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I scoffed, shook my head, and looked him directly in the eye. “Fool me once . . .” I said, wiping my cheek.
“Wait—” he started.
I spun on one heel, and didn’t stop walking, until I was down the hall by the foyer where the elevator was. Before I could press the button the bell went off and then the doors began to open and out came Mason, with some girl.
When he looked up, the colour drained from his face and immediately took his arm off the girl.
“Lauren, wait. This isn’t—” he began. Then Nick came around the corner, stopping short. Nick’s eyes widened, then turned to hate as he stared Mason down.
“Who’s this?” the girl asked, crossing her arms. I slowly slipped the ring off my finger, stared at it a moment longer, then looked up at Mason.
“I was his fiancée,” I said, scowling. The girl’s mouth dropped, and she looked away, embarrassed. Mason continued to stare at me, shocked. The ring slipped from my fingers and landed on the tile with a ping. I started to remove his house key from my key chain. “Anything to say for yourself,” I asked, fighting against the anger because if I let it control me, then Mason was going to get a punch in the face no matter what he said.
“I’m sorry.” He replied.
“I bet you are.” I scowled and tried to contain myself but the laughter bellowed from me. Standing there unable to move, thinking of what I could say to hurt him. “I guess I sort of deserved this, huh? Considering I didn’t love you,” I lashed out then left. I didn’t want to see the look on his face after that.
When I got to the parking lot, I heard someone calling my name, but I refused to give in and turn around. As I turned off the alarm and went to open the door, someone grabbed my arm and spun me around.
“Wait!” Nick said , turning me around. I tried to move away, but he grabbed my face in his hands. “Did you mean that?” he said, breathless. I just stared at him. “Lauren.” His thumb stroked across my cheek. I couldn’t tell him; I couldn’t admit, that yes, I still loved him, and no, I never loved Mason.
“I have to go, Nick.” I pulled his hands from my face. “You never loved Mason?” he repeated again and stood against
the door so that I couldn’t open it.
“Please move, Nick,” I said sternly and pushed him back. “Why?” He said anxiously, his chest rose and fell rapidly. “Move!” I yelled, tears streaming down my face uncontrollably. “Tell me why!” He pushed off the car and came at me. “You
chose him over me. Why—why did you do that?” Tears welled in his eyes. “You gave me no choice , Nick!” I screamed, turning away as I sobbed uncontrollably. “You gave me no choice.”
“What?” He grabbed me, but I pushed him away.
“I would have chosen you.” I cried, looking him in the eyes. “That’s the answer to your question.” I turned to my car and opened the door. As I turned to face him with tears streaming down my cheek I said, “I was still in love with you.”
“Lauren,” his voice choked and his shoulders slumped. I watched as his eyes filled with tears.
“But now, I want nothing to do with either of you,” I cried and then got in my car. As I backed up, I watched Nick in my rear view mirror, his fingers laced behind his head as he watched me drive away.
I spent most of the drive trying to convince myself not to turn around and go back. Seeing Nick crying in the rear view mirror was more than I could handle. I was better off without them, I had to believe that. I didn’t know where my mind was when it came to them. No man had ever taken such a hold over me before. Not even Matt. Speaking of Matt, I had not seen him since my out-ofbody experience five months ago.
“Where are you now?” I cried out, the anger burning in me. He had told me to choose wisely. I thought Mason was the right choice. Who did he really mean for me to choose?
The long drive home gave me plenty of time to think. No more tears would be wasted on them. Or any guy, for that matter. I was going to think about myself from now on, and do what I had always wanted to do which was my art. Cassie would be gone in a few months, and I would be alone again. All I had was my art, and my photography. My equipment was packed away somewhere.
It was time to get it out and dive right into it. That was the right decision leaving them behind and moving forward with my dreams, just how Matt had wanted me to. I was happier anyway when I had a camera in my hand.
***** The next few weeks I spent with Cassie going to parties, taking photos and developing them. Within no time Mason and Nick were far from my mind. Mrs. Peterson allowed me to take time off work to concentrate on my passion. I needed this and I needed it now while I was still living with my mother. I started sketching again, which I had not done since high school. A few days a week, I took a stroll down the pier at the beach, watching the water crash against the shore and letting the creativity bug flow through.
***** Then, one weekend, about two months before Cassie was to leave for University, her mother threw a soiree/going away party. I wasn’t even thinking that I might run into Nick and Mason considering it was their cousin’s party but it was also a five hour drive. Robert wasn’t going to make it because of work and I assumed the same for the guys. I had made my way through the crowd twice before I spotted them.
Nick was standing in the middle of the room, wearing black pants and a black jacket over a crisp white collared shirt, his collar and sleeves unbuttoned. My heart lurched in my throat just at the sight of him. He was busy talking to a group of people and I was able to slip by him without being noticed. Mason was at the bar, as per usual, with some girl on his arm. He looked bored. That was when I decided it was time for me to leave, before either of them noticed I was there. It was presumptuous of me to think that I was still a thought in their mind after all this time but I couldn’t chance knowing either way. I found my mother and gave her a big hug and told her to enjoy the rest of her night.
“Are you leaving?” She asked surprised.
“Yes.” I said trying to smile.
“Why?” She stepped away from the woman she was talking to. “Yes, before either of them see me. I don’t want to talk to them
and it has been four months since I’ve had to deal with either of them. I would like to keep it that way.” I stated. “ It would be better to show them how you have moved on,” she said grimacing.
