Page 34 of Meant to Be

“It’s okay. They weren’t dating or anything. It shouldn’t be that awkward.”

Belle looks at me with a small frown. “She’s pretty serious about him, from the sound of it.”

I shrug, eyes lowering to my drink. “Well. That sucks for her.”

“Bitch,” Belle snickers, a playful smile dancing on her lips. “You and Nick were together in high school, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you know Brennon?”

“Ugh,” I scoff. “Yes. I hate him.”

“Oh.” Her face falls.

“Why do you ask?”

“I’ve been sleeping with him for two months,” she says casually.

“Is he any good?” I ask.

“He’s pretty good.”

“I hope he’s a better person than he was four years ago,” I say bitterly, running my tongue across my teeth.

“What happened four years ago?” Belle asks curiously, leaning forward, a crease denting her forehead.

I wave off her words. I walked into that one. “Another story for another time.”

“I’m holding you to that.” She points a finger at me, then takes a long drink. The ice clinks against the glass. “Are you going to the rodeo?”

“I guess. Nothing else to do.”

“Okay. I’ll pick you up.”

“Come over early. We can have drinks?” I suggest.

Belle grins, her face lighting up. “Sounds good to me.”

We spend another hour at the pub. I learn she’s a traveller. She stays about a year at one place before moving on to the next. This is the furthest west she’s been, and says it will be as far as she goes. I can’t blame her for that; I feel the same.

When we part ways, I spot Harley leaning against the corner of the pub, hidden from the main street but still in view enough that I can see him. He blows out a cloud of smoke and tilts his head back. He looks thoughtful as he gazes at the sky. I drag my eyes from him and walk home, blocking out everything I’ve ever felt about him. Because none of it matters now.

The sound of my phone vibrating on my bedside table meets my ears when I walk through the front door. I almost forgot about my phone, which is laughable. I was so attached to it once. Now I don’t take it anywhere with me. I stare down at the screen.

Elliot.

I watch it ring out, the screen eventually going black.

Memories plague my mind as I go about my nightly routine and step inside the shower …

The bright lights make me feel dizzy as Elsa drags me through the crowd. We have gone on the Gravity Spin four times in a row, almost throwing up on the last round. We stumble towards the boys. Elsa’s boyfriend wraps his arms around her, showering her with kisses, before plucking a bit of cotton candy and placing it into her mouth.

“Where have you been?”

I tear my eyes from Elsa and Wayne—who remind me so much of myself and Nick—to Elliot’s stormy eyes.

“With Elsa.”