What's Best For You (Urban Fiction)

FOUR | What's Best For You

Ana's outfit in the MM.

COMMENT & VOTE

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"Anastasia hurry your ass up, he just pulled up"

"Okay, I'm coming" I yelled back. I fixed my outfit in the mirror and looked at myself one last time. I was putting on a show for real today. My jeans hugged my hips and waist, showing off my full grown assets. My black peplum shirt hugged my body as well, showing off my figure in the perfect way. I wanted to show him what he had been missing but not give it all away. I completed my outfit with a pair of heels that made me stand at perfect height of 5'7. I was still much shorter than Derek, which was all that mattered.

There was a knock at the door, and I heard Jessica let him in. They had small talk as I gathered my things and put them inside my clutch heading out of my room and into the living room. He stood there talking to Patrice, yet as soon as I walked in, his eyes lit up and he smiled.

"You ready to go?" He asked me. I must've had a smile as big as it could get because the girls laughed at me as we exited the apartment.

"Have fun!" P yelled.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do" Jessica added.

They shut the door behind them and Derek and I were now alone.

"So where are you taking me?" I asked bubbly, as we walked into the parking lot and hit the key to unlock his BMW G Wagon. Judging by the shoes on his feet, the attire he wore, and the demeanor he had, Derek had done well for himself, and I was even more attracted than ever before.

"Just to lunch, I wanna talk, catch up.. it's been a while" he said to me, opening the passenger door and shutting it once I was in. The car still had the new car smell, it was fresh, not a lot was in it, but the picture of his mom and sister sat in the dashboard, just like it did when we were 17.

"So how'd you get to Atlanta? You living here now?" I asked. He seemed reluctant for a while, and then answered shyly.

"Yeah, I uh.. actually got promoted about two months ago. With my credentials straight out of college and my work ethic, they said I was the perfect fit. So here I am."

"Nice" I smiled to him, yet he didn't smile back. Maybe I read last night all wrong, maybe we all did. Could he really come back just wanting to talk? He pulled into the parking lot of Buffalo Wild Wings and I laughed to myself. "You remembered?"

"Of course I did, you ate chicken wings like all the time" we both laughed "yo' momma used to swear you would turn into one" we enjoyed the memory as we sat parked for a while. He shut the car off and turned serious. "Look Anna, it's something I wanted to tell you.. the real reason I found you" he started. By the way he was speaking, I could tell something was wrong. My smile soon faded, and my attitude changed.

"Derek.. what's wrong? Is everything okay?" I asked cautiously.

He sighed deeply and looked into my eyes. "You know when I was 17, and I left you, I knew it would hurt you, it hurt me too, I promise you it did Anna, it hurt like hell to see you hurting and know that I was the cause.. I really want you to be happy, and I can see that you are on your way to happiness, I know that what happened with us has always been something that's bothered you.."

"Derek, where are you going with this?"

"I love you Anna, I do. I've loved you since the day we met in 7th grade, I've always loved you, and I always will.. but.."

"But what Derek..what?!" I was annoyed and anxious. Why was he hesitating so much?

"But I'm no longer in love with you.. I know you've held onto hope that one day we would be together again, I did too, but there comes a time in life where you have to let go.. and I have to let you go"

I sat there listening to his words wondering why the hell I let myself fall into this situation yet again. False hopes and lucid dreams. How the hell do I rebuild myself from this pain? This man came all the way here to tell me he didn't love me anymore? Led me on like this was something that I could look forward to, like we had a chance. The tears fell from my eyes individually and as I wiped them, he tried to touch me.

"Don't.. don't touch me.. just.. just take me home"

"Anna.."

"Derek! Just take me home!" I shifted in my seat so that I faced the window more than I faced him and cried silently as he backed out of the space and made his way onto the freeway.

About ten minutes later we pulled up to my apartment complex, and when I was about to dodge out of the car, he locked the doors.

"Derek stop playing games!"

"I'm not playing games Anna, just listen"

I sat there irritated and heartbroken yet again, like a damn fool. He looked to me and it seemed like seeing him hurt me again was just as heartbreaking as hearing he didn't love me anymore.

"You're an amazing girl Anastasia.. I just want what's best for you.."

"I always thought you were what was best for me.. but I guess I was wrong." I gathered my things and got out of the car. I turned back around and opened the door to say my final goodbye but he got to it before I did.

"I wanted to also tell you that.. I'm uh.. I'm getting married in about a month, and I wanted you there.. look I had no idea your feelings would still be this strong after all these years Anna, I didn't know.. the wedding is at-" I slammed the door and took off my heels, running up to my apartment, trying to get out of the rain.

I no longer had anything to say to him. No respect for him. No more love for him. I was an idiot to hold on to my feelings for him anyway. He was never coming back and I knew that from the moment he left.. so why did it hurt so bad to say goodbye?

I opened the door to my apartment and noticed that the girls weren't home. I took that as my opportunity to sulk in my sadness. I grabbed a bottle of wine out of the cabinet and a glass, tossing my shoes and clutch down on my bed, I walked into the bathroom. My makeup was screwed. Mascara ran down my face, my foundation had tear stains and my hair was puffing up from the humidity and rain. I was yet again, the trainwreck. I turned on the bath water in my bathroom, and undressed. I slipped into the tub and allowed the water to take me in whole.

So many thoughts were in my head. Who was he marrying? Why her? What did she have that I didn't? He didn't even know how well I was doing for myself, didn't know that I had done everything I wanted in life except for falling in love, because I was waiting on him. He didn't know that I was always here. He didn't know because he didn't try until it was too late. Times like these made me question half of the shit I put myself through. Was it ever worth it or did it mean nothing?

He had the audacity to come to my home, come and say he would take me out, only to humiliate me and break me down once I had just found my strength. He was a monster to me. Derek Dunkin was dead to me, and so were my teenage years. Dead and gone.