Page 33 of The Power Play

“Me too, this is my best friend, Chandler,” I introduce.

“So nice to meet you,” Martha pulls Chandler in for a hug as well and my friend looks over at me, very confused.

“Hi, um…” Chandler starts.

“I’m sorry,” Martha pulls back from the hug. “I’m Martha, Charlie’s mom.”

“Ooh,” Chandler makes a knowing sound. “Nice to meet you.”

“My husband couldn’t make it. He wasn’t feeling well, but Tabitha is here. She just went to get a drink I think, but you both will have to meet her. Her and Charlie were the best of friends in college until they went through their breakup senior year.”

There’s a timeframe.

“He’s never mentioned her,” I say with a smile in the direction of the blonde in question that just entered.

Martha waves off my comment like it’s not a big deal. “My son is such a typical man who doesn’t talk about much. I don’t even know why they broke up. Tabitha has just said she would love to see him again.”

“I’m sure she would,” I smile tightly.

A phone starts ringing, and Martha pulls hers from her purse. “Oh excuse me, it’s my husband. I hope everything is okay, I’m going to take this.”

She goes out into the hallway to take her phone call and Tabitha takes the opportunity to finally come up to me. I feel Chandler fold her arms across her chest, already ready to back me up if needed.

“I’m Tabitha,” she announces before looking me up and down again. “Who would you be and how do you know Charlie and his mom?”

“Oh, I’m Audrey,” that’s all I give her because I really want her wondering and stewing over who I could possibly be. “This is my friend Chandler.”

“Funny, Charlie’s never mentioned you before.” She’s trying to make me believe she talks to Charlie, and I want to laugh.

“Funny,” I mock, “Charlie has never mentioned you either, but I guess he wouldn’t have a reason to.”

Her eyes narrow at me. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“We just don’t sit around talking about irrelevant people from the past. Usually, we are too busy doing lots of other things.Lots,” I let the innuendo simmer between us.

Her face morphs from curious to slimy as she smiles, “Oh, I see. Aw, that’s actually cute you’re here when you’re his booty call. You think that will make him commit to you? You’re not his type, but you can keep on dreaming.”

I bark out a laugh, I can’t help it. I’m going to lie through my teeth, and I don’t even care. “That’s cuteyou’rehere as his ex who he wantsnothingto do with. Yet you show up here desperate and hoping to get the slightest bit of attention from him.”

“You don’t even know what you’re talking about. You’re just another slut who wants to use him for what he can give you. It’s never going to happen. He was always going to come back to me.”

I’ve been called every name in the book, most of which have come from my own family, so it doesn’t even phase me to be called a slut. Especially by her. In fact, I embrace it because yeah, maybe I am a slut and that’s nothing to be ashamed about.

“You’re delusional if you think he’s coming back to you. And he didn’t seem to mind how much of aslutI am when he was fucking me earlier.”

Chandler coughs out a laugh, Tabitha just ignores her.

“Enjoy it for now, but you aren’t long term for him. I am. The sooner you accept that, maybe you won’t get hurt.”

I get closer to her now, my voice low. “You think you’re so much better than me? You think that’s really going to happen? You’re wearing his jersey, but his cum is inside me. We are not the same.”

She rears back in shock. I don’t give her a chance to say anything else, the lights in the arena dim signaling the start of the game. I grab Chandler’s hand and pull her toward the seats, drinking half of my seltzer in one swig.

We sit down and watch the introduction for the team that takes over the arena.

Chandler leans over to speak into my ear, “You know how you’ve told me I’m your role model because of the guys? You aremyrole model with how you handled that.”

I laugh, “My goal is always to impress you, Chan.”

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