Learning to Live

Chapter 20

"So you guys had a fight?"

I sighed and turned my face towards my best friend. "It's not exactly a fight. It was just... something."

She raised her brow, her dark eyes glittering with the light of the bedside lamp behind me. We were in my room, sleeping on my bed. I had called Lia soon after getting home in the evening.

During the day, I kept busy with Chester and the shelter. But as soon as I got home, the argument I had with Hunter played in my head on repeat. Where had it gone wrong? I had no clue.

So I did what anyone in my place would do. I called my best friend. As soon as I told her about it, she hung up. Minutes later, I heard her tires squealing to a stop in our driveway, then her voice arguing with Stefan about something silly, then she pounded up the steps and barged into my room, dressed in her kitten onesie, carrying her bag and an open bag of chips.

"Tell me about it," she'd said, winded. So I did, and now I was waiting for her advice.

"Something?" Lia asked, digging her hand into her bag of chips. I already had one open on top of my belly.

"Yes. Something... not good. An argument? A fight? I just don't know what happened."

"Well, one thing's for sure, something is going on in his family."

"Yeah, I gathered as much."

"So he didn't call or text afterward?"

"Nope. Radio silence." I shoved a handful of chips in my mouth. It was my third snack since coming home, and the void in my heart refused to be filled with treats. Cheddar sniffed at my hand, hopeful for a crumb of chips. I moved my hand away. It was not healthy for him. He settled down between us, losing all hope of snagging a stray chip.

I huffed, irritated. "You know what? Screw him. I'm not going to let him ruin my Saturday night," I announced.

"Uh-huh," Lia mumbled, her cheeks bloated and crumbs on her lips.

"He can sulk forever, for all I care."

"Mhm."

"I did nothing wrong, and I don't have to feel bad about... this, whatever this is."

"Hmm."

"Stop humming and say something!" I scowled. "You're the one who's been in a long term relationship out of the two of us. Don't you like, have words of wisdom to impart on me?"

Lia held up one finger. It was stained orange from her Cheetos. "First, I don't know if you can call a few months long term." She held up a second stained finger. "Also, my only relationship ended because the asshole cheated on me, so I don't know if I'm qualified to give advice, relationship-wise."

I winced. "Sorry."

She shrugged. "I'm over it. Relationships are overrated. I feel so free and light. I had no idea how much headspace and time my relationship was actually occupying."

I looked at her face. She looked honest. It'd been a while since she broke up with Tom, and she actually looked pretty good.

She was over it.

Well, at least that was going well. I stuffed my face again, then opened my laptop and turned on the K-drama Lia and I had been watching.

My gut was churning, though, and my mind was running in all sorts of directions. I never knew my heart could feel this heavy. Lia was right. Relationships were overrated.

I missed him. I missed him so much it hurt. It was scary, considering I'd only seen him this morning, and our interaction hadn't ended well.

What was he thinking? What could I have had done differently so our morning didn't end up that way?