10 Is it an open relationship?

"Co-comparison is killin' me slowly,

I think, I think too much,

'bout kids who don't know me"

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-ELIZABETH-

The frigid morning air gently caresses my face as I walk along the empty side walk with Ralph's leash in my hand.

I breathe a deep breath in and let it out heavily in contentment.

It's moments like these that I wouldn't trade for the world. Moments where it's just me and the finer things in life, like nature. Without my thoughts, without my life (or my lives), without lying to people. Just me embracing nature, burdenless.

I'm forced out of my peaceful train of thought by a voice,

"Liza!"

Back to reality, my deceitful reality.

I turn my head to see Derek, his scrawny figure is dressed in sweatpants and a white t-shirt.

"Derek!" I smile and wave to him.

He runs over to me tiredly.

As he get's closer, I see the beads of sweat on his forehead. His dirty blonde hair is wet, presumably from sweat as well.

"What are you doing out and about so early?" he puts his hands to his hips.

"I was just taking Ralph here, for a walk." I hold up the leash.

Now that I'm not wearing heels, I see that Derek is actually pretty tall. Just not in a sexy Mark kind of way.

He bursts out laughing "Ralph?"

"I know right!" I laugh as well "He's not my dog."

"Oh, makes sense" he stops laughing, "I was actually planning on calling you."

"Really?" I furrow my eyebrows.

"Yeah, I don't really have any friends in this town either." He shrugs, "So...I have a date tonight."

I gasp "A date? Who's the lucky person?" I ask carefully, not wanting to offend him with the use of the wrong pronoun.

"His name is Josh and I met him a couple days ago." he blushes.

"You're blushing." I tease, "what do you rate him?"

"A solid ten"

I squeal "That's so exciting!"

"I know! But I'm also nervous as fuck and I really need help getting ready so can I come over to yours tonight and could you help me get ready? If you don't want to it's fine, you know what I'm sorry I asked-"

I cut him off by throwing myself into his arms "Of course you can!" tears begin to form in my eyes. I have never had anyone genuinely want to hang out with me, everyone did it for the money and status before, so his offer means a lot to me "Thank you so much."

"I should be thanking you" he laughs "I can't wait!" he picks me up and we spin in circles laughing.

~~~

"Girl." Derek stands in front of my closet door, eyes wide open.

"What?"

"How do you have so many designer clothes?" his eyes still popping out of their sockets.

I shrug.

"Liza!"

"Jeez okay" I giggle "My dad has- had money. A lot of it."

"Had?"

"Let's not talk about me, tonight's about you babes!"

I pull out an Armani bag from the back of my closet and take out a few shirts.

"I think these will look so cute on you" I grin.

"Why do you have designer men's shirts?"

"My boyfriend. My ex boyfriend?" did we ever really break up? "I bought these for him before I came out here. I'd love to give them to you."

"These are way to expensive Liza." He shakes his head.

"Don't worry Derek. That kinda thing doesn't really matter to me."

"Are you sure?"

"Unless you want me to throw them away..." I pick up the shirts, about to put them back in the bag when Derek hastily grabs them and hugs them to his chest,

"No!"

I chuckle, "Well, try them on then"

After a good hour of picking out an outfit, we finally find the one.

"You look so good babes" I say standing next to Derek, looking in the mirror.

"Do you really think so?"

"I wouldn't lie." I mean, I do lie, a lot now. But not about this. He looks ridiculously hot in a white, short sleeved, Armani button down shirt with the top two buttons open, and black jeans.

If I saw him in a bar and didn't know his sexuality, I would totally hit on him.

"But he's a ten and I'm-"

"Perfect. You're perfect. If he doesn't see that then he doesn't deserve you." I turn him to face me "You look great Derek, unimaginably hot. Now repeat after me, 'I look great'."

He sighs and mumbles "I look great."

"I'm sorry what?"

He mumbles again "I look great."

I give him a stern look to which he shouts "I look great! I look really fucking great."

I smile victoriously "There you go. There's the confidence I was looking for."

He crouches down to my level and pulls me in for a hug, "Thank you Liza"

I hug him back "Anytime." We release "I'm gonna go to the bathroom, wait for me here."

While sitting on the toilet I hear a knock at the door, "Derek please get that for me!"

"Got it!" he shouts back.

-MARK-

The door opens and in front of me stands...not Liza.

"Who the fuck are you?" I ask the asshole standing in front of me in Liza's apartment.

"Shit. You're the scary guy from the restaurant." His eyes widen.

"I asked you a fucking question." I feel rage build up inside of me.

Why am I angry? I barely even know her.

I know I'm into her.

But what pisses me off more is that this bastard is actually good looking.

"Okay slow down there Tiger-"

"Move aside." I push the bastard to the side and walk into the apartment "Elizabeth!" I shout.

I look to my side to see Elizabeth walking out of what looks like her room, "Mark?"

She's wearing silk blue pajamas and has no makeup on.

I rush over to her and grab her shoulders impulsively "Are you okay? Did that fucker hurt you because if he did I swear to-"

She puts her hand on top of mine, on her shoulders "I'm fine." She takes my hands off her shoulders and giggles.

I sigh in relief, then I realize she was alone with a man in the house, "Wait, then what the fuck is going on?" I clench my jaw.

"What do you mean?" she furrows her eyebrows.

"Are you seeing someone? Are you seeing him?" I point to the bastard standing by the door.

"Mark what are you-"

"Are you fucking seeing him Liza?"

She looks shocked by my sudden rage, but who could blame her?

I sigh "I should've known."

My heart feels weird, hurt almost. I actually liked her, and I really wanted to try things out with her but all this time she was-

"Ohhh," Liza says "You think that Derek and I are together." She starts to laugh and the asshole laughs with her.

I furrow my eyebrows, shocked by their reaction.

She finally stops laughing "We're not together" she motions to her and the fucker who's wiping away tears of laughter.

"Y'all seem to have a lot to unpack here so I'm gonna get going, bye babe."

My heart sinks. Babe? They're obviously toge-

"Have a great date" she responds.

"Date? Is it an open relationship?" I'm not usually one to judge, but this is really fucking weird.

She laughs even harder.

"What's funny Liza?"

She calms herself down, "I knew you were arrogant, schizophrenic and an asshole but I never took you for the jealous type." She smirks.

"I'm not jealous." I cross my arms.

I'm more than jealous. I'm fucking livid.

"Sure." She winks "Derek's gay. Him and I became friends after you ditched me the other night."

I'm washed over with relief and I uncross my arms, slightly embarrassed "Oh."

She comes toward me and places a hand on my arm "You're the only guy I'm even thinking about Mr. Jealous."

Suddenly I'm feeling a little more self-confident, "That's right I am."

She rolls her eyes ad scoffs before saying, "Did I hurt your feelings?" she looks up at me, her eyes glistening as she stares into mine.

I roll my eyes and nod, hating the fact that i have to admit to my feelings.

She smiles a bit before pulling me into a hug and whispering "I'm sorry."

I stay tense for a moment before hugging her back with equally as much passion. "It's okay" I whisper back, failing to hide the idiotic smile she's managed to put on my face.

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Song: Jealousy, jealousy by Olivia Rodrigo.

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