Chapter 1
Today was the day. Over the last few weeks, Austin had become very distant. He hadn’t called in weeks, and I was finally done with this shit. It was time to break up with him.
I frowned to myself. It was an average-length relationship, it had been three months. It was a shame, because he seemed like a really nice guy, not one to sleep around behind my back - but I guess I was wrong.
My phone began to ring. Snorting, I accepted the call. Speak of the devil.
“Hello?” I answered, trying to keep in my bitterness. “Hey, um... Olivia. Can... you um, have dinner tonight? We need to talk.” Uh oh. Now he wanted to break up with me. I guess that worked too. It was perfect timing for me to break it to him before he could say anything to me. I knew it wasn’t going to work out, so why follow through?
I called my mom from where I was at the mall, to think over things. “Hey mom, I’m going out tonight.” I said it as a statement, not a question. I could practically hear my mom frowning on the other line. “Honey, you’ve been out all day.”
I heaved a sigh. “I know mom, but I have a life. You should be happy I’m not one of those kids cooped up inside the house watching TV and playing video games.” I rolled my eyes. My mom sighed. I guess you could say she gave up on me about six months ago. I would never fall into her web. All she wanted was for me to be like her. Straight A student, cheerleader, prom queen, dating the captain of the football team - I never told her that I actually did. But she had to accept the fact that I was nothing like her, and had no interest to be.
“Fine.” Hers words were rugged, and sharp. “But you must be home by ten.” I let out a breath of relief, I wasn’t going to argue with her. “Okay, I’ll be home by ten.” Not. “Bye, Olivia.” Her words were cut short, and filled with sourness. I knew she had intentionally stopped proclaiming that she loved me.
Those were probably words I would never hear again, at least mentioned towards me. But I was more than fine with that. I didn’t need love. I felt bad for all of those poor lovestruck girls that think they can change the player. It never works out that way, I would know.
I called Courtney. “Olivia?” I heard Courtney’s muffled voice on the other line. “Yeah, it’s me. We’re breaking up tonight.” I heard her giggle from the other line. “Finally. Ooh, let’s celebrate! We should go to that one nightclub Keegan was able to get us into. Sound fun?” I rolled my eyes. Courtney’s idea if fun was using guys to get into party’s and then ditching them for other guys that were there-and alcohol. But so was mine, so who was I to judge?
“Are you with Keegan?” Then line went silent for a couple awkward moments. “Does it matter?” She finally snapped, making the answer obvious. “You’re already cheating on him, Court? What if he figures out before tonight?” I could just tell that Courtney was shrugging on the other line. “So what? We’ll find another way to get in.”
I sighed, there was never any use in pointing out consequences for Courtney. Especially because then I would be a hypocrite. So we made plans.
An hour and a half later, I stood inside of the restaurant, waiting impatiently for Austin to arrive. For a breakup, he sure picked out a rather fancy diner. There were red velvet curtains that splayed over every window near every booth. The aroma of cocktails and garlic filled the air, giving the Italian restaurant spice. He strode through the front door, hands in his pockets. He was fiddling with his car keys. So he was nervous? Maybe I could let him be the dumper for once. It would be quite a show to watch him try.
After we were seated and went through our menus, Austin cleared his throat. Here it comes, I thought to myself. I took in a deep breath and braced myself.
“Olivia. We’ve only known each other for a few months...” He hesitated and trailed off. I gave him a reassuring nod to go on. “Well, we already know so much about each other, and I... and I just wanted to say that it has been great.” I rolled my eyes at his audacity. “When I asked you out, I thought you were the prettiest girl I had ever seen.” I resisted the urge to roll my eyes again. Oh no, he’s trying to give me a compliment sandwich.
I would know what that is, because I’ve given many of them before. ‘You're an amazing guy, but I feel we don’t understand each other, you will find a perfect someone, it’s just not me’ is the phrase I have used so many other times on actual good guys, and they left barely hurt. With players the breakups didn’t lay out so nicely.
“Look, Olivia, I’ve been meaning to tell you this for a while now...” He began fiddling with his napkin, a sign of nervousness. God, just cut to the chase. I had planned on going to the night club with Courtney to hit up some guys now that I would be single.
Courtney was my best friend. We’d only known each other for a year, but we had secrets and memories that nobody else knew but us. She was probably the only person in life I had ever come close to loving. Just to get this straight, I am not a lesbian.
“I... I um...” I rolled my eyes, deciding to cut to the chase for him.
“You’re breaking up wi-” I was cut off by his eyes widening and what he shouted next.
“I love you, Olivia!”
My heart fell into a deep black hole. Never had I ever thought I would hear those three words mixed in a sentence with my name. Never had I imagined. They were three, powerful words. And when those words were said, it seemed genuine. And it changed the orbit of my world.
Or so one might think.
