Chapter 1.06

It was two months since meeting Shirley that the stars aligned just so. The days off, the date night, and her actually agreeing to go out on the town all finally happened on the same night. It had taken no little maneuvering on my part – it was next to impossible to convince Shirley to go out. But we’d been making regular outings now, just so that tonight wouldn’t seem the slightest bit out of the ordinary. Tonight it was going to happen. I was finally going to be rid of Camille Thoreau.

I knocked on Shirley’s door and her sister – Haden? Haddie? – let me in. I pasted on a smile and asked how she was, how was her art going, yada yada while I waited for Shirley to come down. Finally, just when I was ready to barge up there to get her, she came down the stairs.

“Hey, Tavie!” I really hated that stupid nickname. “Sorry, my hair just wouldn’t cooperate with me. I’m all ready now though.”

“That’s good. We don’t want to miss the show,” I said, ushering her out of the house.

“Oh, is tonight a performance night?”

If Watcher was on my side, it would be.

We arrived at the bar and then all there was left to do was wait.

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—Camille—

It had been three years and four months since I had moved to Newcrest. My house hadn’t changed much in that time, even though I now had a sizeable savings. Not yet, I always thought when I started to plan my future house. This isn’t the time yet. I wanted to upgrade, wanted to be surrounded by nice things, but it wasn’t the right time and, besides, if I had a giant house built while I was still living alone, I might start wanting company before I was really ready. I was advancing in my career, but I wasn’t where I wanted to be yet. In just three more promotions, I’d be exactly where I wanted.

The weight of that struck me for a just a moment and I halted in getting ready for date night. It had taken me three years to reach where I am, and it would probably only take another two, maybe three years to become a Champion Gamer. I could potentially be married in less than three years. After so long actively avoiding matrimony, I almost wanted to cut and run right now.

“You’re being silly,” I muttered to myself. Huy and I got along. I’d even had dinner with him and his family again a couple of months ago. He would make a good husband and a good father. I don’t know when I consciously decided on him over Shirley, but he was the one I saw myself with long-term. Although the thought of no longer seeing Shirley when the time came did leave a funny feeling in my chest.

I chastised myself, Stop being maudlin. Pushing all the wayward thoughts out of my head, I finished getting ready and left to meet Huy at the Blue Velvet.

I smiled as I saw him waiting and walked over to him, giving him a warm kiss in greeting. As we walked into the nightclub, the music drifting out of the doors to greet us, I asked, “How was work today?”

“Incredibly boring. I was in meetings all day.”

I pulled him onto the dance floor, grinning. “I’m going to be promoted.”

He smiled. “Really? Your boss told you?”

I pulled him into my arms, not so much dancing as semi-aggressively hugging. “Not in so many words.” I kissed him again, suddenly filled with excitement. “But my boss’s boss has been paying me a lot of attention lately. I can feel that next promotion coming.”

He chuckled softly and kissed me back. “I like it when you’re looking at a promotion.”

“What is this?” A familiar, uncharacteristically shrill voice said in a voice just beneath a yell.

I whirled around to see Shirley and Huy’s sister Octavia standing just a few feet away. My eyes flew open wide with horror as I realized she had just seen me kissing and holding Huy. “Shirley! What are you doing here?”

Tears of hurt and anger welled in the red-head’s eyes. “I was having some drinks with a friend and what do I see? My girlfriend hanging off of some guy.”

“Girlfriend?” Huy took my arm and pulled me around to look at him. “You’re not a lesbian. Tell her she’s confused.”

Octavia looked at Huy and I in smug delight. “I told you she was playing you! She never loved you. She just wanted a little company when it was convenient for her.”

Huy stared down at her in shock. “I can’t – I can’t do this. I have to go.” He turned and shoved his way out of the nightclub.

I turned between the door and Shirley, wanting to apologize and explain to both of them, but what could I say? I had known what I was doing was wrong, but I’d done it anyway. “Shirley, I – “

“Don’t ever talk to me again,” she hissed venomously.

Ignoring the stinging in my eyes that heralded tears, I left the nightclub in defeat. I went home as quickly as I could and collapsed onto my couch as the tears finally fell. How could I have let this happen? I had just lost everyone I cared about, and it was my own fault.

A/N: I really wanted more/better pictures during the confrontation, but the stupid sims wouldn’t stop sitting down or walking away, so I did the best I could.