Chapter 33
Marcela
A week has passed since Theo broke off our fake relationship and it’s been two days since the girls visited me, and in that time, I’ve gone through a range of emotions.
Confusion and heartache to start, followed by an emotion that everyone searches for.
Love.
Since realizing that I’m in love with Theo, it’s all that I’ve felt. And it’s made everything around me brighter somehow. Making my cup of tea in the morning has a little more pizazz than before. Listening to love songs makes my body feel fuzzy with joy from memories of him.
My body feels lighter with each step that I take.
There’s a reason they say love is the closest thing we have to magic, because it isn’t tangible. It’s something we believe in and feel.
My creativity has never been so high, and I ended up finishing my novel. The love and support from my readers throughout this journey has given me the confidence to start working on self-publishing this for real.
The burst of creativity also gave me an idea of how to tell Theo that I’m in love with him. I can only hope Theo still feels the same way, and isn’t too upset that I haven’t reached out to him in the last week.
I think we both needed the time—at least I did—to figure my feelings out on my own and be sure of what they really were. I also needed the time to finish what I am using to tell Theo how I feel about him.
And now, I’m finally ready to open myself up in a way I haven’t before.
Checking the time, I realize I have to leave my apartment now. Robin is supposed to be on her way to Theo’s. I reached out to her yesterday and asked if she could do me a favor, since I needed someone to deliver what I’d made to his house.
My stomach rattles with nerves as I get dressed in my peacoat, scarf, hat, and gloves. It’s only five in the evening, but it’s already dark out and the temperature has dropped significantly.
Minutes later, I make my way out of my building and toward our spot.
The one where we first bared our souls to each other. Under the stars, on top of the hill, away from the world below us.
I walk with an extra pep in my step, excited but simultaneously nervous to see Theo for the first time in a week. I’m lost in my own world, and don’t realize how out of it I am until I crash into someone.
I look up to see a familiar shade of purple-red hair, whose green eyes shoot daggers at me.
Ruby.
I decide to ignore her and move past her when she blows a cloud of cigarette smoke right in my face. “Still lame as ever,” she snarks.
Something inside of me snaps. I’m fed up with the way she’s treated me. I stop in my tracks and turn to face her, squaring my shoulders as I stare her down with a confidence I once lacked. I used to only find power in my words, but I’m learning my voice has power too.
“And you are still as rude and lonely as ever. You’ve always loved knocking other people down so you could feel better about yourself. You’ve always said I’m too nice, so I’ll be nice one last time. I really hope you find happiness. I hope you never hurt someone the way you’ve hurt me, for someone who ended up leaving you the same way. I hope you’ll find a version of yourself that you actually like, and don’t rely on making others feel bad to do so.”
I let out a large breath after my speech, watching as her eyes fill with tears she doesn’t let fall. Ruby’s facade slowly crumbles as a tear escapes, which she wipes away quickly before wrapping her arms around her body protectively.
“I dumped him, you know,” she says quietly.
That makes my head tilt in confusion, because Hunter told me he was the one who broke up with her.
“Smart choice,” I respond, not feeling bad in the slightest that they didn’t work out.
“I found out he got Aspen’s football coach’s wife pregnant,” she says, stunning me into silence.
Theo always wondered why he made the sudden switch to RLU, and now I know why.
“She’s five months along, which means he cheated on me. I guess I got what I deserved,” her voice drips with sarcasm and sadness all at once.
Old Marcela would have felt bad and jumped to comfort her. But the new me can’t find it in me to care.
When I don’t move to reply to that, she continues.
“The fucked up part is the coach’s daughter told me. Her dad is planning to go public with the information and wants to make sure Hunter’s career is ruined, since Hunter ruined his life. Because of that, their daughter’s entire life is blown up because of a man who can’t keep his dick in his pants,” she shakes her head as her voice shakes. “It made me realize how much cheating can really hurt others, so I just want to say I’m sorry. I know it doesn’t fix anything, but I needed to say it.”
Not that I needed to hear her apologize, but it is a small comfort.
“Thank you. I hope you have a good life,” I say in parting as I sidestep her and keep on moving to my destination. My mom always said to kill people with kindness, and that’s exactly what I’m doing.
It feels good to have closure with Ruby, and officially end that part of my life.
The only thing left to do now is continue the chapter of Theo and me.
As I make my way to the top of the hill, I peer up at the pink and purple night sky with stars shining across it.
It’s a beautiful night, and I can only hope that it gets better with Theo by my side. If he doesn’t come, it’ll mean he’s changed his mind in the last week, and I’ll have to piece myself back together once again.
But how do you put yourself back together when the one that helped you through the last time is the one now breaking your heart?
Let’s just hope I don’t have to find out.