ALL THE LOVE WE LEAVE BEHIND

Chapter 21

"H-i." I caught my breath, as the door opened, revealing Dylan's brown flaxen eyes, as they immersed in a smile through his canine teeth.

"Hey." He muttered, under his breath, as he stepped out of the way, to let me in.

I sheepishly walked inside, with the dreaded question hovering over my head: What happened?

Through the 20 minutes it took for me to reach from the restaurant to the apartment- I had sorted one thing at least- I needed space- not just from Tyler, but from Dylan as well. If I had made a stupid error like that with Tyler, then there was no guarantee that I wasn't going to do it again, and the thing was- with Dylan- risking our friendship was just off the table. I liked him- so much, but I couldn't- not if it meant losing him.

"How has your day been?" I asked as he tucked his hands into his back pocket.

"Not bad. I got a little work done, while you were away."

"Mhm. What are we doing for dinner?" I tried to have a mellow conversation with him, to distract myself from accepting the decision I had made.

"Whatever you want." He shrugged, but I carried on.

"Um- are you in the mood for sushi-?" I started but me right through.

"Blair, I don't think you should stay here anymore."

"What?" My confusion ate up my words, as I stared into his eyes.

"I mean, if you two are getting back together- then, I wouldn't want things to be complicated. You staying here will cause problems, and I can't take that right now."

"But I'm not getting back with him." I stated with honesty.

"Blair." He scoffed, as I took a step forward.

"Dylan. It's over." I lifted my chin up, as I spoke. "I told him it was over."

"Are you sure?" His pupil dilating, and his tone softening left me muzzy from the inside.

"Ye..s. I promise." I gulped, as he shook his head.

"Okay." His arm relaxed, as his shoulders did the same.

"Are we going to be okay?" I asked, with my fingers crossed.

He hesitated, as his gaze fixed itself on mine, and with my chest pounding for an answer, he finally let out."Yeah. I think we are."

"Promise?''My mood unconsciously transformed to frisky, as he smiled- no fight, no flare-up, and no guilt-tripping- he was about to make this whole distance thing a lot harder than it already was.

"I promise." He exhaled."I do have to head out for a while though, but I'll be home in a few hours."

"Okay." I murmured, as his back turned towards me.

"Dylan."My fingers intertwined with themselves, as my eyes nervously fondled around the room, while he retracted his gaze onto me. "Thank you."

"For what?" He called.

"Being there- despite what I did. I shouldn't have lied to you. I'm sorry," I admitted.

"It's okay Blair, that's what friends are for."He paused, in a flat stare."Just try not to make this an annual thing, okay?" He gesticulated, making my stomach churn and my lips curve into a gleeful smile, as he smirked and made his way out the door.