Just a Pucking Prank [COMPLETED]

Chapter 38 - Facade

Lydia

He tried calling. And sent me messages.

I ignored them all. I don't want to hear his excuses. Or his reasons for sleeping with someone else. It's not like it was ever an actual relationship. So it shouldn't matter that it's over, right?

Because it is over. I won't tolerate cheating. Except it's not like he was cheating. He made it clear the rules don't apply to him.

No. I will not make excuses for him. I've done that in the past, and it never works out. He slept with someone else, so we're over. All I have to do now is put up with him for a couple more weeks. Ms Tina says the arm is healing well, so it won't be much longer.

I just have to get through a few more shifts together.

Like today.

I'm all sorts of steeled when I arrive. He won't see me cry over this. Over him.

"Ms Tina left," he says. He looks like he hasn't been sleeping much. Maybe the puck bunny has been keeping him up.

"Ok," I say and go to put away my bag.

He doesn't follow me, and I try to summon my shields again. I'm not going to break down in front of him. Not over a relationship that meant nothing to him. He may not think I'm worthy of him, but maybe I should.

I head straight for a messed up display and start tidying.

"You left," he says and stands next to me. So close I can smell him.

"What?"

"You left the party."

I avoid looking at him. "I'm surprised you noticed. You seemed... busy."

He clears his throat just as a customer walks in. "Nothing happened."

Nothing. Like how we had nothing?

"That's not what I saw." I keep my voice down and start moving to help the customer.

"I didn't do anything upstairs."

I put on my fake smile and pretend my heart isn't breaking.

A few customers trickle in and I give them all of my attention. How does he expect me to believe nothing happened when I clearly mean nothing to him?

"I never kissed her," he says as the door closes and we have a moment to ourselves. I close my eyes, trying to remind myself that he's just a man. Just someone I slept with. And now it's over.

"It's fine," I say. I want to claw his face off. I want to twist his dick until he begs for mercy. I want to scream and rage at him. But instead, I put on my fake smile and hope my tears are hidden.

"It is? So you believe me?"

"It's been a month already," I say instead of answering his question. "That's the longest I've hooked up with a guy without getting bored."

"What?"

I grab a hat that's in the wrong place and walk over to the right shelf.

"You should take that as a compliment. I get bored easily. Slut that I am." I mutter the last part under my breath to remind myself how he sees me.

"Look, I was angry. Ok? I got upset because you were flirting with Jonathan, and you looked so-"

I hold up a hand to stop him and force myself to look him in the eyes. "It's all good. You owe me nothing. What happened happened, and we had a good month."

"What's that supposed to mean?" He looks angry.

"It was good while it lasted, but clearly this thing has run its course."

"You don't mean that." There's surprise on his face, as if he never expected me to be the one to end it. Because he thinks he's better than me. He's the boy scout and I'm a slut and now I'm standing up for myself and he can't believe I'm saying no to him.

I shrug and act nonchalant. I refuse to show him how much he's affected me, how important he became to me.

"Honestly, I was getting a bit fed up with what we were doing. So it's for the best that it's over."

I have to get away. The tears are about to start rolling and I just can't stand the thought of him seeing me cry.

"It was really just sex to you, wasn't it?" he asks in a defeated voice.

"What else?" I can't look at him. "That's what we agreed to. Just sex. And now it's over. But since we still have to work together, I think we should just put it behind us."

"Put it behind us?"

I don't answer. Instead, I flee to the bathroom and sob into my arm, hoping that he can't hear the muffled sounds.

It was never supposed to mean anything. We were horny and our bodies reacted to each other. That was it.

I pull myself together. He shoved me into a bathroom so his friends wouldn't know we slept together. I turn on the water and dab my face. He let them speak about me without ever defending me. I straighten my back. He went upstairs with a puck bunny, even though I was right there.

If he does that with me in the house, what does he do when I'm not there?

It's not fair. Not for a second did I believe Wes had cheated on me. Not until he did it right in front of me. Because I mean nothing to him. So it didn't matter.

Maybe he's even glad to be rid of me. No more pretending not to know me when he's with his friends. No more speeding off after dropping me off, so his teammate won't think it's weird.

I'm strong. I can do this. Blowing out a breath, I rub the scar on my hip.

I wish my mother was here so I could turn to her for advice. I used to do that. I used to tell her about my boy troubles and she would listen and give advice.

I blink. But she's not here anymore. So I'm on my own with this one. And right now, I need to get back out there and pretend that I'm fine. Until I can go home. Until I can cry.