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He leaves, and I get up and lock the door after him. This is the first time all week that he’s gone back to his own apartment, and I’m not taking that as a good sign.
I look at my empty apartment and I know that I can’t stay here tonight. I grab my phone and dial Pia’s number.
“Hey, Lila! I was just about to call you. How’s it going?”
“Bad,” I choke out, and she gasps.
“Oh, Lila. Come here. We’ll have a girls’ night.”
“I don’t want to impose.”
“You’re not!” She promises me.
“You’re always welcome here!” Levi calls, and I smile slightly.
“Okay, I’ll be over soon.”
“See you in a bit.”
We hang up and I go to pack a bag. Warren still isn’t back by the time that I’m packed so I leave without saying goodbye to him and head down to my car.
The drive over to Pia’s seems to take forever. When it starts to rain, all I can think is that it seems fitting.
Pia is waiting for me in the lobby of her apartment building and she opens her arms for a hug as soon as she spots me heading her way.
“I’m so sorry, Lila,” she whispers, and I nod, choking back a sob.
“Me too.”
“Let’s go upstairs.”
I nod again, and she links our arms as we head over to the elevator.
Being here is still strange to me. Lila and I grew up living in rundown apartments. We never even dreamed that we would be able to live in an apartment building like this, and definitely not in the penthouse.
Being here still makes me a bit uncomfortable. I’m always afraid that I’m going to break something that I can’t afford. Pia seems to be at home, though, and I’m glad since this is her home now.
We ride up to the top floor in silence. I can feel how worried she is about me, but I don’t have the energy to lie and reassure her that I’m alright. The truth is that I’m not okay. It feels like my heart has been broken and all of the jagged pieces are floating around inside of me.
“Do you want to talk about it?” She asks me gently as we step off of the elevator into the penthouse.
“I don’t know what to say. Everything was going so perfectly. I was really happy, and I know that he was too. Now that he has this job offer, though, he’s going to leave. He won’t choose me,” I say, and the dam breaks with those words.
I cry, and she pulls me into her arms, hugging me tightly.
“He will, Lila. Anyone would. You’re amazing.”
“He loves being a SEAL. He loves being out there. He told me so himself. He said that teaching felt like being sidelined.”
“Maybe he’s changed his mind. I mean, the fact that he didn’t immediately take the new assignment has to mean something, right?” She asks, and I sniffle.
“I don’t know.”
She leads me over to the couch, and I see Levi walk in, take one look at me crying and hurry back out. Seeing his distressed face and how fast he turned around almost has me laughing. Then I remember how Warren left my apartment and my smile drops.
“Want to eat junk food and watch a movie?” Pia asks, and I shrug.
“Sure. I was hoping that I could stay here for a few days. I’m just not ready to see Warren again yet.”
