Chapter 43: Chapter Thirteen: I Think It's Time To Call Off That DNA Test-1

Pssht, is it just me or was the Bad Liar music video super weird? *ducks from people throwing stuff at me* Chapter Thirteen: I Think It's Time To Call Off That DNA Test Note to self, when someone asks you how Thanksgiving went you do not say the words, "I think my boyfriend has an illegitimate child." There's a technical error here. Cole and I are not married, we're not even engaged. Well, we're half engaged, I guess. The point is that there's nothing that legally binds him to be loyal to me so if he did happen to father a child with another woman, the child wouldn't be called illegitimate would it? Wonderful, I can't even dramatise my heartache without worrying about the context. Beside me, Leila chokes on her quinoa porridge. Listlessly, I stir my coffee and for what seems like the thousandth time that day look at my phone which thankfully has stopped being bombarded with texts and calls. Any other girl would be thrilled that their significant other cared enough to be persistent and did not give up. I, however feel nothing but relief that Cole's gotten the message loud and clear. If I so much as I go near him right now I will snap and end up saying something I could never take back. All the anger from the past few days comes rushing back as I think about how I'd left home. I didn't even think to stop at home to grab my things, just grabbed the overnight bag I'd packed for the hotel and made a run for it. A very grave looking Travis and Beth had delivered the rest of my things and my brother had kindly offered to put the fear of God into Cole but I'd obviously refused because the two needed to resolve their own problems first. So I'd held my head up high and refused to talk about the incident to anyone. My parents were concerned but I'd reassured them that I wouldn't relapse in high school Tessa who'd fallen apart at the seams in the aftermath of heartbreak. I'm a grown woman now and although I'm hurt, I know that you can't really hit pause on life. But there's something so comforting about sharing your problems with a stranger. Although I've been working with her for over a month now, Leila and I might as well be just that, strangers. I don't really know much about the girl and she just has the most bizarre assumptions about me which she gathers from stalking me online. Just the other day she asked me right to my face if I'd gone under the knife to lose the amount of weight thatI did and if I would mind sharing my doctor's number because she couldn't deal with her cellulite any more.Firstly, I don't even know how she stumbled upon my Fatty Tessie days and secondly, what cellulite? The only excess fat the girl looks like she's ever known is the one she purposely gets injected into her lips. Back to the matter at end, it seems as though the weekend straight out of Days of Our Lives has her interested and she pushes aside her breakfast to sidle up to me. "I smell drama." We've just left a meeting and taking a breather in the break room when it all comes pouring out. Call it the coffee or the fact that I really haven't talked about it to anyone since the fight with Cole happened but all of a sudden I'm pouring my heart out to Leila and surprisingly, she listens without interrupting me once. There's a gasp or two when needed but for the most part she lets me recount the previous weekend's happenings without stopping me. "And I thought my family had problems." "Do you think Lainey could be his kid? I did the math and it doesn't make sense. For him to be her father he'd have to be what seventeen years old and I don't think he could've had the time to leave military school and have a child when his parents had him on lock down at all times." "You this might sound like a crazy theory but I think the kid isn't his." Sarcasm oozes from her voice and of course anyone who isn't actually experiencing Cole in the Twilight zone would think I'm crazy. But what other possible explanation is there? "You want my opinion?" "Sure, if you have one." Sometimes strangers also give the best advice. They don't know or honestly care about you so whatever piece of advice they give you is the possibly the most practical one. Family and friends will be too cautious of your delicate feelings but somehow who barely knows you won't be afraid to steamroll right throw them. Leila is steamrolling and crushing anything that comes in her way. "I think you're reaching because you're obviously upset and understandably so. The only reason you can come with to explain why your precious boyfriend tossed you aside like you're dollar store beer to play house with someone else is that he's donated his sperm to the kid. But that's just way too crazy, even for me. Here's what I think." I lean towards her as if the next words to come out of Leila's mouth should be taken down and inscribed into rocks so that generations to come can learn from her wisdom. "I think he's bored." "What?" I stare at her profile as she examines her gel manicure. "You guys have been together for what like, six years?" "Almost." "And you got together when you were seniors, in high school? That's such a cliche, no wonder you're having problems." "I don't understand why the fact that we've managed to establish a healthy long term relationship is problematic."