***
It’s been an hour, and I’m still nervously sitting by my cell, waiting aimlessly for something, anything from either Scott or Alex.
A knock on the door jolts me, snapping me out of my musing. Furrowing my brows in confusion, I stand and walk to the door, wondering who the hell this could be.
Then it dawns on me. It might be Alex. Maybe she’s come over after Scott gave her my gifts, and she is so happy that she’s here to make up.
I smile widely while picking up my pace to get to the door. I take a calming breath before straightening and opening the door to see… not Alex but Scott.
I frown and sigh exasperatedly while he swallows hard. The look on his face is not one of triumph, and I inwardly die a little. I already know it didn’t go well, but I don’t want to believe it.
“Did you buy her the flowers? The right ones?” I ask.
He nods, pulls out his phone, and shows me a picture. “Daisies and daffodils… a massive bunch. I asked the florist to custom-design it. The thing was huge.”
I glance at the photograph, and he’s right—it’s stunning. Bigger and far more extravagant than the modest bouquet I gave her the first time, yet somehow, it still feels likeus. The same flowers I’d chosen back then for our first outing together.
“And the Mexican, did you get all the tacos and burritos? And the potatoes? Did you get the fiesta potatoes?”
He chuckles. “I got it all, Matt, and the ice cream and the chocolate.”
I nod and take a deep breath while looking at his solemn eyes. “And, did you tell her how sorry I am, and that I need to talk to her if she would just let me?”
He nods while moving from foot to foot awkwardly, like he’s uncomfortable, and my eyes bore into him as my brows scrunch together. “Scott?”
He looks at his cell and winces, bringing up a recording. “Alex did a voice recording for you. Said she wanted you to hear it for yourself, but she didn’t want to talk to you directly. I tried to tell her to call you, but she insisted on letting me record her talking to you instead.”
My stomach somersaults, but I nod and clench my jaw before waving my hand in a signal for him to play my destiny. Instantly, the sound of Alex clearing her throat filters through the air. My body relaxes slightly at finally hearing her, and I lean against the doorframe, getting ready to listen to what she has to say.
“Is it recording?” she asks.
“Yes, go ahead,” Scott replies.
“Okay, Matt, as you know, I’ve been avoiding your calls. Iamdoing this on purpose. Idon’twant to talk to you. I’m alsonotreading your messages, so please don’t send any more. I won’t read them. Donotbother calling or messaging anymore. Our friendship is over…for good. You need to move on and let me go. This is whatIwant, and it’s the only thing thatwillmakemehappy. So please, Matt, to makemeh-happy…” Her voice breaks slightly like she’s trying to fight back the tears. “Let me go.” The recording ends, and I screw up my face.
I look up to Scott, who’s frowning. He puts his cell away and looks at me with sympathy.
“I don’t get it. Why would she do this?”
“I have no idea, man. Alex seemed… infuriated. She threw the flowers in the trash. The food, though, she took. Girl’s gotta eat, I suppose.”
“Did she seem like she meant it?” I ask, and he shrugs.
“Shit, man, I’m not the one to ask about women and their psychology. I’m the worst at reading women… but she seemed all over the place. When I gave her the flowers, she had a slight smile, then it was like something clicked in her mind, and she threw them in the trash. I don’t know, Matt, she seemed…broken. But I honestly think she believes if she can distance herself from you, then she’ll be happy in some twisted way.”
My stomach sinks and I clench my eyes shut, hating this feeling—the feeling of losing her.Alex means so much to me, and I pushed her away because I couldn’t give her what she wants.I was all about stupid fucking rules and not thinking about what was right in front of me.
“She will be happy without me…” I let the words float through the air, hating that I even spoke them. But if that’s how she truly feels, then I guess I have to. It’s all about her happiness, right?
Goddammit, I have to let her go.
Because the only thing I want for Alex is for her to be happy.
And if my chasing after her is going to make her miserable, then I can’t put her through that.
I have to let her go.
“Fuck!” I cuss, slamming my fist against the door.
