Chapter Nine

I heard the yelling, so why in heck did I go downstairs? Maybe the red mark that painted my face was for good cause. Maybe I should've just listened to the more rational side of me. I should've kept my mouth shut. I had interfered with her property. And when I thought about it, I'd probably do the same thing and react just as Maya did if I had been in her place. It wasn't fair to be mad at her for hating me for stealing her fiancé. That is, if I had done that…

Chase had shuffled quickly over to the base of the stairs, where I stood solid as a rock. He immediately hugged me and said several things in a soft, soothing tone that were indecipherable to me. I could feel my arms around him, and I even began to feel hot drops of water drip down my face… But I couldn't understand what he was saying because… Because I was a cheap tramp. Chase and Maya could've worked through their differences if only I had stayed out of the picture like the nice girl I should've been, maybe.

"Chase…" he loosened his grip to face me as I continued, "I'm sorry… for all the mess I've caused between you and Maya…"

"What mess did you cause? The train wreck that was our relationship was already a complete ruin… " he started.

I interrupted him, "No… I ruined any chance you two had at being a happy couple. That's what I did. What Maya said about me is true."

He objected, "No, that's not it…"

Once again, my mouth opened to interrupt as I walked out of his embrace, "Yes, it is."

Without giving him a chance to respond, I quickly began my ascent up the stairs, making quick and precise steps. Somehow I was able to hold my composure… Up until the second my room door was shut and locked. Almost immediately tears began to fall from my eyes and I slid down to the floor, my back against the door. Releasing audible cries every now and then, I reached for a pillow to conceal the crying. How could this have happened? Only a few days and here I was, falling apart. It made me wish I had never met Chase… almost. For once in my life, I had met a guy that seemed like a really genuine and good person… and he was engaged. And the drama that came along with my feelings that were perhaps one sided? It was a pain equal in caliber to being stabbed through the heart multiple times. To make matters worse, I also had to deal with his jealous fiancé. Why did I have this horrible flaw of messing every good thing up? My mother had given me this chance, and I had went and ruined it in a matter of days by boarding the mother of all emotional roller coasters.

Before long, I could hear a gentle knock at the door. I quickly wiped my eyes and brushed off my clothes. Opening the door, I recognized the visitor's face as Kathy's. She looked a bit upset by something. She managed a smile as I greeted her, my voice still quivering.

"You okay?" she simply asked.

"I'm fine… just a little upset is all…" I sighed, showing her to a chair (the only chair) to sit in.

She politely refused and told me to take the chair, "I just thought I'd come and see if you were okay… We could hear you downstairs."

I blushed, "I'm sorry…"

"Don't be sorry, you had reason to be upset… And just so you know, Chase isn't mad at you or anything… In fact, he's fuming, but at Maya. She came down a little while ago when you were crying and tried to smooth things over with Chase… Let's just say he let her have it, and apparently for the second time! And that we're lucky there were no young children in the room when he told her off…" Kathy's eyes widened, as if she were replaying the event in her head.

"That's the second time he's gone off on her today… I almost feel bad for her…" I said.

"Are you kidding? Maya is nothing but a spoiled brat, and Chase is the only one who can put her in her place. I guess this means you and Chase can become close now…?" Kathy implied that Chase and I were a meant-to-be item.

I could feel a wave of shock run through my body, "What are you talking about? Chase and I are friends! That's all… Really." But really, I was just embarrassed that I had been that obvious that I liked Chase.

Kathy leered suspiciously, "Whatever you say… But I'm usually a pretty good judge of these things…" she glanced at her watch, "I've got to get back to work. If you need me, just holler."

She let herself out, as I thought over our conversation. Apparently Chase and Maya were without a doubt done and I had managed to make my feelings for Chase obvious. What a way to begin in a new town. I took a deep breath and looked in the mirror. I pushed my hair out of my fair and wiped my eyes once more. Finally, I unlocked the door and set out for the lobby.

Once in the lobby, I noticed it had mostly emptied out. Yolanda was cooking instead of Chase, for some odd reason. Maya was waitressing. I wanted to set things straight with her. The last thing I needed in a new town was a bunch of enemies. As I headed over to her, she took off for the kitchen, Kathy stopped her.

"Maya… I wanted to say something to you…" I called out.

"You've said quite enough, Angela. I don't want to hear anymore," she said, again attempting to make it past Kathy's impenetrable block.

"Just listen… I'm sorry about what happened between you and Chase. But I'm not sorry for something I never did. Chase never cheated on you, and I never attempted to make him cheat on you. I think it would be nice if we could at least call a truce, whether we actually become friends or not," I offered.

She laughed, "Yeah right… Angela, you know you wanted to steal Chase from me…"

Kathy gave Maya one of those 'go to heck' looks as I said, "Will you stop acting like you're five?"

"What do you mean? You're the one acting like a fickle schoolgirl!" Maya halfway yelled.

"Stop saying that I wanted to steal Chase from you! I would never do that to someone… not even one of my worst enemies…" I defended.

"So you're saying you don't like him?" she asked, almost in disbelief.

"I'm not a liar… so I'll tell you… Yes, I had a bit of a crush on him, but…" she interrupted me midsentence.

"See? You liked him. You liked him and you wanted him. Just get out of my face Angela," I could see tears beading up in Maya's eyes.

"Fine. But don't say that I didn't try…" I walked out the doors of the Inn, remaining somewhat emotionless to what had just happened. As I exited, I head a familiar voice.

"Angela?"