Changed

"I can't do this anymore, Jay!" I stand up out of my chair, the eerie noise of it sliding against the restaurant floor causing all of the people in the little cafe to glance my way.

"Bree, come on! You can't be done with us. Please, you can't," he says softly, his eyes pleading, begging me to calm down. He looks embarrassed that we now have an audience watching us, but I don't feel bad since he brought this upon himself.

"Jay," I say barely above a whisper shaking my head. I swiftly sit back down in my chair and rest my elbows on the table with my face buried in my hands. Tears streak my face, which makes me more angry. He doesn't deserve anyone crying over him. "How could you?" I mutter softly.

"What?"

"How could you," I state strongly looking straight into his eyes. Jay looks around the restaurant hoping to see that people have lost interest in our conversation. "Why would you even come visit me?"

I moved out to London two months ago when I graduated high school, to get away from my problems at home. I have no idea what else I'm doing here. I have no job, no money besides the left over savings from my mom, and I couldn't afford to try for a college education.

The only things that made me happy back in Florida was my boyfriend, now ex, Jay, and my only friend, Reyna. But now Jay disgusts me. I can't look him in the eyes with out my stomach clenching with regret. How could I waste three years with him.

"I-" He speaks up after minutes of silence. "Bree, you know I love you."

"I thought you did, but obviously not." I pause for a moment. "I loved you. I tried so hard to be the perfect girlfriend, for you to look at me the way you looked at other girls, but you never did. You never will. You don't love me.

I loved you, though. I loved you enough to stay with you even when you treated me like shit. But I'm finally awake. I finally see the jerk you are. I'm finally strong enough to leave you. Have a nice life."

I stand up out of my seat as everyone in the small shop stares at me again. I stare coldly at them and most look away.

Pushing the front door open, a little jingle fills the air above my head from the bells on the entrance.

Jay was one of the only people I was close to in my life. I let him in, I trusted him even after all of the times he hurt me. I need to go home to my little shoebox apartment and read a good book with a cup of coffee.

My heels click against the pavement as I walk down an alley shortcut. I get goosebumps from the cold wind nipping at my skin. I don't know if I'll ever get used to this cold weather.

How could I be so stupid. How did I not realize how naïve I was being?

"You okay?" A low husky voice startles me from behind.

I slowly pivot around to see a tall curly haired boy. His eyes are hidden by dark sunglasses even though the sun is setting. A black beanie rests on his head. Small brown curls wrap around the front of the hat framing his face. A piercing hooks on his bottom lip and another on his eyebrow. He wears a white tank top with a black zip up jacket and black skinny jeans, a tattoo peaking up his neck under his jacket. He has a cigarette resting between his fingers, the smoke slowly rising through the air. He's sexy in a bad boy way.

"And who are you?" I ask looking into the shielding sunglasses.

"Mm, American." He brings the cigarette up to his mouth and slowly inhales, then turns his head to me as he exhales the smoke, releasing it around his face.

I just nod at his stupidly obvious remark towards my accent. I head down the alley seeing no reason to stop and chat any more. My eyes feel dry and puffy.