Pictures And Some Memories

Forty One: Heart of Glass

we're only a few chapters away from the end.

god, it feels bittersweet!

to those of you still reading, I see you, I love you, and I hope you're enjoying where the story is heading.

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My eyes snapped open, my breathing rapid as if I'd just finished running a mile. I glanced around, trying to make sense of where I was and get my bearings, only to realize I was in my own bed, Zack just mere inches away. Soft light peeked in around my curtains, signaling to me that morning had arrived.

I glanced at the clock beside me and groaned softly. 7 A.M. I'd just retreated to bed four hours before, and I certainly didn't have much rest in those four hours. I practically pulled an all-nighter at the gallery, putting the last touches on the space before Larkin's scheduled walkthrough... Just a handful of hours away.

I felt my heart leap at that realization, anxiety propelling me to become fully awake now. I immediately turned to Zack in an effort to minimize my stress, only to find him sleeping peacefully beside me.

Ugh, I wish that were me, I couldn't help but think, jealousy getting the best of me. Even so, I leaned over and pecked his cheek before carefully getting out of bed, pulling on one of his t-shirts and a pair of shorts before creeping into the kitchen.

I found myself hesitating at my kitchen sink, staring out the window for what felt like hours, as I tried to coax myself into going through the motions of the day. It felt like every move meant I was just one step closer to seeing Larkin again, and I just couldn't face that; face him.

My stare was so intense that I hadn't noticed that I'd had company in the kitchen. The cabinet door beside me shut with a thud that made me nearly jump out of my skin, and I swore loudly, unable to help myself. "Holy fuck, Alex, you scared me half to death."

"I think it's a French press kind of morning," he murmured, his tone only slightly apologetic as he set the kettle onto the back burner to boil. He reached around me to grab the coffee tin effortlessly, almost like I wasn't even there. I opened my mouth to ask if he was alright when he just raised a finger in my direction, scooping coffee into the glass carafe with the other hand.

"I know you're anxious about today, about seeing Larkin again, and I'm not trying to minimize that, okay? But I need to just... talk... and you just listen for a bit. Trust me, I will be there for you every step of today... but I need my best friend for a minute, okay? We will tackle the bullshit later, but right now, I need you."

His brown eyes burned with an intensity I hadn't seen in quite a bit of time, so much so that I instantly became worried. I swallowed and lowered myself onto a barstool. "What's going on?"

He sighed, and leaned against the counter across from me, opening and closing his mouth a handful of times as he tried to come up with the words. His brow furrowed, the crease between his eyes seemingly permanently etched into his face then. "Okay, so, I guess I'll just start with this: Carly's not coming, after all..."

"I—What? What do you mean, she's not coming? What the hell?" I sputtered, unable to help myself.

His expression grew even more disappointed. "Because she and I broke up last night," he hardly breathed, and my heart immediately dropped. "I think for good, this time," he added, taking Carly's engagement ring out of pocket and tossing it onto the counter. I only just registered he was still wearing the same t-shirt and jeans he'd worn to pick her up from the airport; he hadn't slept at all.