Page 127 of Awestruck at Dusk
Me:Good night, Liam.
Liam:GN, Red.
The truth is, you can like a lot of people, just as Liam said. There’s plenty of fish in the water, but even after all that happened with Nathan tonight, all I could think of revolved around one specific bluefin tuna.
Can’t Win Them All
September 11, 2010
MY INTERNSHIP ATHaute Magazine was out-of-this-world amazing. I had a great time, I met a lot of interesting people, and I got to collaborate on plenty of fun projects. The routine was therapeutic and helpful for my overall mental state. Working there was so incredibly fast-paced that it didn’t even give me time to think about any other bullshit that usually found its way to the top of my mind.
I still had to deal with the awkwardness of bringing my security detail with me to work, but they kept more of a distance, and sometimes I even forgot about them being there at all. Nobody seemed to care either.
The first few nights following my final breakup with Nathan were tough, though. More than a few times, I double guessed my decision to reject him. But I knew I had to simply observe those emotions and watch them slide away from my mind.
I had to be strong and remember the reasons why I made that choice in the first place. But it was so hard to remember when my heart was just as destroyed as his. I was slowly picking up the scattered pieces of mine, hoping I wouldn’t lose a bit in the process.
Ever since Lily and Joel’s engagement party, I’d been officially sleeping in the guest room. I was still trying to avoid listening to any after-hour activities—if they ever did happen in the first place. But that was the point. Ignoranceisbliss. I was happier that way—at peace. Out of sight, out of mind. But in my case, swap sight for hearing range.
School had started, and all in all, I was feeling better now. I found myself enjoying the sweet rhythm that school and the occasional call from Haute provided. I rarely bumped into William, and if I did, we would say hi, and that’s it. But I would always feel like my blood sugar dropped to an unhealthy level after any sort of interaction with him, and I hated myself for it. For being too responsive to him.
Liam made me skip school today. He was taking me to the US Open Women’s Final match, as he promised, and the event began at 11:00 a.m. Belén Freeman had made it to the finals, as Liam very well predicted, and was competing against her nemesis, Russian tennis player, Zoya Kruschenko.
Liam:I’m on my way to your place, and we’ll leave together, sounds good?
Me:Hey! Sure. I’m at Lily’s. I’ll meet you here.
Liam:Brilliant. AND a little bird told me (Tobias) that William and Rachel have called it quits. So I’m guessing we’ll have to start plotting something. We need to get him while he’s fresh out of the newly single’s oven.
Shit. I couldn’t say my stomach didn’t heat up from the shock. Was it nerves? Excitement? I couldn’t stop staring at Liam’s text as I allowed for the news to sink in. Not that it would in any way change my null relationship with William.
“Where’d you go?” Lily asked, waving a hand in front of my face. “Everything okay?”
“Uh, yeah.” I smiled. “Liam’s on his way. I was just thinking about an assignment I had to turn in today, but I’ll send an email to my instructor.”Right.
I dropped my phone on the coffee table, and Lily and I resumed our talk about her wedding plans. They wanted to get married next spring. They still didn’t know where or how many people would attend.
Joel wanted something small and intimate, and Lily wanted to go crazy with the wedding. I was #teamjoel on the inside, but I had to support Lily, especially since she’d asked me to be her maid of honor. And I hadno ideaof what that meant or the responsibilities that went with the gig, but my common sense told me I had to agree with Lily on everything and keep her as happy as possible. I could googlemaid of honor dutiesany other day.
Liam arrived fifteen minutes later. “I get so anxious when she plays, and I can’t stop peeing every five bloody minutes!” He complained, rushing to Lily’s guest bathroom. “Don’t let me have a single beer in the stadium! Plus, they cost a bomb!” he shouted as he shut the door behind him. Lily and I laughed.
Joel walked out of his bedroom with a grimace. “Who keeps shouting? I was trying to take a nap.”
“Joel, it’s the middle of the morning,” I reminded him. He was such a sleepyhead. “Aren’t naps usually taken in the afternoon?”
“Not when you’re a newborn baby.” Lily joked, sticking her tongue out to him.
“Ha-ha.” Joel stretched himself as he walked in our direction. He threw himself beside Lily with a grunt and kissed the top of her head.
There was a soft knock on the door, and Lily shouted, “Liam, would you get that!” Liam rushed out of the bathroom and saw to the door.
“So where are you guys going?” Joel asked.
“US Open,” I replied. “That Freeman girl Liam likes made it to the final.”
“Isn’t she like sixteen years old?” Joel asked with a frown.
“Seventeen,” Liam corrected, walking toward the living room. William followed him, and I almost sank into the couch.
