Chapter 3 Life Isn't Fair

• BETH.
• I resisted the urge to scream as I witnessed a girl ruthlessly butchering the man beneath her on the bed. She showed no remorse and seemed satisfied with her actions. The sight of blood splattered everywhere made me nauseous, even though it was just a movie. I couldn't comprehend how Lara could watch horror movies so comfortably without flinching; it sometimes led me to believe she had a touch of witchcraft in her.
• "Could we please switch to a beautiful romantic comedy or something? Why would anyone enjoy watching people brutally murder each other?" I finally voiced my discomfort, hoping for a change.
• "I'm not interested in watching two idiots spout the fakest and cheesiest lines about love. I'd rather watch nursery rhymes," Lara retorted, refusing to divert her attention from the movie.
• "Yes, baby girl! It's time to go after the other guy too! Cut him into pieces if possible!" she exclaimed, cheering on the antagonist with unwavering enthusiasm.
• I was left speechless as she passionately rooted for the villains and antagonists in most movies and books. While everyone else adored and cheered for the heroes and main characters, Lara harbored a disdain for them. How could anyone not like Captain America or adore Thor? Who could possibly hate Iron Man and prefer Thanos instead?
• Lara, that's who.
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• "I still can't believe you let that idiot get away without giving him a piece of your mind. And to top it off, he had the audacity to indulge in expensive food and expect you to foot the bill? Who does that? If it were me, I would have put him in his place right then and there! He only pulls such messed up stunts because he knows you're too kind-hearted and won't take any action. The more I think about it, the more tempted I am to go ahead with my revenge plan," Lara vented with frustration, as if she were the one who had been dumped or betrayed.
• Anyone witnessing this would assume she was the one wronged in the situation.
• "That's why I keep telling you this whole love thing is ridiculous. Life isn't all about roses and happiness! You have to take charge! None of my boyfriends would dare pull that kind of nonsense with me. They know better," she added with a hint of arrogance.
• "I can't believe he would do that. I did everything for him. I went out of my way to make him happy, only for him to reject me because I'm white and slim? Should I blame God for creating me this way?" I expressed my disbelief.
• "I hope you're not feeling insecure because of some gorilla's comment. Imagine that half-chicken, half-lizard looking creature calling you too skinny. Sometimes you can be so clueless, you know? Couldn't you have let him know that he's as ugly as a buffoon? Look, all this talk about peace will be pointless in the end. There's no reason why we shouldn't proceed with the revenge plan and crash his ridiculous wedding. I've even seen his future wife, and she's nothing special! It baffles me how men leave amazing and beautiful women for something I can't even describe," Lara continued to babble.
• "What we shouldn't do is shame another woman just because of a foolish man. We're better than that, Lara. It's not her fault that this idiot chose her over me. And I won't crash a wedding, it's unnecessary. I've moved on from that. I won't give up on love because of one person's actions. Good men will find me because I deserve them as a good woman," I firmly expressed.
• "Blah blah blah. These days, men prefer bad girls. Don't be surprised. They marry pretenders instead of real ones and then cry foul after a year. Thank goodness I don't burden myself with all this marriage nonsense like you do. If it happens, fine. If not, we move on. It's not written in the Ten Commandments, and even if it were, I don't follow most of them anyway. Money is more important than all that crap," Lara remarked nonchalantly, while I shook my head in disappointment.
• "We're thirty-one years old, Lara, soon to be thirty-two. Don't tell me you don't desire a life of marriage, love, and a husband. Why are you even dating then?" I questioned.
• "To have fun, of course. And to get new bags, shoes, and plenty of money too, because these men provide all of that," she replied with a smirk.
• "I think you should stop the whole triple dating nonsense and commit to the man you genuinely like the most. It's not healthy for you as a woman," I advised.
• Lara scoffed. "Well, girl, what a man can do..."
• "...a woman can do better. But not in this case; you're on the losing end, Lara. You can't convince me that out of all those men you're dating, there isn't at least one you feel strongly about. There has to be," I pressed.
• "Um... there's Tony, Chuks, Jerry, and Tom. I like all of them equally; I don't play favorites," she replied, feigning innocence.
• I tried to overlook the fact that she was involved with both Tom and Jerry and focused on the first name she mentioned. If he came to her mind first, he might be the one, right?
• "Let's talk about Tony. Do you love him?" I inquired.
• Lara's face twisted with disgust as she glared at me furiously.
• "Love who? Well, he's good-looking, has an attractive physique, and is wealthy. But what sets him apart from my other boyfriends is his incredible skills in bed. Beth, that guy is a master in the bedroom! He'll have you screaming his name as he gives you mind-blowing orgasms. It's like he's blessed with a natural talent," Lara trailed off, lost in her thoughts.
• I felt a pang of disappointment. The qualities she mentioned were purely physical, lacking any deeper connection. It was clear that Lara was immune to love.
• "I actually expected you to talk about more profound things. Like how he touches your soul. Do you feel butterflies when he looks at you? Does he make love to you with passion? Does he show genuine interest in your future and other aspects of your life besides sex? Can you..." I tried to interject.
• "Beth, please, just stop! Everything you're saying is giving me a headache. It's not butterflies, it's cockroaches. And who's making love? We FUCK! F-U-C-K. And what you're saying right now is exactly why I'm considering breaking up with him next month. He's too emotional, acting like he's in love with me. That guy can buy me the entire planet if I wanted. I'm done with his nonsense," Lara snapped angrily and shifted her focus back to the horror movie.
• I simply stared at her, feeling disconnected. Life seemed unfairly imbalanced, with the one who despised love easily finding it, while the one yearning for it remained deprived.
• Suddenly, my phone began to ring, and I fought the urge to roll my eyes upon seeing the caller ID.
• "Yes, Mom," I greeted, feigning enthusiasm.
• "LIZZY, YOUR FATHER'S WIFE IS OUT TO DESTROY ME! She acts as if I'm to blame for her husband's inability to keep it in his pants..." My mom's loud and strained voice echoed through the phone, causing me to sigh reluctantly. Without bothering to listen to the rest of the story, I ended the call.
• "Let me guess, is that your mom again? Having another fight with your father's wife?" Lara chimed in, and I nodded in response.
• "I never asked for any of this! Why did she choose to become his mistress and make me suffer through all of this? Being labeled as an illegitimate child is hard enough, yet she keeps stirring up trouble," I lamented.
• My phone rang again, and with a heavy sigh, I reluctantly answered, "When will you be here to witness my gruesome murder and get me justice in court?" My mom exaggerated, as she often did. Quickly bidding farewell to Lara, I left the apartment, stepping out into the unknown.