The Wreck of Our Hearts

by Yajna Ramnath

  “Of course,” she exclaimed with a smile in her voice. “Thank you so much, Aria!”

  I hung up without saying bye because all I could think about was the fact that they were having sex in my guest bedroom while I was excitedly calling him up to tell him about my achievement.

  It reminded me of when I tried calling Holden the day I had completed the first book design I had done for an indie author. I had sent him the images and lots of excited messages, only to get response hours later.

  I worked throughout my shift. Leo came in and out telling me that he was stoked about the rebranding idea and that he could see how it would change everything. He even randomly came in to ask me whether I could design flyers and a new menu for them.

  I took my mind off all things men and got down to the menu designing. It was around three in the morning when Leo stuck his head inside.

  “What are you still doing here? Your shift ended like two hours ago,” he walked in with his face looking drawn and tired.

  “I got distracted,” I said with a yawn. I turned my laptop around for him to see the menu and how it was coming along.

  “That looks awesome,” he said. He gestured to the outside of the door. “You wanna head out? The club is closing.”

  “The club was surprisingly less occupied tonight,” I said, not caring that my grammar was off.

  “Nights are quiet when Dasher isn't deejaying,” he shrugged.

  “He brings in the crowd?” I asked with raised brows.

  “Yeah,” he yawned.

  “Get out of here before you collapse on my desk,” I admonished.

  "I don't leave each employee and customer is out," he snapped. "Right now, that's you."

  I rolled my eyes and grabbed my laptop and bag. “Fine, let me call a cab.”

  “Why don’t you crash upstairs with me,” he asked. “No strings, I’m just not in the mood to wait until you text that you’re safely home.”

  I chuckled. “Lead the way, Mr. Concerned.”

  Leo locked up the club and then walked me across the street to the brownstone that looked a lot like the one I lived in. Hell’s Kitchen was the only place where a club and residential area were near each other.

  We trekked up the stairs to the second floor and he let me in. The apartment was an open plan bachelor pad that was decked out with black and silver décor. His king size bed was pushed against the corner of the room and a huge couch sat a little bit away from the bed.

  “I’ll take the couch,” he yawned and was heading that way.

  “Don’t be stupid,” I rolled my eyes. “We’ve made out and I’ve worked with you for months. We can share a bed without anything happening.”

  "I'm too tired to appreciate you in my bed, to be honest, here," he threw a shirt at me to change into. "Good night." He face-planted onto the bed.

  I laughed and changed right there in the room. He was asleep so I didn’t care all that much. I crawled in beside him and within seconds I was out.

  Chapter Eleven

  Dasher

  It felt like deja vu when Aria strolled in the next morning except for this time she looked like she spent the night in someone's bed. She wore an oversized t-shirt that was haphazardly tucked into her jeans. Her shoes were in her hand and her hair was a mess. It was like seeing the walk of shame first hand.

  However, I promised not to judge her.

  “Morning,” I saluted her with my mug of coffee.

  “Oh please may I have a cup?” she pleaded.

  I chuckled and brought her my cup to drink from instead of going all the way back to the kitchen. She grabbed the cup with both hands and took a large gulp.

  “God bless you,” she whispered.

  “Thanks, I think?” I said with humor.

  “I’m blessing the coffee Gods,” she narrowed her eyes at me and then did a double take and looked around the apartment. “Where’s Paisley?”

  I frowned. “Not here?”

  “She answered when I called yesterday,” Aria tilted her head to the side.

  Weird, why didn’t Paisley tell me about that? “She didn’t mention it.”

  “Oh,” she shook her head and then shrugged.

  "What did you call about?" I asked an uneasy feeling sat on my chest.

  “To tell you I wasn’t coming home,” she said. Why did I feel she was lying? “And Paisley asked me whether I minded if she stayed over.”

  “Excuse me?” my body went eerily still.

  Aria seemed a little unsure and looked around the apartment. “Yeah, I’m not into getting between couples and their issues, so whatever, sort it out with her. However, I did tell her that I didn’t mind, so long as she didn’t have her own ways.”

  Aria handed me back my coffee which I took robotically because I still could not believe that Paisley would do something like that. Instead of going after Aria to apologize, I grabbed my phone and called Paisley.

  “Hey Dash,” she answered cheerfully.

  “Is there a reason you did not tell me that Aria called and that you asked her permission to stay over?” I gritted.

  There was silence until Paisley cleared her throat. “I didn’t think that would be a problem, asking your landlord whether I, your girlfriend, could sleepover.”

  “Don’t pull that shit with me, Paisley,” I snapped. “We had this problem the first time we dated where you inserted yourself into situations and things that I wasn’t yet ready for.”

  “So, you don’t mind calling me over to make out on your couch, but to stay the night in your bed is a problem?” she asked with annoyance. “You’re starting to become the old you.”

  “That makes two of us then,” I said. “Doesn’t it?”

  “Dasher!”

  "Stop pushing me for things that I am not ready for," I warned. "This time I won't run after you for any do-overs."

  I cut the call and tossed the phone on the breakfast counter. Deciding against tackling the issue with Aria, I decided to go into my room and pass out again.

  I woke sometime later to a knock on the door. I waited a few minutes thinking Aria would get it, but the knocking continued. I sighed and stumbled out of the bed and swung the door opened just as Aria appeared out her room in her track pants and tank. She looked freshly showered.

  She waved me off and made her way to the front door and revealed a tired looking Leo.

  “Hey,” she said as she opened the door more.

  He nodded at her and then held a hand up in greeting to me. “What’s up?”

  “Not much,” I shrugged. “What brings you by?”

  He shook his head and looked down at Aria. “You left this at my place last night.”

  I watched as he handed her the laptop and she grinned at him almost as if they had a secret conversation going on with just their smiles. It pissed me off. I clenched my fists behind my back and Aria gestured for him to have a seat on the couch.

  “Coffee?”

  “Please,” he said tiredly.

  "You look like shit," she said as she placed her laptop on the breakfast counter and made her way into the kitchen. I was acutely aware of his eyes on her ass when he realized I was watching him, he raised a brow as if to dare me to do something.

  I just shook my head and plopped down beside him.

  “The club was quiet last night compared to every other night,” Leo shook his head. “You are the only reason these people come by.”

  “Not for long,” Aria grinned and handed us both a mug of coffee.

  "What do you mean?" I asked and looked at the two of them.

  “With the new branding that Aria came up with, I anticipate that business might pick up,” Leo looked almost excited under all that drain on his face.

  “He accepted the idea?” I looked at Aria. I was stoked for her but also a little miffed that she didn’t share that news with me. After all, I was the first person to see it.

  “I thought you called him up to tell him last night?” Leo frowned, genuinely
confused.

  Aria shrugged. “Paisley said he was in the shower.”

  It dawned on me then and there, the reason why Aria slept with Leo last night. She thought that Paisley and I had sex. With my girlfriend’s penchant for being manipulative, I could only imagine how she made that sound.

  If Aria wanted to be that childish then power to her. I couldn’t play these games. I was sadly growing tired of them.

  “Oh yeah,” I nodded. “I’m so glad for the both of you. At least there will be more crowds.”

  “More crowds equal more money,” Leo nodded and gulped down the rest of his coffee. “Anyway, I should get going, I need to do some inventory.”

  “I thought the club was closed on a Sunday?” Aria frowned.

  “Just because the club is closed doesn’t mean the work stops,” he winked at her. “See you at work tomorrow.”

  Aria gave him a half smile and walked him out.

  When she came back in I decided to make my way to the bathroom.

  “What do you have planned for today?” she asked before I could shut the door.

  I looked down at her thoughtfully. “Nothing special, why?”

  “Wanna go somewhere with me?” she grinned.

  “Sure.”

  Aria

  I slide on my skinny jeans and a tube top with a sleeveless throw over on top. I brushed my hair into a high ponytail and let my bangs fall artfully above my eyes. I put minimal makeup and slid on my Chuck Taylors. I was ready for the day.

  I grabbed my cell and sling bag and walked into the lounge to find Dasher looking incredible. He wore a tight-fitting olive green t-shirt that brought out his eyes and a faded tight fitting pair of ripped jeans. his messy dark hair was pushed back and made him look scrumptious.

  “You look nice,” we both said at the same time.

  “Thank you,” we both said again.

  I grinned. “You okay to drive?”

  “Yeah, of course, where are we heading to?”

  “You’ll see.”

  Dasher seemed at ease as we navigated through the busy streets in the TT towards Brighton Beach. His strong arms were taught and steady on the steering wheel. He looked so sexy with one hand holding the wheel and the other with his elbow on the door. He looked like he was in one of bad boy car adverts that made you want to but the car in hopes of gaining the model with it.

  “Are you going to tell me where we’re heading?” he asked after we turned down the residential area of the largely populated yet average part of New York. The Thorne’s had a modest house near the Brighton Boardwalk. It wasn’t anything fancy but large enough to house both my parents and sister.

  Most Sundays were family days. They all donned their best outfits and skipped off to church to listen to the word of the Lord. I tried very hard not to roll my eyes. I wasn’t much of a religious person and I always cringed when one of my parents started with the Lord always has a plan. Maybe. I don’t know.

  Either way, I never mocked or sneered at their belief. I remember very clearly, a time when I was into visiting the church and listening to the word of God.

  We turned down the gravel pathway and I watched as Dasher took it all in. The house was like something out of a storybook. It was a one-story home with a wraparound porch complete with picture windows and ivy creeping up the walls. There was a neatly manicured lawn with the cobbled stoned pathway that gave it a homier feel.

  “Where are we?” Dasher frowned as he took in the space.

  I watched as my mother and sister walked down the few steps towards the obviously expensive car. I grinned at Dasher. “Welcome to my home.”

  I hopped out the car and gave my mother a long hard hug. She was a beautiful woman for her age. Her long dark blonde hair was coiled neatly into a bun while her jeans and soft knit shirt made her feel so fuzzy and warm.

  Alessandra or Alessa as she preferred, looked like the mature version of me. Wherever we went people knew we were sisters at just one glance. The only difference was that her body was fuller than mine and her eyes had my father’s exotic slant to it.

  Speaking of my father, he limped down on his cane and threw hard assessing eyes he took in Dasher. Dasher looked really uncomfortable and I almost went over to him, instead, I waited until my father came to me and wrapped me in a big hug.

  My father was a classically handsome man. He was a businessman at heart with the hands and body of a builder. I knew he was pretty annoyed at the injury he obtained while working a site. It would bug him even more now that Dasher was here.

  “Guys,” I cleared my throat. “This is Dasher Camden, he is the roommate I told you about.”

  My father glanced up and suddenly his demeanor was much friendlier than before. He limped his way forward. I held my breath with the sudden fear that Dasher may just step forward or go to him, but Dasher—ever the guy who aims to surprise me—stood stock still until my father made his way over.

  “Nice to meet you, Dasher,” my father said in his raspy voice. “I’m so glad that Aria isn’t living alone up there anymore.”

  “You’re just glad she has no romantic interest in him,” Alessa rolled her eyes and introduced herself.

  Dasher looked at me after her statement and I shrugged. “My father believes that there is no way I would immediately live with a guy that I have even a sliver of feeling for.”

  “Is everyone going to stand out here and disrespect the lunch I prepared or are we going inside?” my mother snapped.

  I laughed and linked my hand through Alessa’s, leaving Dasher to fend for himself.

  “And which part of you decided that this was a good idea?” Alessa whispered to me as we trailed behind my mother.

  "I don't know," I sighed. "The excuse I'm going with is that I thought it was time that you all knew who I was living within this past couple of months."

  “Dasher,” my mother said as she served him a healthy helping of her famous beef lasagna. “Aria tells us you’re a deejay, what is that like?”

  I noticed that Dasher felt a little uncomfortable when his green eyes tracked mine, before I could open my mouth though, my father popped up. “We don’t judge in this household, son. No profession is too big or too small in our eyes.”

  I raised my brows at Dasher as if to say, well? He shook his head and a strange look crossed his face as he looked at my dad with a soft smile. "I find it amazing and fulfilling. There is just something about creating a safety net for people to let go of their inhibitions and their problems for a span of a few hours. I think the pure elation on a person's face when their favorite song pops up is what drives me to make sure every set of mine is pure perfection."

  I smiled as I dug into my food. I hated how my heart fluttered at his obvious passion, there was something in him that spurred on my own need to succeed. He had no idea that sometimes when he was deep in the zone and preparing his mixes or trying out random things with his sound, I would stand at the door and watch him.

  There was always a soft smile that curved his lips when he heard something he likes. My preferred look was when something didn’t sound right or there was a bit of a screech in the equipment, his brow would furrow with a deep v between his eyes, he would bite down on his bottom lip and one of his brows would be raised. It was one of the sexiest things I had ever seen, in any man.

  I grabbed my glass of wine and sipped it while he spoke animatedly to my parents. I glanced to the side, Alessa watched me with a knowing and warning look in her eyes. I knew she meant well, but I could just admire him from afar. Right?

  Towards the evening, we all sat in the backyard. You could see glimpses of the beach and hear the random shouts and cheers on the boardwalk. I laughed as my father recounted some embarrassing moment while building.

  “I promise you,” he boomed, wiping a tear from the corner of his eyes. “The lady was completely dumbfounded!”

  “I still cannot believe she would be that dumb,” Dasher chuckled. “Who decides to use a toilet while there a
re men renovating?”

  “When he told me about it,” my mother added. “I was annoyed with him. We made this pact that he was never to see another woman’s kooch no matter whether it was his fault or not.”

  Dasher roared with laughter and fist bumped my dad. “I’m serious, sir, if I didn’t believe that you would skin me alive, I would take your wife for myself.”

  My mother blushed and even Alessa chuckled.

  “Hey, none of this sir business," my father frowned. "It's Callum, as for my beautiful Pamela, hands-off, boy."

  “Why, Callum, I do think those dimples are rather charming,” my mother gushed.

  “I will show you charming, just you wait till the kids are all gone!”

  “That’s not gonna happen anytime soon,” I snorted as I reclined in my deck chair.

  “With Alessa leaving in less than a month,” my mother grinned at my sister. “We will soon have the house to ourselves.”

  I turned to Alessa. “Where are you going?”

  “I’m heading off to Australia,” she said with a look that said not here.

  "Oh," I replied. My parents and Dasher continued their banter. I, on the other hand, did not know how to react. Alessa was my life. I mean sure I had the girls, my parents and a host of people who would always be there for me, but nothing beat falling apart in your sister's arms and having her hold your hand through every mistake and laughing alongside your every joke.

  If I was honest with myself, I felt my heart break all over again. I did not know how to survive without her nearby. I excused myself and took a walk to the front of the yard. My shoes crunched along the cobblestone as I looked up at the clear night sky. The stars twinkled and the half-moon looked rather unattractive.

  “You knew this day was coming,” Alessa said softly and she touched her hand to my shoulder.

  My vision blurred with tears and the stars no longer twinkled. “I guess I never really wanted it to happen. I know that sounds selfish—”

  Alessa turned me to face her. “You are allowed to be angry and hurt. I keep telling you not to bottle your feelings up. Although, when it comes to Dasher, I think you need to keep your distance.”