Small talk wasn't a strength for Toby and me, so the train ride uptown was kind of torturous since I was avoiding work topics. I was so desperate to keep control of the conversation that I resorted to gossip. "Violet thinks there's something going on with you and Chloe."
"She won't shut up about it."
I giggled. "So you do like her! I guess it makes sense... totally your type... mysterious and artistic. Awww! You'd make a cute couple."
Toby shook his head. "Too soon. I haven't discussed it with Izaak."
"I'm sure he won't mind... they're super platonic."
"Sometimes there's more than what meets the eye. Anyway, it's part of my moral code."
"Bros before hos!" I said a little too loudly, causing the person next to us to look up at me. "I can't get a good read on Chloe yet. She seems nice and I get positive vibes, though. How do you see her?"
"Troubled." That was also his type, but I didn't say that outloud. "Avoidant. People pleaser. Low tolerance of discomfort. I'm not even sure she's an actual spanko or masochist. Likely more submissive. The walls she has up are thick. It's almost like Izaak in feminine form."
"Do you know anything about her childhood? Izaak told me her dad's a criminal... and she doesn't talk to her mom." Oops... I'm not supposed to share the info my friend had disclosed to me in confidence... but hopefully Toby wouldn't rat me out. "I bet she has abandonment issues... and her grandmother passed right before she moved here. That's probably where those walls come from."
"How does it feel, psychoanalyzing your friends?" I stopped rambling for a moment and glanced over at my friend, blushing.
"It's kinda fun actually, and harmless."
Toby looked away, lost in his thoughts for a moment as the train's lights flickered. "I think you're right. Her submissive reactions to Izaak indicate fear of rejection. I've noticed that she tests him to a certain point to get a reaction. But her biggest infractions go unnoticed because she's a genius at hiding."
"How do you know that?"
"Her communication patterns. She's worse than you about turning the conversation around on someone. Also, notice how she adapts to each person when conversing. You're nice to everyone, I'm dry, Violeta is annoying, but Chloe? She knows how to cater to every personality in a subtly different way so it goes unnoticed by the untrained eye. Do you know what kind of criminal her father was?"
I'm pretty sure he was calling me stupid and naive, but tried to ignore that. "Hmm... I'm not sure if I asked. Not a murderer or anything. Nothing dramatic."
"I'd bet he's a con artist. She's textbook child of a narcissist." Yikes... that was a bold claim and kind of changed my perspective of her. It was clear this wasn't the first time that thought had come to his mind. Before he could continue, we approached his stop and I gave him a hug, thankful to have a friend like Toby in my life. I just hoped I didn't fuck it up somehow.
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