Ever since my encounter with Alex's mom, Diane, things have felt... off. I don't know another way to describe it. Things were perfect, maybe even too perfect before she walked upstairs and found me in her son's bedroom. It's like that feeling when you get into a fight with your best friend. Not just your current best friend of the year, but your best friend of ten years or so. You get into this insane fight, the type of fight that you guys have never had before, crossing the line, saying things you don't mean but you know you can't take back, saying things that they will never forget. It's like that. Alex's mom said things about me, things that were crossing the line, things that weren't true, things that Alex can never forget. 

It's as if she planted this seed in his head that paints me as some sort of evil creature. I'm the conniving slut that plans to use Alex for all of his money and then throw him away like he never meant anything to me. That's how she sees me and that how she wants her son to see me. 

I tried to change the image she created in her mind about me a few weeks ago at dinner, but nothing really came of it. She sees what she wants to see and has no need or reason to change her mind once it is made up. 

"Alex, how has the surf business been going? Last time I checked you were busy with... other things." She stares me dead in the eye when she emphasizes the word "other" and her husband sits there completely unaware of the bullet his wife just shot at me. 

"Mom, it's going really well. I've created a few new boards in the past month for clients and I have a waitlist for more in the upcoming weeks."

She's happy for him, I can tell. But I think she sees him as childish. I can tell by the way she fake smiles as she dishes green beans onto her plate.

"That's great that you have local clients, but have you thought about how to get your business noticed outside of Laguna Beach?"

Perfect. This is my chance to get on her good side, if that is even possible at this point. "Oh um Alex I actually have an idea for that. You know that I majored in business with an emphasis in marketing and that I work as a social media manager for a clothing company. I can maybe start an Instagram for your surf business to get it out there? Free of charge of course. Girlfriend discount." I throw the last part in to try to lighten the mood and cut the tension in the room.

Her jaw drops as she looks over at me. "Wow. What a great idea Leah." Then she turns to Alex. "I mean that's the least she can do now that she takes up a majority of your time, time that can be spent expanding your business."

So I tried my best and ended up with a disappointed mom and a ton of work that I have to do for free. 

As I work on the Instagram page for Alex's business, creating a logo and following potential clients, I look out the window, noticing that the day's gloom matches my mood. 

Why does Diane have to hate me so much? Why can't Alex make her see that I'm not who she thinks I am. I'm not perfect, but I'm not this horrible girl that she makes me out to be. 

Unable to focus on my work, I jump out of my desk chair to find Gabby. "Gabby, I really need your help."

She's throwing on her rain coat, putting her hood on before she walks into the heavy storm. "Can this wait until I get home? I'm running late."

"Running late? Where can you possibly be going in this weather? Especially when your BFF and her problems are right here?" I beg, giving her my best puppy dog eyes. 

"I'm hanging out with Em. We have a movie to catch in 20 minutes and I have to pick her up right now. But shoot, let's see if I can give you a quick fix."

"Ugh it's about Alex's mom again. She won't give me a chance and this definitely won't be a quick fix."

Gabby rummages around the kitchen table, trying to locate her keys. "She's still being a bitch? Leah, there's only one thing you can do. Go to the source. Go talk to Alex, right now. We will talk more tonight." She finally finds the keys and quickly exits the apartment in a way to let the least amount of rain in. 

Gabby is right, of course she is. But I can't see Alex tonight. He told me he was sick and needed a rain check for what would have been a movie night at my place. 

Wait. What kind of girlfriend would I be if I left him to his own devices while he's sick? I'll just casually show up at his apartment with hot soup and the potential for a discussion about his dreadful mother. 

-

I quickly tuck the soup under my rain coat and make a run from my car to his front door. A smile spreads across my face as I knock on the door. I can't wait to see his expression when his girlfriend shows up at his door with hot soup to make him feel better. 

"Hey Leah. I didn't know you were coming over tonight."

I walk right in, maneuvering around him to get out of the rain. "Yup, just bringing soup to make Alex feel better."

Chase is walking close behind me as I search the living room for him. There's no trace of a sick Alex down here. "Oh he's not here," Chase says. 

"Upstairs right?" I walk up the stairs, making it about halfway before Chase stops me in my tracks. 

"No, like he's not here, in this house. He just left."

"I knew I should have called ahead of time. He must have been starving and you didn't help him! What a great friend," I laugh, wanting to make Chase feel bad but also wanting him to know that I'm kidding. 

"Leah, I don't know how to tell you this, but he's fine. He's not sick."

Confusion. That's all I'm feeling right now. "What do you mean? We were supposed to hang out but he said he was sick."

He scratches his head and looks down at his feet. This is clearly his go to in an awkward situation. "Well, umm, he told me that he was hanging out with some college friends that came into town."

What? College friends? Why didn't he tell me? Does he not want them to know about me?

I walk down the stairs and set the soup on the counter. "You can have it," I say to Chase as I walk towards the door. 

Suddenly there's a loud roar of thunder and a flash of lightning that illuminates the dark house.

"Wait!" Chase yells. "Why don't you stay here? At least until the storm clears up a bit. I was just about to turn on a movie."

I want nothing more than to go home and wallow in my own self-pity, but the quick bursts of thunder and lightning change my mind. It's probably best to wait it out and avoid an unnecessary accident. 

"What movie?" I ask. 

"Well I was gonna watch Star Wars." I interrupt him, making an overdramatic gagging sound. Chase laughs and shakes his head. "But you can pick whatever you want."

"If you say so!" I skip to the couch, immediately making Chase regret his decision. 

-

Because I love romance movies and I kind of wanted to see Chase's reaction, I decided on Endless Love, a dramatic love story where the dad disapproves of his daughter's boyfriend. 

It's cute, but I find myself and Chase laughing at a lot of it. This love story is so ridiculously dramatic and their relationship is so much harder than it needs to be. But after a while I notice how my relationship is similar. Alex's mom hates me. More than anything. 

I pause the movie. "Chase, can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"Is Alex's mom, I don't know how to put this, nice? To you? Or in general?" I grab a blanket from the end of the couch and bundle myself in it, covering my face with it, embarrassed that I asked Chase about her at all. 

I hear a soft chuckle leave his mouth. "Oh Diane. She's a tough one so I'll just put it all out on the table. She comes off almost scary and mean, but deep down she's a real sweetheart. She only wants what is best for Alex, one, because she's his mom, and two, because she holds him to a high standard with their family being well known around here."

Hmm, I guess I never thought of the pressure their family might be under. 

I think he can see my brain running a million miles a minute. "Why do you ask?"

"Honestly? I think she hates me." I hide under the blanket again, embarrassed to see his reaction.

This time he laughs really hard, his face turning red. "Oh Leah. You really have nothing to worry about. Give her time. The only reason she is like this is because some girl broke her son's heart. Now she has a wall up for any girl Alex dates. Don't take it personally." 

My mood lightens with the information Chase just gave me. I have nothing to worry about. Just give it time. That takes a lot of stress off of my shoulders. 

"Hello!" 

Alex. He's here. 

The door slams and he yells again. "Hellooooo!"

Chase looks at me with panic in his eyes and Alex rounds the corner into the living room. 

I quickly grab my bag and go to meet him, but I'm halted at his tense words. 

"What the fuck are you two doing?"

I go up to Alex, aiming to put my hands on his arms and comfort him. "I just came to drop off some-"

He pushes me away and snarls at Chase. "I leave for a few hours and my girlfriend is hanging out with my best friend? Behind my back?"

He's swaying from side to side, clearly intoxicated and well past his limit. 

Chase puts his hands up, showing that he doesn't mean any harm. "Woah Alex, she came to bring you soup. She thought you were sick." 

"Yeah well now I am. Sick at the thought of you two doing who knows what behind my back," he spits out, tripping over the rug, getting closer and closer to Chase. 

Chase makes eye contact with me, tilting his head to the door, signaling me to leave. I want to help, but at this point I know I need to listen to Chase. There is no way that I can help the situation right now. Alex is so drunk and has an idea about us planted in his head. I need to wait to talk to him until he is sober. 

-

I lie down in my bed, worried about what could possibly be going on between Chase and Alex. I'm mad. Mad that Alex would think that I would ever do anything to hurt him. But more mad at the fact that he lied to me, lied about being sick so that he wouldn't have to tell his friends that I exist. 

My phone chiming pulls me away from my thoughts. It's Chase.

Did you get home okay? I'm sorry about Alex. He's just really drunk. 

I quickly respond.

I made it home safe. Are you okay? I thought he was going to punch you or something.

I'm good. I know how to deal with a blacked-out Alex. It's one of my best qualities(;

I laugh out loud, happy that Chase can make light of the situation at hand. 

Goodnight Chase.

Goodnight Leah.