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“Whoa!” She squints her eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“He’s gone!” Fresh tears well up again, and I angrily wipe them off. I hate that I’m crying over Alec, but it hurts so much that he didn’t even deem it fit to say goodbye before he left. I feel terrible, and I hate him more for it.
“Gone where?” Ana asks patiently. “Stop crying and talk to me.”
“I don’t know where he’s gone too,” I tell her. “But I haven’t been able to reach him since that day we went shopping. I’ve called him several times, but I can’t reach him.”
“Ask Riley,” she says. “They’re best friends; he’ll know where Alec is. I’m sure he didn’t drop off the earth.”
“Riley doesn’t know,” I cry. “They’re both bastards!”
Ana sighs heavily. “Shouldn’t you be worried about him? I mean, no one goes AWOL like this.”
“I thought so, too, but Riley says he always does this.” Reliving the conversation with my brother makes me even more upset. “He says Alec takes regular business trips, and it’s impossible to reach him when he’s on a trip. He’ll be back, but maybe in a few months.”
“What?” Ana squeaks. “And he couldn’t tell you this?”
“Exactly. That’s why I’m so hurt.” I sniff. “We spent hours together that day shopping and spending a ridiculous amount of his money, but he couldn’t even tell me he'd be gone. I hate him!”
Ana shakes her head. “I cannot believe this. Alec doesn’t strike me as that type of guy.”
“Yes!” I cry. “He has this air of substance that makes you believe he’s above the mindless cruelty of the average guy, but he’s just the same as them. I never want to see him again.”
“I’m sorry, Jas.” Ana’s eyes are sad. “I’m really sorry. It’s not your fault.”
“When I return home, I’m burning everything he bought me,” I growl. “Every single thing. I don’t want a reminder. I’m so—”
“Hey.” Ana grabs my arms. “Relax. Okay? I say this with love, Jasmine; burning those dresses will be the most stupid thing to do.”
“They’re just a reminder of him!”
“For now,” Ana says. “When you wear it on a date with another guy, it’ll remind you of that guy and not Alec anymore. Please, don't burn them; they cost fifteen thousand dollars.”
“I don’t care about the money. It’s not about the money.”
“You’ll get over Alec, Jas,” Ana insists. “Trust me.”
And that’s the most painful part. No one, not even Ana, knows the depth of my affection for Alec. This isn’t just a mindless crush; it’s love. I am in love with him, and love doesn’t just go away with ease. It drives you to the point of insanity and messes with your life.
Tears sting my eyes again, and I almost burst into another round of tears. I will not get over Alec anytime soon. It doesn’t matter what I do. There is no getting over him.
“You know what?” Ana slides me across the seat into her arms. “Let’s go to the club. It’s been so long since we did.”
“I’m not in the mood, Ana.”
“I’m not asking. I’m telling you we’re going to the club,” she says. “I’m not going to let you lounge around and cry over a man who is probably looking for the next girl to trick.”
“But why would he do that to me?” Shock and bewilderment still swirl in my belly. “He sounded so genuine; there was no reason for him to lie. Why did he do it?”
Ana slides off the couch, taking me with her. Together, we walk into her room. “We’re not going to ask why. You know, fuck boys don’t need a reason to be who they are. They’re simply assholes and thrive on the challenge. Instead of asking why he did that, you should be speaking to another man.” She pushes me onto the bed and swings her closet open.
“I’m going to find you the skimpiest, sluttiest outfit for tonight,” she says.
“Ana!”
“What?” She rolls her eyes, sifting through her wardrobe with a serious expression. “It’s up to me to ensure you do not fall into the abyss mourning the loss of Alec. You know what they say, the best way to give over one man is to get under another.”
This makes me laugh despite the ache in my chest. I don’t plan to have sex with a random man from the club tonight, but I can definitely try to unwind and meet more people.
