Signed Away

20

The smell of bacon woke me up the next morning.

I looked at the clothes sprawled across the floor and then down to my naked body. A sad feeling rushed through me and I tried to push it away.

I quickly got dressed and walked out to see Declan in the kitchen cooking some breakfast.

"Good morning sunshine." Declan grinned at me.

He came over and wrapped me into a hug.

"2 cream, 2 sugar just how you like it." He handed me a cup of coffee.

"Thanks." I forced a smile and took the mug from him.

"Listen. I have to get to work soon, but just make yourself comfortable here okay?"

"Okay." I nodded at him.

He had a pleased look on his face as he rushed to go get changed. I was almost done eating when he left the apartment.

After cleaning up the dishes, I went to his living room and I was shocked to see that he still had pictures of us up.

A smile stretched across my face when my eyes landed on my favorite picture of us. We were at the carnival. I was leaning against him and he had his arm around me. We were laughing about something I don't remember.

I had a track record of getting hurt by people I let myself be vulnerable with. Whether it was family, friends, or boyfriends I couldn't seem to catch a break. I can't help, but feel like maybe I'm the problem?

Maybe I deserved this. Whatever this pain was.

Declan was safe. In the end he would never leave me. He's like a safety net I can always fall back on.

I went to go explore the apartment some more when I heard someone yell from the other side of the door.

"Open this door right now!" The voice boomed.

I cautiously looked through the peephole to see a very angry Alicia standing there.

I stayed silent.

"I know you're there Lottie. Open the door." She said more sternly.

I cracked the door open just slightly. "What do you want?"

"What do you think you're doing?" Alicia demanded.

"Nothing?"

"Get your stuff and get out of there."

"You don't get to tell me what to do." I responded angrily. "How'd you know I was here anyways."

"Alex called me worried yesterday when you didn't come home last night. He thought you were with me."

Alex was worried? Yea right.

"So imagine my surprise when I ran into Declan on the way out to work and he told me you had spent the night." She continued.

I didn't respond. I had no words.

She let out a sigh. Her face softened as she tries to push the door open, but I stopped it. "Lottie.. Please. Why on earth would you go back to him. I thought we had handled this."

"It is handled. Now please leave."

"Lottie I am so so sorry about yesterday. Both Ashely and me felt so bad. We were just frustrated and couldn't understand why you wouldn't want a relationship with Alex because he told Ash that he really liked you and me being your best friend can clearly tell you like him too."

"He doesn't like me." I deadpanned.

"Yes he does."

"Then why did he tell me I meant nothing and got back with Cassie."