Description
“Have you thought about calling Jack back?”
My friend Robin gave me a meaningful look to go with her question, and I stared at the table in the campus coffee shop a little too intently, wondering if there was any way I could change the subject without her noticing. Nope. I didn’t want to talk about guys, but I knew she wouldn’t let it go, either.
It had been over a month since I’d broken up with my cheating ex-bastard—er, I mean ex-boyfriend—Travis. I’d found out he was sleeping with another girl in the best way possible…by walking into a room and seeing them sucking each other’s faces off in various states of undress. Best of all, the ‘other woman’ was one of my former best friends, Becca.
What a bitch.
Robin, Becca and I had once been a package deal. Robin and I were still adjusting to the loss of our friend, but after finding Travis with Becca, I couldn’t forgive her. She’d done something truly horrible, and as the truth came out, I’d discovered more and more things she’d hidden from me, like a secret coke problem. I couldn’t ever trust her again, so I wanted some distance from her. Permanently. Thankfully, Robin was on my side, so at least I hadn’t lost all of my friends in one go.
“Jack…which Jack?” I asked, pretending not to remember as the waitress deposited our orders on the table—croissant and a mocha latte for Robin, Greek yogurt with fruit and a glass of orange juice for me.
Truth was, I knew who Jack was—I knew a little too well. I’d gone out on a date with him the previous week; my first official date since the Travis debacle. I’d gotten all dolled up, actually excited about spending some time with him, and I’d been hopeful that our date would help pep up my mood, which had been rather sour since I’d caught Travis and Becca.
Jack was in some of my classes at college, and he’d seemed really nice in our initial encounters. He was hot as hell too, so that didn’t hurt, but unfortunately, it turned out that was about it. He’d responded with one-liners at our dinner and tried to feel me up in his car afterwards.
What a night.
“Don’t play dumb,” Robin said, narrowing her eyes as she took a sip of her latte. “You know well enough. You can’t just pretend nothing ever happened between you two!”
I raised my eyebrows. “It was exactly that…nothing. I’m just not interested in him anymore. Trying to have a conversation with him on our date was like extracting teeth.”
She pouted for a moment, and we dug into our breakfasts as an uncomfortable silence lingered in the air. I was waiting for her next question, already knowing what it would be.
She would undoubtedly ask about Travis and whether I’d heard from him recently, carefully trying to discern what the situation was there. I knew she’d support me in any case, but it must’ve been hard for her to cut Becca off. They’d been best friends since high school, and I’d only joined the gang in college. Sometimes I’d felt like the third wheel, even though we’d all become the best of friends early on in our freshman year. The decision to stick with me and not Becca after what she’d done to me had come from Robin, though. I’d never tried to influence her, but I still appreciated it so much. After everything that had happened, I’d felt so miserable and alone, and her support meant the world to me.
“Go on, then,” I said, arching a brow as the corners of my lips turned up in a small smile. “I know you’re gonna ask me anyway. Just come right out and say it.”
“I’ve got no idea what you’re talking about.” Robin was faking it, and we both knew it.
“Sure…” I replied, one eyebrow still arched.
Good lord, when did I become so cynical? I guess I was still angry at the whole world even though a whole month had passed since I’d been cheated on. Travis and I hadn’t even been together for all that long in the grand scheme of things—only eight months—so I knew I was probably being overly dramatic.
More so than losing him, I felt the loss of my best friend. Becca had been a key person in my life for so long, and I missed the connection we’d had, despite what an awful person she’d turned out to be.
“But anyway, have you heard from Travis at all?” Robin finally asked me in an innocent tone, nibbling on the edge of her croissant. I grinned at her, glad that she’d finally come out and said it.
“He still calls me every so often,” I responded, an edge to my voice.
I’d figured out a while ago that Travis had given up on trying to win me back. His incessant, wheedling calls—over five per hour after I’d caught him with Becca—had dwindled down to a booty call or a drunk dial on Friday and Saturday nights.
I’d stopped picking up the phone ages ago.
“I’m just done with him. I don’t want to deal with his crap anymore,” I said.
“I get it.” Robin patted my hand sympathetically and I giggled inanely. She gave me a quizzical look and I shook my head, a sigh escaping my lips.