Page 14 of End Of Never

Clicking on my phone, I show her all my ideas for the space, “The contractors are starting Monday! I’m hoping to have it up and running in two months. I also put out an ad for workers, vet techs, receptionists, and janitors. I’ve been researching, and I think I just need to go for it.” She plates our food, sliding me a full plate of alfredo.

“I’ll help you on all my days off! If Zyon doesn’t steal my time.” She winks as she swirls her noodles and shoves an entire helping into her mouth.

“Where’s he been anyway? Are you guys even dating, because he’s been a ghost all month?” Her eyes drop as she finishes her bite.

“I don’t even know. He’ll text me back, but it takes him forever. I feel like I’m fighting for a space in his life, but he coaches a traveling basketball team, so I guess he’s busy, and he does travel a lot. I knew what I was signing up for.” Finishing my last bite, I grab our plates and start rinsing them.

“That would be hard. I just wish he took more time for you…” I'm disappointed for my best friend, but I’m determined to savor the high of my success today. “Hey, instead of staying in, want to go out? We haven’t gone out in forever, and I think we deserve a toast… with something other than Root Beer floats.” She throws her head back and laughs, agreeing with my statement.

“Now you’re talking, let's do it.”

Haley and I arrive at The Olive just before the nighttime rush. The Olive is a high-end piano bar, known for their well-shaken cocktails and o’dourves. We both decided to sit at the bar. Haley ordered a martini, and I ordered a Lemonade.

Haley and I sit enjoying our drinks, talking about what’s to come, and then with one statement, she completely throws me off tilt.

“It’s time to make your own slogan.” It wasn’t that I hadn’t thought about it, because I had. It was how she said it.

To say I haven’t thought of him would be a lie. I think of him more than I want to admit. It’s like every time I needed saving, there he was. I remember wondering if it was me, maybe I was defective in some way, sounds crazy, I know. Then, when I finally decided to push all thoughts of him away and put myself back out there again, it couldn’t have gone more wrong. Having sex for the first time after Jace was awful; it hurt, and it was nowhere near enjoyable like Haley makes it seem. Upon reflection, it must be me, right? It had to be, because the last two guys who had slept with me left. Now, I try my best not to think about him or how he made me feel. I often wonder if he would be the same, would he leave? But then my mind catches up with my daydreams, and I realize, he already did. I try my best to forget him until it becomes impossible. I see him in every bridge, every red solo cup, and every body of water. There he is, always a lingering thought, always a what if.

“Lilla?” Snapping me from my daze, “Slogan—oh hell no.” Her eyes beam at the entrance. Turning towards the door, I see exactly what stole her attention. Zyon… walking in with his hand on a woman's hip. Well, that would explain why the asshole has been in ghost mode.

Haley downs her martini and jumps from her seat, storming over to the door. Shit, shit, shit, shit. I chase after her, “Hals, slow down.” Without hesitation or a second thought, she gets right in his face.

Immediately, Zyon removes his hand from the woman’s hip, but it’s too late. “You piece of shit. This is why you’ve been quiet, working, huh? Fucking liar.” She pushes past him and looks at the tall, built blonde standing next to him. “You can have him.” She glances at me, throwing open the door. Passing, Zyon, I mean mug him, stabbing him with my eyes, he’s lucky I didn’t have a utensil because I want to stab the fucker in real life. “Dick,” I say harshly as I pass him.

Meeting Haley outside, she stands by the wall, hunched over, tears falling from her eyes.

“I was being supportive, the non-clingy girlfriend who understood his job. Meanwhile, he was clinging to her.” She sobs now, as she looks back inside. Nope fuck this.

I grab her hand, “Let's go.” Opening the car door, I tell her to get in. We drove down the road to the convenience store. “Wait here.” I jump out and run inside.

There has never been a moment since knowing Haley when she hasn’t shown up for me. In every situation she was there, even when I didn’t allow her to be, she never left. Well, right now my best friend needs a pick me up, she needs a ‘we don’t let assholes win’ moment, and damn it, I’m going to give it to her, because fuck that guy.

Getting back in the car, she looks at my purchase. “Eggs?” I shoot her an evil smile.

“Yes, eggs. Since we are too pretty to go to prison for murder, a simple egging will have to do. Point to his car.” We drive back down the street, and she points to his car; his Mercedes sits neatly against the curb at the corner. We pull into the alley, “Let’s go. All else fails, run like hell.” That makes her smile, while I inconspicuously slide the eggs under my arm, doing a quick drug-like pass.

We stand outside looking at his sleek Mercedes, “This is soooo high school.” She rolls her eyes, looking at the car.

“But you’ll feel better… so, what are you waiting for?” She takes an egg and chucks it hard at his car. It cracks and splatters all over, making her bust out laughing. “Told ya.”

We are eight eggs deep when the alarm goes off. “We are not letting four eggs go to waste. Let’s make these two dollars count.” She laughs again, chucking them as hard as she can, while we both laugh hysterically.

The bar door swings open, and Zyon steps out, using his key fob to shut off his alarm. Then he spots us. “What the fuck, Haley?!” He starts walking over, and she takes the last egg and throws it at him, hitting him right in the dick.

“Nice shot, babe.” I smile proudly, watching my best friend take out all her frustration with eggs.

She marches all of her five-foot-two-inch self over to him. “What the fuck ME?! No, Zyon, what the fuck–you? You ruined us. What we had was good. I hate you.”

“I’m sorry, it just wasn’t working.” With one comment, Haley’s head shoots up from her saddened stance. I grab her by the arm, pulling her away from her murderous temptation.

Looking at Zyon, he knows. He knows he fucked up. Fuck this pompous asshole, with his nice cars, and small dick energy.“Then you TELL someone that! You don’t cheat on them. Fuck off, Zyon. You're lucky it was eggs she was breaking and not your small, sorry ass dick.” We walk back to my car, where I slide my best friend in and take off down the road, leaving Zyon and his egg-filled car.

“Hals. What’s the rule?” She looks down at the floorboard. “Tell me, please.”

With one big inhale, her eyes finally met mine, “We don’t let assholes win.” I nod my head.

“And Zyon was an asshole, we can’t let him win. I get your hurt, be hurt, but don’t think for one minute that you did anything wrong. Fuck him, and fuck the way he made you feel, and you know what? Fuck his expensive car.” Her eyes light up, with a smirk falling across her face.