After her talk with Andy, Andie went home and fell asleep on her couch, the day's events just too exhausting to even contemplate making it to her bedroom. She was tired of having to fake kindness around Bridgette. She loved Chester to death, but if he was going to continue seeing Bridgette, Andie didn't know how much more she could take. Not that she would give Chester an ultimatum. She would never do that. No, she would just bow out gracefully. Her friendship with Chester was worth infinite amounts to her, but she couldn't enjoy it if Bridgette was constantly around.
She could talk to Andy about it tomorrow.
Chester laid on his bed, on his back, spread-eagle, hands behind his head. He loved Bridgette. Really loved her. This wasn't like his past flings. He actually felt something between himself and Bridgette. Maybe she was even the one. What he didn't understand was why Andie acted the way she did around Bridgette. It didn't make sense. Bridgette was so sweet, so loving, so kind, but Andie acted just plain rude around her.
He could talk to Andie about it tomorrow.
Andy was in his studio, messing around with various plug-ins, trying to find a cool, slow beat to fit the lyrics he'd written. He quietly breathed out the words in time with the beat.
"A lovely woman/ hangs her head/ stares at all the pictures strewn across her bed/ A lovely woman/ sheds one tear/ for each person missing from her current year/ A lovely woman/ spends her time/ mending clothing others have left behind/ A lovely woman/ used to sing/ softly to herself when she did anything."
The words were her, through and through. She was beautiful and kind, a true lovely woman.
He could talk to Andie about it tomorrow.
Before talking to Andy, Andie wanted to go to Chester's first so she could talk things out with him before she overreacted. Things always seemed worse until she talked about them. On her way there, she was stopped at a red light and her eyes wandered to the sidewalk across the street. There was a small cafe with outdoor seating.
"Holy shit!" Andie cried aloud.
Sitting at one of the tables – leaning over it, rather – was Bridgette and some guy. Their lips were locked in a passionate, very public display of affection.
"Oh. My. God."
As soon as the light turned green, Andie floored it in the last two blocks to Chester's house. When she got there, she rushed inside. She hadn't even thought about telling Chester. It was just an automatic reaction. She wasn't even doing it because she hated Bridgette. She was doing it because she cared about Chester.
Chester was at his piano when Andie tore into the room. He looked up, eyes wide with alarm.
"Chester!" Andie half-yelled, half-breathed.
"What's going on?" Chester asked, getting up from his piano bench.
"Sit your ass down," Andie commanded and Chester, eyes still wide, sat back down slowly. "I hate having to be the one to tell you this, but Bridgette is cheating on you, Chester."
Chester's jaw tightened and his fists clenched.
Andie smiled sadly. "Chester, I'm so sorr-"
"You know what, Andie?" Chester said in a voice of deadly calm. "Fuck you."
Andie's eyebrows shot up. "Excuseme?"
"You heard me. I'm so sick and tired of you acting like a prissy bitch when Bridgette is around. I don't know what your problem with her is, but you need to get over it if we're going to be friends. I love you, but I love Bridgette, too."
Andie was desperately trying to fight the tears that Chester's words had created. "Chester…," she said quietly. "Chester, I'm not making this up!"
"Why should I believe you?" Chester laughed spitefully.
The tears were now flowing freely. This wasn't how this was supposed to go. "Chester, I saw her kissing some guy outside a cafe! Why would I make this up?"
"Because you are determined to hate my girlfriend! You're just pissed that my happiness doesn't revolve around you!"
Andie scoffed through her tears. "If this is what trying to be a good friend gets me, I'm fucking done."
She stormed out of Chester's, slamming his front door on the way out. She got into her car and peeled away from the curb, trying to blink away the tears. Again, there was only one person who could make it better.