"If you want to try again, I've learned a few things since then and now I'm sure... I would make it so, so good for you..." Luke pulls back, a troublemakers grin on his lips. "You wouldn't be able to forget it."
...
I jolt out of bed to the piercing sound of my cell ringing on my nightstand. Immediately, I'm greeted by a stabbing pain in my temple.
"Ugh," I groan, pressing my palms into my eyes. Hangover. My throat is hoarse and dry.
As I fumble for my phone, still going insane on the old night table, memories of last night come rushing back. That guy making fun of the accident, Luke trying to help, me... pushing him away.
A different kind of pain all together weighs heavily against my chest.
"Hello?" I snap into the phone when I finally grab hold of it, not even checking for the Caller ID.
"Dylan! You answered!"
Hunter. Damn it. I roll my eyes up to the ceiling, wondering if it's too late now to hang up.
"You've called like a hundred times, so." I exhale finally. I wriggle into my slippers and clumsily make my way to the bathroom Casey and I shared between our bedrooms.
"I wouldn't have to call so many times if you'd answer me. Or you know, call me back." Hunter whines.
"It's too early for this," I groan, turning on the faucet and filling a plastic cup with water. I take a long gulp, finishing the glass, and immediately refill it.
God, I should've stopped after the fifth beer.
"Early? Dylan, it's half past noon."
"Noon?" I rush out of the bathroom and fly down the stairs to make sure Grams is okay. Finding her napping on the couch, I creep back up to the bathroom and continue, closing the door behind me. "Still, Hunter - why are you calling me? We're broken up."
I reach into the shower to turn it on, setting the dial as hot as I can get it. Running a hand over my eyes I let out a long sigh, wishing he could find a girl just available enough to make him forget about me already.
"Dylan, come on. We never stay broken up. It's us."
I cringe at the word. Ugh. Us. When I went off to school, I was determined not to make any friends. But that didn't mean nights didn't get lonely sometimes...
I thought Hunter was the perfect person for the job - not interested in a real relationship, he mostly wanted a girlfriend who let him do as he pleased. That was fine with me, since I didn't want to be a real girlfriend anyways. Too self absorbed to really care, he never asked too much about the personal stuff, either. I liked that, too.
We'd date and break up, get back together and separate again. But for some reason, Hunter always seems to come back. Now that I'm not in school, there's no reason to keep it going anymore.
Pulling my sleep shirt over my head, I tell him as much over speakerphone. "Look, Hunter, what we had was great," A lie. "But it's over now. It's time for us to move on."
"But I can't move on, Dylan. You're just... you're the best girl I know." He sniffles and I roll my eyes again, fed up with his tears.
He knows just how to guilt me back into things again.
"Well you have to," I snap, quickly coming up with an answer I know will keep him off my back. At least for a couple of days. "I started seeing someone else, anyways. You should do the same."
What was that cute guys name from last night? Ryan?
See, not a total lie. A reach, definitely, but not completely made up.
"What?" Hunter's angry now. I prefer him angry over sad, at least. "You moved on kinda quick, didn't you? Did our relationship mean anything to you?"
Not really. I groan, watching the steam slowly covering the mirror above the sink.
"Of course it did. But I need you to understand me: we're over, okay? Done. It's time for you to get back out there."
"Whatever - this is so like you, you know. I'm done with this crap." Hunter grumbles and I throw my hands up in exasperation.
Whatever. Let him think it's his decision. Just so long as he stops calling.
"Yeah, whatever, Hunter. Have a good last semester."
He mumbles something incoherently before hanging up the phone and I tilt my head back, exhaling slowly.
At least that's out of the way. I step into the tub, enjoying the way the fiery water reddens my skin and unknots all the muscles down my back.
The thing is - it's not so like me. Besides Hunter, I've only had one other boyfriend. Including Hunter, I've only loved one man.
Tipping my hair under the shower head, my tears mix with the spray, flowing out of me with no end in sight.
Stupid Luke fucking Henson.
I have to talk to Grams today. I tried going out - look what happened. I can't do it again - she has to understand. I can't go back to doing the things I did when Casey was around.
Because Casey isn't here and I'm not who I was when he was.
Massaging shampoo into my dark strands, I make a note to bring up this whole Luke-friendship thing, too. My heart can't take much more of that, either. I blink hard, forcing the last of my tears from my eyes and quickly scrub them away with facial cleanser.
After everything Luke has done, she has to understand that.
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Thanks for reading loves! Next chapter soon, going be getting into some things! Let me know what you think so far, who's your favorite character? Did you expect Luke to be the ex Dyl can't move past?
