"Okay, yeah, I said some stuff she didn't like but she needed to hear it."
"What exactly did you say?"
"I'm not talking about this with you." I hold my hand out. "Give me the remote."
He sets it down on the chair across from him. "Did you break up with her?"
"No. Now give me the remote."
"Forget about the fucking TV and tell me what you did."
"I talked to her. That's it."
"About what?"
"About stuff she didn't want to talk about. I didn't even bring it up. She did."
"What did she say?"
"Why don't you just ask her yourself? Sounds like you two have been hanging out a lot."
"What the hell's that's supposed to mean? You think I'm going after Brook? You really think I'd do that?"
When I don't answer, he gets up and walks across the room. "You're a fucking ass."
"Can't argue about that," I mutter.
"So stop doing it," he says, coming up beside me. "Stop being this way. The only reason you do it is to keep people away. And why? So you can end up alone? Is that really what you want?"
"Just go," I tell him.
He huffs. "So predictable. I'm trying to be a friend and you tell me to go." He walks to the door, then turns back. "You know what? I'm not leaving. I don't give a shit if you tell me to go. You can't make me leave. You're stuck in that bed. I can stay here as long as I want and keep talking about shit you don't want to talk about."
I lay back, closing my eyes.
"So now you're going to ignore me?" I hear the chair move as he sits down. "Fine."
He gets quiet and I assume he'll just leave but then I hear him talking.
"She was crying. When I saw her at the elevator, she was crying. I asked her what's wrong and she wouldn't tell me." He pauses. "You're gonna lose her, Dean. She's the best thing that's ever happened to you and you're gonna lose her."
"I'm no good for her," I say, my eyes still closed.
"What was that?"
I open my eyes, staring up at the ceiling. "She may be good for me but I'm not good for her. I'm the worst thing that'll ever happen to her."
"Here we go again. Poor Dean and his horrible life. He doesn't deserve anything good."
"Would you stop with that shit?" I push myself up as best I can, and look at him. "This isn't about me. It's about her. Brook's dad enrolled her in her old school. He's already paid for it. She goes back there, she'll get into a good college. Have a good career. She'll meet some rich guy who will give her the life she wants. The life she deserves."
"And you're deciding that for her?"
I stare back at the ceiling. "I'm not deciding for her. I told her what I think is best. It's up to her to make the decision."
"It's not really a choice when you basically just broke up with her."
"I didn't break up with her. I told her not to plan a future with me."
