Author's Notes: I wanted to thank everyone for the wonderful reviews. I really appreciate it. I wanted to finish this chapter the other day but the characters argued with me so I had to put them in the corner while I finished my Teach For America application. Now that the app is finished I told the characters they could get out of time out. If you see points for improvement please let me know.
Sitting on my couch, crying and staring at the wall wasn’t going to get me anywhere. I knew this was bound to happen. Always, when things are going too well something happens and screws it all up. Sure, me and my relationship phobia screwed it up this time but still, nothing ever last. I decided what I needed right now was some serious chocolate therapy.
I got up and went into my kitchen to see what I could scrounge up. Jackpot, I found ice cream. Will left one of his cartons of Ben and Jerry’s in my freezer. Will. Damn it, I wasn’t going to think about him. Screw it. He’s gone and his ice cream is here, and it’s all mine. I tore off the lid and found he’d left me with, an empty carton. I can’t believe he put an empty ice cream carton in my fridge. I put it back in the freezer. Fine, no chocolatey goodness. If I can’t have chocolate, I’ll just turn to the Captain. “Hello, Captain.” I held up the bottle and peered at the amber liquid. “You and I are going to be good friends tonight. Yup. Forget Will. Don’t need him. Hell, I can buy batteries.” I poured a healthy shot into the glass of Captain Morgan and Diet Coke that I had left on the counter. “Guh. Way too strong. Oh well. Forget you. Trying to change the rules in the middle of it all. Asshole.” I choked down the rest of my drink and stumbled towards my room, falling into the wall a few times.
“Stupid wall, keeps moving. I can hold my liquor, don’t tell me I can’t.” Maybe I shouldn’t have skipped lunch today. “Hello, sweet bed.” I fell forward onto my pillows. Damn, my face hit the pillow Will always uses. It still smells like him. “Note to self, change the sheets.” With that thought, I passed out.
I woke up with my face buried in my pillow. Mmm, Will’s cologne and general scent. I wonder if he’s in the kitchen. “Will. Will, bring me some water please.” Huh, he usually has some smart ass remark on my hung over state by now.
“Will?” Oh yeah, he’s not here. He’s gone. I forgot. Damn. Stupid Will. Ok, stupid me too.
Yuck, my mouth feels like I licked a public restroom floor. Definitely need to brush my teeth. I pulled myself out of bed and felt my way to the bathroom.
“Wow. I look like shit,” I said, staring at my reflection in the bathroom mirror. I picked up my toothbrush, looked at it and dropped in the sink as if it were on fire.
“Damn you, Will.” Great, can’t even brush my teeth without thinking of him. I picked my toothbrush and proceeded to get rid of the hung over taste in my mouth. Taste, Will always tasted good. No, stop thinking about him, not helping matters.
I managed to get the floor taste out of my mouth and decided to scrounge in the kitchen for food. Cereal seemed like a good idea, until I opened the cabinet and found Will’s box of Wheatabix. “O.k., no cereal. Survey says, open the fridge. Damn him!” In the fridge I saw Will’s beer and the buffalo wings he left here last week. I, am dumb. He has been nesting here for ages and it took a toothbrush for me to notice. Good riddance, right? Except, well, Will’s the one I call whenever one of these arrangements end. We talk about what went wrong, why I had to end it. He’d come over and bring me ice cream. Now that he’s the one it ended with, who am I going to eat ice cream with?
That's it. Enough, no more moping about the house. It's not getting me anywhere and, well, I knew this was going to happen anyway, right? Right. It always does. I think I'll go hit up The Espresso Pump for yummy caffeine goodness since there isn‘t any food. Caffeine always makes everything better. Or at least it makes you more awake to deal with everything.
* * * * * *
I ordered my quad, tall, non-fat, no-whip mocha and went to find a cushy chair to sit in. The table I usually sat at with Will was occupied by blonde girl who looked like she was about to fall out of her top. I had seen her there before, always trying to get Will's attention. I laughed to myself because she was completely the opposite of his type. I guess she thought sitting at our usual table was a way to make him pay attention. At least some things hadn't changed. I was about to go tell her to give it up when I saw Will walk in.
Blonde girl started bouncing when she saw him, I was sure we were all going to get a peep show. He waved at her. Wait a minute. He waved at her? He's not supposed to wave at her. He's supposed to ignore and avoid her. That's what he always does.
He's not supposed to actually acknowledge her existence. Doesn't he know that will encourage her? He noticed me and looked shocked for a moment, quickly covering it with his patent-pending cocky smile.
Ok, he’s coming over towards me. Act like you don’t care, don’t look at him. What? He’s going to sit with her? No, no, no, no. He is not supposed to sit with her! We don’t like her. We mock her. He’s sitting with her? Am I in bizarre-o land?
Yeah, I need to go get my eyes checked because it looks like he’s holding her hand. He’s coming over here with her! Look away, oh isn’t that nice grout work on the floor. Dum-dee-dum.
“Hey Buffy,” Will said.
“Oh, Will, I didn’t know you were here.” I think I’ll give him fake grin number four while I stare daggers at the trashy blonde.
“No?” He raised his eyebrow. Damn that cocky eyebrow, you don’t know I could be telling the truth. Shut up eyebrow.
“No, I must’ve totally missed you coming in. Lot on my mind and all.” Ha, I resisted the raised eyebrow look. Now sit down, talk to me and make Barbie go away.
“Yeah, well can’t stay and chat. Just came to meet Harmony. We’re going out for a picnic this afternoon.” He’s testing me. Well, I’m not going to play along.
“Sounds peachy. Will’s a bit rude, we haven’t been introduced. I’m Buffy, nice to meet you Harmony.” Meet you at the edge of a cliff so I can push you off. No, I’m not jealous. He can date vapid blondes if he wants to. I’m not jealous, I’m not.
“Ready to be off pet? Don’t want to keep the ants waiting and all that.” He smirked. He knows. Damn him and that smirk.
“Ok, bye Buffy. It was umm, interesting meeting you.”
“Yeah, it was swell.” I wonder if she’ll deflate if she gets stuck with a pin?
“Buffy.” He cocked his head and looked at me.
“Will.” I will not let him see how much I’m bothered by this.
“Right, we’re off. See you.” Harmony and Spike walked out of The Espresso Pump.
He left, again. Sigh. Definitely time to hit up Ben and Jerry’s.
squawks
05/18/17 04:16 am
pj! I remember wishing one of your stories would be finished seriously about a decade ago. Amazing. I just tried an old password I used to use and amazingly got in too. Memories!
pj
03/20/17 01:20 am
10 yrs later, i finally rem my username and password. Pari, you rock. Hope you are well.
Rabbit_moon1
12/23/16 01:12 pm
I donate every month. Please donate to keep this site up!
AudryDaluz1
10/06/16 08:34 am
Great post.
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:45 pm
And anyone else who loves this site, it's worth mentioning there's a nifty little "Donate" option just below the shout box here! ;)
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:43 pm
Just wanted to take a moment to thank Pari and all the mods for maintaining such a great site!
05/18/17 04:16 am
pj! I remember wishing one of your stories would be finished seriously about a decade ago. Amazing. I just tried an old password I used to use and amazingly got in too. Memories!
pj
03/20/17 01:20 am
10 yrs later, i finally rem my username and password. Pari, you rock. Hope you are well.
Rabbit_moon1
12/23/16 01:12 pm
I donate every month. Please donate to keep this site up!
AudryDaluz1
10/06/16 08:34 am
Great post.
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:45 pm
And anyone else who loves this site, it's worth mentioning there's a nifty little "Donate" option just below the shout box here! ;)
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:43 pm
Just wanted to take a moment to thank Pari and all the mods for maintaining such a great site!