A Boyfriend Like Him

Everybody Wins

Chapter Forty-One
-Everybody Wins-

Not having a boyfriend anymore really helped with my academic studies, apparently. I had nowhere to be and was planning a very exciting night of study. After work, I stopped to get some dinner at the infamous noodle place near an infamous douchebags accommodation block and headed back to my room by myself.

As I collapsed cross legged onto my bed and opened my text book, I dug into my dinner and I realized this was truly the first time since the second or third day I had been here at Uni that I was free. I wasn't chasing anyone, no one was chasing me. I wasn't worried about how I looked and wasn't concerned about being caught in a sloppy shirt and panties on a bed as I studied. That's right. I wasn't even wearing a bra. I was going girl-commando.
I had been boy crazy in one way or another for almost a month, and I hadn't realized the toll it had taken on me until just now.
But I had my little dorm room with my little bed and most importantly very little thoughts of boys and the drama they apparently brought to the table constantly. Bliss, but I wouldn't have minded if Kathy was home, just quietly.

I awoke refreshed and ready to hit the day, because I had had the world's most non-exhausting night before. I finished classes early today and I was only doing a quick shift at the gym to help Toby out. The world was my oyster, until Taylor started strolling towards me with a girl under his arm. She was blonde, petite, perfect, probably had a terrible voice. I stared wide eyed unable to swallow and hide my hurt until he'd well and truly busted me. Finally looking down to recover some dignity, I moved faster to get past the two of them quicker. I needed this to be over. I wasn't as blissful as I thought. I still cared. A lot. Glancing up to make sure I was still on track he was whispering in her ear and it made my face heat up, and then she smirked at me.
"Hey Buttercup," the girl giggled at me as they passed me, and I instantly saw red as I stopped dead in my tracks.
That. Was. So. Fucking. Low.
I didn't even know why it hurt so badly, but it did. It was like sharing pillow secrets. He'd still been using the name and it hadn't been the same, but it was still ours. That bitch using the name gave it back to the universe. It didn't mean anything. I didn't mean anything to him. I was going to go boa constrictor and swallow that self-obsessed, man whore, ass hole, douche bag whole. Storming off to my class, I had the entire morning to plan my revenge.

I was still pissed when I got to work for my shift around lunch time. I was covering a couple hours for someone, so they could go to the doctors or something. I wasn't sure, all I knew was that my bank account would have a little extra padding this week, which was nice.
"Hey, I just sent Allie off, so get started around here when you're ready," Toby smiled at me as I put my bag in the back room. I smiled at him and crossed the room.
"Is it true Taylor's was kicked out of the gym yesterday?" I asked quietly, after depositing my stuff on the staff table, and Toby glanced at me and then back to his computer.
"Only to keep the atmosphere positive around here. He comes at all hours of the day anyway, he doesn't need to be here nights too while you're here," he replied. "I won't have staff feeling uncomfortable, but he hasn't done anything properly wrong, so he's still welcome here when you're not here."
"Thank you," I gave Toby a small smile. "I really appreciate it."

I left the office and stood at the counter. It was weird working during the day, different people, and surprisingly different vibe. People were so cool and relaxed in the afternoon, during the day, they were in and then they were out. Chatter happened around the room, but not in the same way as at night. I watched the scene with fascination as people filtered in and out of the gym swiping cards as they went. A trainer wandered up and smiled at me.
"Hey, Luce," he grinned.
"Hi Colin, you just finished a personal session?" I asked, and he nodded as he signed off his paperwork and handed it to me to enter it in the computer. He was trim and fit as all Personal Trainers should be. Dark skin, dark eyes, dark hair... He was the epitome of tall, dark and handsome. His voice that was as smooth as whiskey just added to the appeal. Kathy had called dibs the moment she laid eyes on him and I had laughed as disappointment bloomed when I informed her, one of the girl trainers had already beat her to him.
"Yeah, hey listen. The lunch rush is finished and the showers could use a rinse down, can you do the woman's seeing as there are still ladies in there? Allie never got time to do it," He told me. "I've already done the men's."
"Yeah that's fine," I replied. "Man the desk?" I asked him.
"Yeah, I have an hour till my next appointment. Maybe I'll get to sit down for lunch today," he laughed, sinking onto the front desks chair.
"Lucky you," I laughed, leaving him to it.