Chapter 1: The Breakup

"'nsel, w' n'd ta t'lk." (Ansel, we need to talk.)

The Swedish woman stared down at the Belgian man with an emotionless face. Ansel searched her face for any clues about what they would be talking about. Her eyes betrayed nothing but her coldness towards him. The blonde man frowned, nodding his head.

"Okay. What is it, Berenice?"

The blonde woman took a deep breath, closing her eyes. She brought her hands to her temples, rubbing them. Before she even said it, Ansel knew what was going to happen. It had happened many times before.

"Th'nk w' n'd ta s' 'th'r p'ple (I think we need to see other people)," Berenice muttered.

Ansel threw on a fake smile and nodded. Internally he was screaming bloody murder. Damnit. He should have known from the start. He always saw the way Berenice would smile and act around that damn Finnish boy, Tino. Well, fuck them both. He didn't need her. Right?

"Okay!"

The Belgian continued to smile and laughed softly while he said, "I wish you the best of luck, Bernie!"

The said woman sighed out of relief. It hadn't been too hard to break up with Ansel at least. Now she could worry about trying to court Tino. Yes, she'd get him eventually.

"Ya, th' b'st 'f l'ck ta ya t'. (Yes, the best of luck to you too.)"

Ansel stuck his hand out for Berenice to shake. The woman hesitated before taking it in her own gloved one. They shook hands briefly before the Swede turned heel and walked out of the man's house. As soon as she left, Ansel slumped into a nearby chair, his head in his hands. Why did this always happen to him? He'd get a beautiful girlfriend and then she'd find someone better than him. Was he really that awful of a boyfriend?

The blonde stood up, going to find his house phone. Of course he had to look everywhere to find it. Eventually he found it in the freezer. (Only God knows why it was there.) He moved the electronic hand to hand, unsure of whether or not he should call her. Sometimes he felt guilty calling her - he always put his problems on her shoulders. He didn't feel like a very good friend when he did this. She did say he could call her whenever though.

Ansel frowned as he mulled this over. Then he thought of a better idea. It was one that could completely comfort him and not to mention he'd actually get to see her. A smile appeared on his face as he rushed to his computer. He was getting a one way ticket to Hartford, Connecticut.