Leaving the bathroom, I immediately saw Bodhi standing tall in the same spot where I’d met Gable, as if he’d been waiting for me, and I went to him, slamming myself into him and wrapping my arms around his waist because I knew the damned tears were coming.
“Hey,” he said after a moment, pulling my chin up to look at him.
“We need to go,” I answered on a sob.
He nodded then wrapped his arm around me, pulling me to the door and out into the brisk night. We didn’t speak until we were in Amy’s SUV.
“Amy’s staying with Chad,” he explained and I felt bad for not even thinking about where she was. He held my door for me then went around to the driver’s side and once in, started the SUV. Then he turned to me. “What happened?”
“I don’t wanna talk about it right now. Please, Bodhi, just take me home,” I answered, still trying to hold back the tears.
He nodded and didn’t say another word, just held my hand the entire way to my apartment, squeezing it reassuringly a couple times.
He walked me inside then asked again if I wanted to talk which I definitely did not at that moment, not wanting to relive everything so soon. He told me he had to get to work but to call if I needed anything then kissed my forehead and he was gone.
And I was left to deal with the aftermath of what had happened.
And I was completely devastated.
Week Eleven
I’m not going to say I wasn’t a mess after everything that happened because I was. But I was actually proud of how I’d handled things so far. Well, kind of.
I mean, I’d only thrown and broken exactly one glass and one plate and I may also have broken the record in how many cuss words could be said in one sentence, knowing I’d have gotten extra points for throwing in an animal or two with them when Amy and Bodhi had held an intervention two days after the party, which had been Saturday.
I’d moped around the apartment Friday not speaking to either of them, locking myself in my room and sleeping (isn’t that what depressed people are supposed to do?), only coming out to use the restroom or get something to drink and when I was safely tucked away again and either of them knocked I told them to go away. This went on until around one in the afternoon on Saturday when Amy finally told me that if I didn’t come out and talk, I left her with no other options but to A) call the fire department to axe my door down, B) call the landlord and get the key to unlock my door, C) call Chad to bring his friends and have them bust my door down or D) all of the above.
I wisely came out before any outsiders became involved.
And now Bodhi was busy cleaning up the plate I’d thrown which made me feel horrible so I was helping him. The glass had been earlier and Amy had taken care of it, but I’d been in a huge snit, so it hadn’t occurred to me to help.
“I’m sorry,” I said as I squatted on the kitchen floor picking up all the pieces. And that was what I was doing, wasn’t it? Picking up the pieces of my ridiculous love life.
After we finished cleaning up, we sat at the table and I explained to them what had happened. When I finished, they both stared at me in silence.
“What?” I asked apprehensively.
“Wow,” Amy said with a sigh.
“Yeah,” Bodhi echoed her breathily.
I narrowed my eyes waiting for them to explain.
“That man’s all kinds of sexy, Scout.” This was Bodhi commenting.
I sat back in my chair and crossed my arms. “That’s not the point, Bode! God! Did you even hear what he did afterward?”
Amy smacked him hard on the arm.
“Hey! What was that for?” he snapped.
“We’re supposed to be helping her not swooning over Mr. Hottie and his big dick.” She looked at me. “His dick is above average, right? I mean, it’d spoil the whole illusion if he’s not packing.”
“I’m going back to my room,” I huffed and started to stand.
“No! We’re sorry!” Amy responded, grabbing my arm and pulling me back down to sit.
I sat then sighed as I stared at the table.
“So what’re you gonna do?” Bodhi questioned.
“I don’t know,” I mumbled, looking up at them.
Amy frowned. “Has he texted?”
I shook my head. “He said we’re over, remember?”
“Oh, yeah.” Then she asked softly, “Has he emailed?”
I nodded slowly, biting my lips.
“And?” Bodhi said.
I felt my throat get tight. God.
“Honey, what’d he say?” Amy asked quietly, taking my hand in hers and squeezing it.
“He wanted to know why I left without telling him. Then he said he thought he was in love with me.” I knew my eyes were shiny with unshed tears when I looked at them.
“That’s a good thing, right?” Bodhi offered.
I burst out with a sob, “N—no! He wrote that to her not me! He’s in love with his pen pal not me,” I cried.
Amy handed me a napkin. “But I thought you said he called you Priss?”
I closed my eyes and nodded as the tears slid down my cheeks. “He did, but then he acted like he didn’t know it was me.” I crossed my arms on the table in front of me and lay my head on them still crying. “I don’t know what to do.”
They were so quiet I finally looked up to see them having a silent conversation with each other.
“What?” I asked.
Amy cleared her throat. “Yesterday evening when I was leaving for work, Gable showed up here.”
“Wh-what?” I stammered, my eyes big with shock. “What’d he want?”
“He said he needed to talk to you, but I, uh, kinda griped him out because I thought he did something to you,” Amy replied with a grimace. I just stared at her. “He told me to tell you he came by then he left.”
I thought for a second wondering why he’d come by then it hit me and I suddenly felt like I needed to throw up. “Oh, my God,” I whispered as my voice hitched. “He was probably coming to tell me he was in love with someone else and that’s why he ended it with me. Like, to properly break up with me!” I jumped up from the table so quickly my chair fell over and ran to the bathroom, kneeling down in front of the toilet and gagging.
Bodhi ran in behind me and took my hair in his hands. Amy came in behind him and sat on the tub proceeding to rub my back while I choked out bile. I hadn’t eaten in almost two days, so that was a bonus that I wasn’t spewing a seven-course meal out in front of my friends. When my stomach finally stopped churning, I sat back, leaning against Amy’s legs.
“I’m gonna beat the shit outta him,” Bodhi muttered. “He might have more muscle than I do, but I know people and they can fuck him up.”
“No!” I cried, mortified, looking up at him. “No. If he doesn’t feel anything for me, th—that’s not gonna change his mind.”
“He’s an idiot then,” Bodhi retorted.
I took a deep breath and let it out then looked behind me at Amy then back at Bodhi. “What am I gonna do?”
Amy put her hands under my armpits and stood pulling me up with her. She turned me to look at her. “You’re gonna hold your head high. Gable Powers is not the be-all, end-all, my gorgeous roomie. The first time you see him, it’ll sting a little, but every day after, it’ll just get easier and easier.” She smiled at me and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. “And if that doesn’t work, Bodhi’ll find those friends of his and they’ll make Mr. Powers sorry he ever fucked with you, okay?”
Well, that wasn’t very soothing, but I gave her a small smile and nodded.
“That’s my girl,” Bodhi said, taking me in his arms for a big hug.
God, they were the best friends ever.
~*~*~*~
______________________________________
From: 9543254
Subject: Cinderella
Date: November 2, 10:02 p.m.
To: 9565876 < [email protected]>
Six�
� you ran… why?
Please talk to me…
xx
~*~*~*~
I skipped classes Monday not wanting to run into Gable. I called into work that night not wanting to run into Gable.
Tuesday morning, I skipped classes again not wanting to run into Gable and Tuesday night I called into work again not wanting to run into Gable.
And this went on all week.
“I’m a coward,” I said to no one in particular as Bodhi and I sat on the couch in my apartment watching a movie Friday night.
“I agree,” he answered.
I sat staring at the TV for a minute before that sank in and I turned my head toward him. “What?”
He shrugged his shoulder and I narrowed my eyes at him. When he didn’t say anything, I kept staring knowing he’d finally cave which he did.
“Look, Scout, I understand that you’re upset and all. I mean, I would be too. I get it. But you really are being a coward.”
I kept staring at him. I knew I was but all I wanted was for him to support me not agree with me.
He sighed and adjusted his glasses then grabbed one of my sock-covered feet and started rubbing it. He always did something nice like that if he was going to give me bad news, like the time he’d come over and eaten the rest of the leftover enchiladas I’d made the night before when I’d been craving them all day long and couldn’t wait to get home to have one for lunch.
“I just think it’s time for you to move on.” He went back to watching whatever movie it was we had on.
I let him keep massaging my foot because it felt good but asked, “And what does that mean? I think I’m allowed at least a week to be upset over sleeping with the guy I was madly in love with who ended up not wanting me but my alter ego, Bodhi.” This came out a little snippily but I was a rather ticked off just then. But I knew he was right. I was being a brat and needed to suck it up and stop being a baby.
He sighed again. “I know. But here’s the deal. Scout, you’re freakin’ beautiful. You could get any guy you wanted. I just don’t want you to get hung up on some idiot who doesn’t appreciate you, that’s all.”
“He’s not an idiot,” I muttered. Man, I seriously did have it so bad for Gable, so much so that I was sticking up for him even after what had happened.
“If he dumped you, he is.”
~*~*~*~
Text Message—Sat, Nov 9, 11:34 a.m.
Gable: You around?
Text Message—Sat, Nov 9, 11:37 a.m.
Gable: I really need to talk to you
Text Message—Sat, Nov 9, 11:44 a.m.
Gable: Scout, please
11:53 a.m.
Gable Calling
Shit. I hit decline and waited to see if he left a voicemail. He didn’t. He called back. I declined again and again he called back. This went on for another three times before he finally stopped.
Text Message—Sat, Nov 9, 12:04 p.m.
Gable: I miss you. I’m sorry…
Week Twelve
Monday morning I decided to grow up and go to class. Hell, I’d dodged Gable on campus before, I could do it again. Besides, I hated missing even though I’d called and gotten my assignments which I’d hand in when I got to my classes that morning. I’d even emailed five movie reviews to the newspaper last Friday, so that was taken care of.
I made sure to be late to psych as I’d done before, so I could get in, hear the lecture, take notes then be the first to leave which I hoped worked like a charm once again. During class, I avoided looking around the room for fear of seeing Gable, and once Dr. Horner was finished, I booked it the hell out of there without running into him. Thank God.
I was scheduled to work that night, but I’d called Natalie on Saturday and traded for her early shift the entire week, having to fill her in a little on what had happened so she’d give me Gable’s schedule and I could summarily avoid him at work too. And that worked in my favor too. Wow. Things were looking up.
Now if only I could avoid him for the rest of my life, everything would be fabulous.
~*~*~*~
Saturday, Bodhi called and asked Amy and me to go out with him that night to a popular club in town because his study group from his History of Anthropological Thought class was going and he thought it’d “Do me good” to get out. I seriously had the best friends in the world.
So I thought, what the hell. I didn’t have to work and it wasn’t like I was busy having a social life or anything, so Amy and I got “dolled up” (her words), I wore my skinny jeans tucked into my brown riding boots and a sparkly royal blue tank top under a cream chiffon button down shirt. I did my hair and makeup the same way I’d done it for the dreaded Halloween party, but I’d liked how it’d looked then so, again, what the hell. Amy dressed similarly, looking great as usual, and she was excited because she’d called Chad and he was going to meet her at the club later.
When we were ready, we had a couple tequila shots from the bottle Bodhi had brought over then we all chipped in for a cab. When we got to the club, I showed the fake ID Amy had gotten me a month before, although I knew my dad would pitch a fit if he found out. Oh, well, I didn’t have a problem with it because, college, as Amy said and that was good enough for me.
The place was packed with tons of coeds but we managed to find the table Bodhi’s group was occupying and he introduced us to everyone, practically having to scream over the loud music, but that was fine. I needed some loudness to drown out the thoughts of Gable that I knew would inevitably sneak up on me throughout the evening. And some of the guys in the group were really cute, and a couple had even asked me to dance, so I was having a great time.
Until I wasn’t.
We’d been there a couple hours when a guy named Dawson asked me to dance. We walked to the crowded dance floor and I smiled as we passed Amy who grinned back as she danced with Chad who’d appeared an hour before. Amy was an amazing dancer, her gymnastics having aided with it I’m sure, but when Dawson started dancing, I saw that he was crazy good as he proceeded to show up everyone on the floor. I found myself mostly watching him and grinning because he was fantastic. I mean, people around us were even watching him and some even clapped when the song was over. Wow. A slow song came on next and I noticed Dawson looking at me with a pouty face which made me laugh. He held his arms out to me, so I stepped into them, raising my left arm up to rest on his right shoulder as he wrapped his right arm around my waist then took my right hand in his left.
“You’re really good,” I said as we swayed to the song.
“Thanks.” He grinned, flashing his perfectly straight, white teeth. “Mom made me take lessons which I hated because I played football and got made fun of on a daily basis. I finally put my foot down when I was fifteen but the damage was already done.” He chuckled making me giggle.
“Well, it definitely paid off,” I replied smiling up at him.
“If it gets me a dance with a beautiful girl like you, yeah, it has,” he said with a wink.
I blushed and ducked my head, and looking off to the side saw Gable staring right at me from a short distance away.
Shit.
My head came up quickly and I saw that he was dancing with a beautiful brunette which made me wheeze in a damned breath.
“I’ve got to go,” I told Dawson then turned and ran off the floor, pushing my way through couple after couple. I didn’t even go to the table where Bodhi was to let him know I was leaving, just ran through the club to the front doors and out where I knew they had cabs waiting. I jumped in one and breathlessly gave the guy my address and we took off.
Dramatic? Yes. Necessary? I thought so.
I was working on calming myself down when my phone started buzzing in my back pocket. I twisted my hip and pulled it out to see that Gable was calling. No. No no no no! I hit decline then pulled up a text to Amy and Bodhi to let them know I’d gone and not to worry. After I’d hit Send, my phone buzzed again that Gable had left a voicemail.
God.
> I let it go and stared out the window as I was driven through the city to my apartment thinking it was funny how the lights look so much prettier through teary eyes.
When I got to the apartment, I’d already made up my mind and headed directly to my bedroom where I pulled a suitcase out of my closet and began to pack.
Week Thirteen
I’d ended up staying at Bodhi’s apartment that night. Since I’d been drinking, I didn’t want to be out on the road for too long and his place was only five minutes away, so I’d texted him to make sure it was okay. I hadn’t wanted to hang around my place for too long in case Gable showed up because I knew if he did, I probably would’ve ended up letting him in if not just to scream at him. So I’d packed quickly and had left in under fifteen minutes.
Bodhi had told me his roommate, Grant, would be there, but he’d been asleep when I’d gotten in and he was a nice guy, so I knew he wouldn’t have minded anyway. I’d gone right to Bodhi’s room and passed out on his bed.
The next morning, I’d awakened when something was tickling my nose, and after swatting at it several times, I finally opened my eyes to see Bodhi lying next to me grinning holding the pen he’d been using touching my nose with trying to get me to wake up.
“You jerk,” I’d said with a laugh, smacking him on the arm hearing him chuckle as I got out of bed to use his bathroom taking my bag with me so I could brush my teeth. I’d lain back down next to him when I got back to his room.
“When you texted that you were leaving last night, I knew something was going on because I saw Gable running off the dance floor toward the front,” he informed me.
I closed my eyes. “He was dancing with some beautiful woman and I freaked. Am I ridiculous or what?”
“Or what,” he said and when I opened my eyes, I saw him smiling sadly at me.
“I pegged him from the start, Bode. He’s a player through and through but stupid me had to get all caught up in him.” I ran a hand over my face, pulling my hair back into a makeshift ponytail with the band I’d put around my wrist.
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