Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 87766 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87766 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
“So that’s it.” I cough when she doesn’t respond.
A few seconds pass, and there’s still nothing from her side of the room.
“Um, Deb?”
I’m fully certain I’ve stunned her with my story. She’s staring me down, and I think she may actually murder me.
“You’re an ass, you know that, right?” She snaps.
I throw my hands into the air and stand. “Just before you hated her!” I exclaim, unable to keep up.
“I never hated her!” She argues. “But now I emphasize with her. Not to mention, I really hate Holly, and I even sort of hate you a little. How could you?”
“I was trying to do the right thing! She’s not supposed to fall in love with her teacher and live happily ever after,” I confide. “You heard the saying, love is to set them free.”
“It’s real life, you idiot, not some fictional book or saying!” Deb shoves at me. “And, p.s., you should’ve ‘set her free’ before you let things get serious!”
She’s shouting, actually shouting, to the point where the lady from the bakery downstairs starts to bang.
“Then you practically ditched her to go back to someone you didn’t even want, and let’s be honest here, I virtually had to kick you out of my house and force you to go to live with Holly! Why didn’t you say something?”
“I-I-”
“You weren’t thinking, that’s what!” She yells, and I sit back down. “You know, all my friends have always talked about what an arrogant jerk you are, and now I finally believe them!”
“That’s not fair!” I jump up again.
“You lead her on and then broke her heart!”
“I know that!” I yell. “And I’m trying to fix it!” I sigh heavily, calming down. “I was wrong. Love is not setting them free, because I've tried that. Love is never letting go. Love is not being able to live without. Love is a fight, because I can't live without her, and I'm willing to try anything in order to get her back!”
“I’m sorry,” she sighs, “but I fear you’re going to have to let it go.”
I pull at my hair. “You don’t know her. Us.” I shake my head. “Luci and I are meant to be together. It’s a pull, unlike anything I’ve ever known before.”
“Well, whatever you want to believe,” she huffs. “But maybe you finally learned your lesson, and in your next relationship, maybe you won’t fuck up so much.”
I look up when I hear my sister drop the F-bomb, because she never curses. Ever.
“There’s not going to be another relationship. Luci is it for me.”
“So she’s the one?” Deb looks doubtful.
“It’s more than that,” I tell her, trying to make her understand. “She’s not the one, she’s the only one.”
“Not for anything, but maybe you should’ve thought of that before you asked Lisa out on a date and let Luci find out about it,” she laughs. “Because that really screams I’m sorry.”
“I get it,” my voice drones. “I fucked up.”
“Multiple times,” she corrects.
“So now what? Should I text her? Call her?”
I can’t believe I’m now asking Deb for advice, but I’m pretty desperate.
“She asked you to leave her alone,” she shakes her head.
“Yeah, so?”
“So?” She retorts angrily. “Listen to her! For once just listen to her!”
“You’re not being very helpful.” I can’t hide the bitterness in my voice.
“I’m sorry you’re desperately pining, and I’m truly sorry for the way I acted this past weekend, but if you’re asking for my advice, which it sounds like you are,” she jumps before I have the chance to retort. “Leave her alone. Let her come to you. If you’re destined, or whatever illogical term you’re using is true, then it will happen.”
“Look,” I exhale, grabbing the top of my nose. “I appreciate you coming over here, but I have papers to grade.”
“Fine,” she stands. “But some more advice?” She looks up and I nod, begrudgingly.
“Tone down you sparkling blue eyes with others until things with Luci either work out or don’t.” She bats her eyes, which are the same color as mine.
“My sparkling blue eyes, I repeat her words, rolling my eyes, “don’t want to look at anyone else but Luci, so that won’t be a problem.”
Two days later, I get a text from Luci.
I’m sorry, it reads. Please just give me time.
Chapter 7
-Luci-
It took a few days, but I finally text Josh apologizing. I feel so stupid with all the back and forth. I’m so confused, and I actually spent the better half of a day researching therapists. I went to one a while back, and maybe I need to see one again, just until I figure things out. Especially now that Josh is back in my life.
The rest of the week I spend packing up my dorm room. Ren’s been helping while simultaneously letting me vent, and Gracie even skips school on Thursday to come up and take some stuff home, since it all won’t fit in my car.