Attention Runner-Up

Chapter 18

The sun was barely coming up when I got up. Lexi was sound asleep next to me. I quickly got out of bed and grabbed my clothes off the floor before getting dressed. I stared at Lexi and sighed. Then I ordered and paid for room service for her before writing a note.

Sorry I couldn't be here when you woke up. I had a great time last night, thank you for your words of wisdom. They really put things into perspective for me. Since I didn't know what you liked I ordered the whole breakfast menu, have fun!

Darleen.

Then I wrote my number down for her and quickly grabbed my phone and left. I walked down to the kitchen area where they were already working on the over-the-top room service. I talked to the waiter and had him put another note with the food. So when Lexi opened the lid a little note would say,

Proof that nice girls can get nice things.

I smiled to myself before leaving.

I got a car back to my hotel and unlocked the room before sneaking back in as quietly as possible. When I got into my room Aphrodite was asleep alone on my bed. I sighed. Admittedly, it made me feel bad.

I moved to take a quick shower just to wash off my body. Then I grabbed some sleepwear and crawled into bed next to her. I plugged my phone in to charge before pulling Aphrodite into my arms.

She stirred in her sleep but didn't wake up.

I ended up falling back to sleep and waking up a few hours later to Aphrodite pulling free of my grasp. I sat up and rubbed my eyes.

"Morning," She snapped at me.

"Morning," I smiled for her.

For a moment we just sat there in silence.

"You waited up for me?" I asked.

"Which is more than you deserve," She spat before getting up to leave.

"Aphrodite wait," I got up and followed her to the door.

"Wait for what? I waited for you to get over your Skylar problem, I waited for you to finally acknowledge my feelings, now what am I waiting for? Waiting for you to grow up? Waiting for you to get over whatever this is you are going through? How much longer will I have to wait!?" she shouted.

"You were the one all over Kenzie yesterday. You were the one who ditched me!"

"Because you can't just try and sleep with your ex then right after tell me you still have feelings for me. Life doesn't work that way. If you really did still have feelings for me you wouldn't have done that, you wouldn't have done what you did last night."

"I'm allowed to do whatever I want! It's my body, my decisions. Do you want to know why I keep making you wait? It's because I'm still not sure this will even work out. Look at us, we are already fighting all the time. Just like we used to. Don't pretend it wasn't always like this between us because it was. You were always arguing with me over something. We aren't together Aphrodite. I think I want us to be, but I'm just not sure yet."

"This was a mistake; I shouldn't have come here with you."

"Aren't I worth waiting for?" I asked.

She was silent for a moment.

"Answer me," I demand.

"What do you want from me, Darleen? I stayed in America for you. I've already waited this long, what more do you want from me?"

"I want you to see what I want for once. I want you to see that what I need right now isn't a girlfriend it's just a friend. I'm not ready okay. That doesn't mean I don't like you, because I do. That doesn't mean we won't get together again someday. It just means I'm not mentally ready to be in another relationship so soon after I just got out of one. Sure, what I've done was immature and messed up, but I'm messed up Aphrodite. I need more time to figure out who I am and what I want. If you don't think I'm worth waiting for, then don't. Move on. Find someone who can give you what you want because I'm telling you right now, that person can't be me. Not yet, not now. I just... I'm not ready."