details? They wouldn't. Unless they lived it, just like I did.

And Taylor sticking up for Chase, siding with him on this- that is making me question if I can trust her. I thought I could. I thought she and I had formed a strong bond, but I guess her friendship with Chase is more important than the one she has with me. Is she really my friend? Was that all just a lie too?

I don't even know anymore.

There is one thing I do know. I can't live here in this apartment anymore. Not with Chase just on the other side of the living room. I just can't do it. And I've lost my chance at the one apartment in the city I did find that fit my budget and my wish list.

I need to figure something out, fast! I can't stay here anymore. But I don't know where to go.

*

*

*

Taylor

Operation: Save Chase and Lindsey's Relationship is now underway. Or is it Operation: Prove Val is a Stupid Lying Skank?

Hmm... Either way, the operation is now live.

I wanted to cut off Chase's balls when Lindsey first told me what Val told her. Then, I heard Chase's side of the story, and I was reminded just how low Val would sink when she decides to act like a jealous bitch.

I could hear in his voice that he was sincere. And the way he looks at Lindsey, well, that shows me all I need to know. Val is a liar. And a jealous puck bunny. She can't have Chase, so she made sure no one else would have him either.

She hurt two of my best friends. And for that, she has to pay.

Lindsey doesn't believe Chase or me. She has it stuck in her head that Val is suddenly trying to do her a favor, and she couldn't possibly be lying about going to the rooftop with Chase. She thinks the only way Val would know about the rooftop garden is if she actually went there with him. I'm calling bullshit!

Somehow, Val heard about the date and decided to dig her claws into Lindsey. She's manipulative and observant. She probably saw how vulnerable Lindsey was and knew how easy it would be to sway her good opinion of Chase. All it would take would be a few bullshit stories planted at just the right moment, and Lindsey and Chase would be no more. Val is diabolical, but she forgot about the other people in Lindsey's corner.

That's why I'm sitting here, at Val's favorite salon, waiting for just the right moment to swoop in and carry out phase one of my plan. This salon likes to serve up wine and champagne to their upscale clients while they get their hair done. It's one way to hear all the latest gossip and make sure tips are more favorable.

These ladies know what they're doing. Give an extra glass or two, and both wallets and lips get loose. I plan to use this to my full advantage.

I have a contact at the salon, and she was kind enough to tell me when Val and Jenna D. would be coming in for their appointments today. She set me up with my own appointment and offered to help me out with my mission after I filled her in about what Val did to Lindsey. Turns out, most of the stylists can't stand Val and her floozies, so they were more than happy to help.

I make sure my chair is somewhere they won't see me, but close enough, I can hear what they are talking about.

Right on cue, I see the duo waltz into the salon and occupy two stations. Here we go.

~

Halfway through their appointment, I can tell Val is itching to gossip about something. I flag down one of the stylists and pay for a bottle of the good stuff they keep in the back. I ask her to send it to Val and Jenna D. and tell them it's a gift from one of the patrons who just wanted to dote on them.

Yeah, that should wind her up. Inflate her ego and get her tipsy, then she'll be bragging left and right about her latest conquest. I just hope my hunch is correct, and she'll be bragging about her plan to mess up Chase's relationship with Lindsey.

Fingers crossed.

Two glasses in, and Jenna D. is definitely tipsy. "Val, you should tell Margo about your latest accomplishment."

The stylist, Margo, perks up. "Ohhhh, what accomplishment?"

Val smirks to herself. "Oh, it's nothing much. I'm just about to get back together with my ex. You know, the hot pro-hockey player? Chase Smith."

Margo's jaw drops. "Oh my God! You are so lucky! He's so fine!"

Val brings the wine glass back to her lips for another sip before replying. "I know. He just lost his way a bit. Decided to slum it for a few weeks with some nobody from Upstate. But he'll be crawling back to me soon."

I grit my teeth and force myself to stay put. I need to hear more.

Margo continues adding extensions to Val's hair while digging for more info. "When did he and the other girl break up?"

Jenna D. laughs. "Over the weekend. Val paid two of our friends to tell her that they slept with him and had some cheesy romantic date so she'd get mad and leave him."

Bingo! Just the info I need.

Val slaps Jenna D's arm. "Shut up! No one is supposed to know about that!"

"Ow!" Jenna D. rubs her arm and whines.

Margo continues, "Oh, wow! So, you paid people to break them up? How'd you know it would work?"

Val rolls her eyes. "She's super-sensitive. Sooo not his type. I knew with the right ammunition, she'd get upset and leave him. And when I found out he had a big romantic date with her, I knew exactly what to say to hit my target."

Still concentrating on Val's hair, Margo nods and asks, "what exactly did you say?"

"Between me and the other girls, we told her that he took us to this romantic rooftop that was decorated to perfection, and we stargazed and sipped wine. Then, after all that, we told her we all slept with him up there under the stars. She bought every word."

Jenna D. excitedly adds, "yeah, Val overheard all the details one day when he was telling his skanky roommate all about it. They practically served up all the ammo on a silver platter."

Bitch!

Then, the words all sink in. That's how Val found out! She overheard Chase and me at the restaurant. I swore no one was around. Apparently, we were wrong. I remember that conversation. Chase gave me a pretty detailed description of the rooftop and how he set everything up, right down to the blankets, wine, and strawberries.

Shit! We gave Val everything she needed to set the trap for Lindsey.

I have to fix this!

After my own appointment is finished, I make sure to leave discreetly, so Val and Jenna D. don't spot me. I leave Margo and the other helpful stylists a generous tip and exit the salon. I play back the recording of Val and Jenna's conversation only to find the audio didn't record. Fuck!

Now, I have to figure out how to carry out the next part of my plan- getting Val to admit she lied.

I have my work cut out for me.