Code Red

Chapter 33: He Did It Again

“So, how are you really?” Emma asked after we finished ordering our food.

“Just peachy,” I muttered crossing my arms over my chest and looking out into the dreary day. It resembled my mood.

“Nina,” She groaned.

“We just want to help,” Nicole smiled sympathetically and reached across the table to lay her hand over mine.

“Now tell us, how are you?” Emily asked, her voice firm. She narrowed her eyes at me.

“What do you want me to say guys? That I’m perfectly fine? Nothing happened? Just that my boyfriend’s father abused me and almost beat me to death and that now he is in jail? I can’t dance until the Showcase and my boyfriend broke up with me because he thought it was the right thing to do?! And all I want to do right now is curl up in my bed and watch sad movies and listen to sad music and stay in the dark because there is nothing I can do without someone rushing to my aid and seeing if they can do anything to make me feel better again? No, there is nothing you can do, because I’m miserable and no one can get me Dylan back.” Silence took over the table after I finished my rant and took a calming breath, closing my eyes for a few seconds to calm down the raging headache that was on its way. “But yeah, other than that I’m totally fine.”

“We get your upset,” Nicole said after a moment. “But it’s horrible to see you like this. We just want to be here for you,” She added honestly and Emma and Emily nodded in agreement.

“Okay,” I shrugged, watching as the waiter put down our plates with a smile. “I just don’t know what do anymore.”

“I think you should talk to him,” Emma offered, drenching her salad with dressing.

“Yeah? And what am I supposed to say? Please take me back Dylan!... I don’t think so,” I shook my head and scooped some soup onto my spoon.

“Nothing’s ever going to change if one of you doesn’t take the first step,” Nicole pointed out.

“I’m not going to be the one to run back to him, he should be the one running back to me.” I retorted. I didn’t want to talk about me anymore or Dylan… It seems as if the only topic of this week was me and I was sick of being the center attention. “So Nicole, how’s Ryder?”

And that set the four of us talking just like we used to.

***

I rested in bed starting another season of Gossip Girl late that Friday night. I loved this show and I was in love with Chuck. Why couldn’t I have a Chuck? A bad boy who changed his ways and was always there for Blair. They were so cute… I was actually jealous of a tv show.

As I pressed play, my phone started blaring with a call. My eyes widened as I saw Dylan’s name flashing on the screen. What? What was he doing calling me? I felt my heart rate quicken as I started to think he might be calling me to apologize. Maybe he wants to meet up?

“Hello?” I asked cautiously, after pressing pause.

“Hi sweetheart,” Dylan’s voice flooded through the phone and my breath caught in my throat. I was waiting for him to continue, but all I heard was his heavy breathing. Was there a reason he was calling me? Did he want to get back together or not? I was stuck listening to his breathing as I couldn’t find the right words to say.

But the only thing going through my head was: I was hearing his voice. For the first time in a week, I was hearing it and I was melting. But this wasn’t fair to me!

We broke up! As much as I wish we hadn’t, we had and there was no reason he should be calling me if he didn’t have a purpose. It was already so hard to cope, and just hearing his voice was breaking my heart even more.