Chapter 7
Stood Up by a Stranger
Hillary Beck
Icouldn’t believe what had happened. How could I have been so foolish? How could I have let their words get to me? How could I have let them make me dream again of love and perhaps a ‘happily ever after’?
“Hillary? Is everything okay?” Erica’s voice chimed over the phone.
“He stood me up,” I said, stifling the tears that threatened to fall.
“Hillary, I am sorry,” Erica whispered.
“I never should have agreed to this,” I said. “This is all my own fault.”
“No, Hillary, please don’t think like that,” Erica said.
“I waited two hours for him,” I whispered. “Two hours.”
I could still see the looks of pity on the faces of the waiters as I sat there, alone. The humiliation as everyone slowly realized that I had been stood up. The looks of sympathy from other customers, as they kept staring at the single girl sitting at the table and waiting like a fool. Why had I even trusted him? I should have known. I had let hope seep into my heart, and I was left just as heartbroken as I had been before.
“Hillary,” Erica whispered. I could hear the pity in her voice, and I couldn’t take it. I ended the call and dropped the phone in my purse, ignoring it as it started to ring again.
I had done this to myself. I had let myself hope that something good could come out of this. I thought I had learned my lesson. That I knew not to hope and trust anyone, and yet here I was, still hurting. I had let my friend’s words make me dream. As stupid as it seemed, I was actually hoping for a charming dinner, followed by many more as we both slowly fell in love. And then perhaps, I would have my happy ever after.
I was stupid to hope so.
I reached home and collapsed on the sofa, ignoring Erica, who was standing near me. I knew she felt guilty already; I didn’t want to make her feel even worse.
“It’s so pointless,” I said, burying my face in the pillow. “It was just a first date. We didn’t even know each other. I shouldn’t be this upset.”
“It was our doing,” Erica said, sitting next to me. “We made you think that there could be more. We raised your hopes too high. You were already hurting, and we filled your head with all these ideas.”
“I don’t want to think about this,” I said. “I don’t want to talk about this. I’m done. I want to drink, and party, and enjoy and—”
“Alright,” Erica said quickly. “We can go. There’s a new nightclub that just opened, and they have a free pass for today. If we hurry, we can make it in time.”
“Will Christie and Julie be able come with?” I asked, wiping the tears that had escaped my eyes.
“I’ll ask,” she said. “I’m going to go dress up! We are going to party, and have the time of our lives! And I promise you, no more boys!”
∞∞∞
“I swear, I am so fucking angry,” I said, downing another drink. I knew I was pretty drunk already and that I should stop, but I didn’t care. I just wanted to have fun and forget about everything that had happened.
“I am so pissed for you!” Christie said, sipping on her cocktail. “That asshole! He deserves to suffer!”
“You guys, I think you’re drinking a bit too much,” Julie said. Since she was pregnant, she was the only one in our group who was sober.
“Shush,” Erica said, putting a finger on Julie’s lips. “Let us enjoy!”
“A toast!” I chimed over the loud music. “To never falling in love! And to hell with all men!”
I drank down the last of the drink and said, “I think I need another.”
“I think you need to stop,” Julie protested.
“Oh, lighten up,” Erica said. “You’ve become such a sourpuss since you got knocked up.”
