As Fortune Would Have It ✔

{Chapter 33}

Andy's pov:

I woke up, head pounding. I had no idea how long I was out, or even where I was. Then, everything came into focus.

I was on the ground in Hallie's living room, cups and other items (which I'd prefer not to name) were strewn all over the floor, undergarments were hanging from the ceiling fan and I frowned in disgust. Did people have any self-control?

Shaking my head, I groaned. I rubbed my hand over my face, and swallowed. I felt so dizzy and my head wouldn't stop pounding. What happened last night?

A clearing of a throat made me open my eyes. A guy was standing in front of me and it took me a second to recognize that it was none other than Ryder.

"What do you want?" I spat.

Ryder shook his head a little, slightly smiling, hands shoved in his pocket. "I just wanted to see how you were doing..."

"And you're doing this because..."

"Well.. there's many reasons, but do they honestly matter?"

Taking in my expression, he tilted his head to the side.

I rolled my eyes in response and he continued.

"Point taken. Okay, want the reasons? Fine. I'll list them. One- the party's over, and two- you were so drunk that you passed out on the floor in the middle of the party. So, I came to see if you were okay."

"So you finally earned enough compassion for me to check now, when you could've checked earlier? Because, y'know, I could've been dead or something, but that's fine, whatever."

"God, are you always this ungrateful? I checked up on you. Doesn't matter when, how, where, anything- at least I did. I could've left you on the floor, just so you know."

"You would've left me on the floor," I claimed. I stood up, the pain rushing out of my body only to swoop back in. I held my head, gritting my teeth.

"Ah, but did I? Here you are, standing up."

"That's only because I used my own two feet to stand."

"At least you're not so co-dependent that you needed my help. Because that's something that I noticed about you and Hallie."

At the sound of her name coming from his mouth, I slammed him against the wall, my arm cutting off his windpipe. "Don't talk about her. I don't want you to EVER utter her name in my presence. You don't know a thing about her, and even though you've lived here for a short time, don't go into thinking that she's into you or wants you or anything, because she doesn't."

He was choking, and I'm guessing I felt a tiny bit sympathetic, so I loosed my hold. He took in a breath, and focused his eyes on mine, the gaze being even harder than mine, if that was even possible.

"I beg to differ. You see, she didn't tell you about the kiss we shared in the kitchen the other day, did she?"

In that moment, my heart shattered into a million pieces. It was one thing when she decided to pick Jake over me, then she dumped him. I thought we'd actually have a shot to be together, because I thought she'd finally see how beautiful and perfect our love could mold into, how I could be everything she wanted and more, but the minute Ryder laid out my death sentence with those 19 words. She picked a rock star over me, it was that obvious. And it hurt. Was I seriously that revolting that she'd pick him over me?

My grip on Ryder faded, and I gasped as he shoved me backwards, and I fell into the couch.

Ryder hovered over me, a wicked gleam in his eyes. "Don't you ever touch me again," he warned. With one final shake of his head, he left me in the living room, and that's when a beeping noise resonated out. I cringed my nose in concentration, trying to identify the location of the sound. Eventually, I placed it to be in the kitchen.

Using the wall as my supporter, I made my way to the kitchen counter where my phone rested.

I grabbed it and went to the lock screen.

4 missed calls:
Hallie Bear ♡

1 new text message:
Hallie Bear ♡

I clicked on the text message.

Code Red

~********~
I pulled into the parking lot of Pizza Hut, resting my hands on the steering wheel as soon as I put it in park. I sighed, closing my eyes. I had been through a lot for Hallie, always have, always will. But- I couldn't bring myself to say what I was about to, although I knew I had no other choice.

I turned the car off, then got out of the driver's side, walking to where Hallie was sitting on the walkway.

Her head was in her hands, and she was sniffling. At the sound of shoes clicking against the cement, she snapped her head up in embarrassment. Once she saw that it was me, she relaxed and I sat next to her.

"Hey, And." she whispered.

"Hi, Hal," I mimicked her tone.

She smiled, but it didn't look real, didn't match her. I knew something was up, although I didn't know what. But, as her best friend, I was determined to find out. "Hallie, what happened?"

She didn't say anything for a minute, then after a moment of silence, she burst into sobs, crying into my shoulder. "Oh, it's so screwed up, Andy," she wailed. "I saw-" She stopped, coughing.

I patted her back and she pulled away, hacking onto the pavement. "Saw what, Hal?"

She sniffled, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. "I saw- I saw Jake and Addie. They were- they were kissing."

My mouth dropped open. "What? No, Addie wouldn't."

"That's what I thought, too. But I was wrong. So wrong." She broke off crying again and I hugged her tightly to me. She held onto me like she was drowing and I relished in it, knowing this was what I always wanted.

She pulled back, eyes glassy. "Andy,"

"Hallie," I whispered. Her nose bumped against mine and before I knew it, her lips melded into mine, her arms locked around my neck, yanking me to her.

She tasted delicious, she was intoxicating. I couldn't get enough of her. Her lips, her arms, all of it was making my head spin. Then, reality set it. Hallie didn't love me. She just didn't have any other option.

I pulled away abruptly, catching her off guard. She fell backwards from the momentum, and I inhaled.

She stood up, as did I, and faced me. "Andy, what's wrong?"

"Us. This. It's not supposed to happen like this."

"What are you talking about?"

I lost it. "I'm talking about the fact that I'm always your last option. I'm talking about the fact that I'm always there for you and yet you choose a stuck- up pop star and a pretty- boy cheater over the guy who's been your everything ever since we were little!" I was shouting but I didn't care.

"Andy-" She pleaded, but I cut her off.

"NO! NO! SHUT UP, HALLIE. JUST STOP. I can't do this anymore. And I think it would be best for all of us if we just called it quits. This is it for us."

Her bottom lip quivered and tears threatened to fall. "Are we not friends anymore?"

I shook my head, coming close to her. "No, it's the end of us as a couple, Hallie, but a whole new beginning to us being closer best friends." I grabbed her waist and she blinked back tears. I lifted her chin and pressed my lips to hers for the final time.

I pulled back, resting my head against hers. "Goodbye, Hallie." I whispered.

Then, I walked away with my pride and dignity, leaving the girl of my dreams behind just as the first drop of rain began to appear.