Locked Hearts

Chapter Thirty Seven

GRACE POV

I woke up with a pounding headache. I groaned in pain trying to lay on my back but something was stopping me. It was then that I realized someone's arms were wrapped around me tightly. Looking down, I only saw my bra covering my chest, panic consumed me seeing hands on my stomach. Who the fuck did I sleep with? I shot up off the bed in a swift movement, only worsening my headache.

"Come back." Kelly whined.

"What the fuck, Kel." I groaned falling into bed again. "Why are you in here?" I held my palm to my forehead.

"Not so loud." She whispered. "Peter snores louder when he's drunk and no way was I sleeping alone on my anniversary." She pulled me to her.

"You're half naked too." I pointed out when I felt her bare skin on mine.

"I needed some type of action and you're soft." She murmured.

"You're weird." I whispered snuggling closer.

"Shh, sleep babe." She cooed, lazily patting my head.

So, I buried my face in my best friend's chest and fell back asleep.

The next time I woke up, it was to a empty bed, Kelly throwing up in the bathroom told me what woke her up. I rolled over to check the time, seeing 2pm flash across my phone screen. Two pills and two glasses of water sat on the night stand.

"I'm never drinking again." My best friend groaned walking out the bathroom.

I silently gave her one glass and one pill while I took the other. Putting on a robe each, we brushed our teeth before stumbling into the kitchen where the smell of bacon came from.

"Good morning." Peter grumbled clearly just as bad as we were, dishing out three plates of food.

Kelly walked over to him and kissed his cheek. "Thanks for the pills, baby."

"Should I be worried that I found you two half naked in bed? Though it was extremely hot." He smirked.

"I mean, threesome?" Kelly grinned.

"Ugh, I'm too hungover and horny for this conversation." I placed my head on the cold counter top.

"I won't say no to that." Peter piped up.

"Stop." I whined. "It's been over a year, have some sympathy."

They laughed at my pain as Peter served us.

"I need to get up and go home but I can't move." I whined, laying on the couch flat on my stomach, eyes on the ground.

"We're leaving, lock up when you're ready. Or you could stay the night again." Kelly bent down and kissed my head.

I mumbled a incoherent response as they left. It was now six in the evening and they had plans with friends. Now I had time time to myself and over think. Yay! I turned over to my back and closed my eyes, all I saw was her. Opening my eyes and getting up because I couldn't take it anymore, I grabbed my stuff to leave once I locked up.

Once home I threw on some workout clothes and trainers. It was dark out by now but I still went for a run. Usually I took out my frustrations at the gym but running calmed me down. As I ran, my mind wouldn't stay off of her. I remembered the first time I saw her, arrogant and flirty but even then I thought of her as breathtaking. The first time we slept together and how different it was to the night she made love to me. The small talks we had that meant so much. 'I love you, cuore mio'. If you loved me, you wouldn't have left me like I meant nothing! Just like that anger consumed me again. I stopped running when I realised I ran further than I wanted to. Looking around, I knew where I ended up so started back to my apartment.

What hurts the most, is the not knowing. I didn't know where she was, if she was doing okay, if she was even alive. She could've moved on by now. Moved on and living her life while I stayed stuck. Stuck with a broken heart and unable to sleep without dreaming about her. Gosh, how much more pathetic could my heart be. Before entering my apartment I looked behind me, the feeling of eyes on me made me uneasy.

I locked the door and double checked the windows. I showered and fell into bed, too tired to make myself something to eat.

●●●

"Shouldn't you be in college?" I asked the young girl who's been staring at me.

"How are you?" She leaned forward, eyes taking me in.

"I'm fine." I answered slowly. "Stop looking at me." I frowned.

She kept scrutinizing me for a moment longer before sighing. She grumbled something under her breath that I didn't understand.

"What's that?" I asked wondering why she was being weirder than usual.

"Nothing." She answered quickly.

"Lena, school." I pointed to my door.

"I'm tired." She whined. "They keep teaching stuff and giving assignments." The girl groaned.

"Yeah, that's the whole point kid." I chuckled. "What?" I asked when she smiled at me.

"Val calls me that." She answered quietly.

I bit my lip as she kept her eyes down. "You mean used to."

"Huh? Oh yeah, used to." She plastered a smile on. "I should get to class."

I watched the blonde grab her stuff and hurried out the door. I shook my head to rid it of her weird behaviour and got back to work.

●●●

The office had mostly emptied by now, leaving only a few of us here. I packed my stuff and grabbed my coat, eager to get to bed. On my way out I ran into Henry.

"Hey, Grace." He smiled that smile that I knew would work on any girl. Any girl whose heart was available that is.

"Henry." I kept walking as he strode beside me.

"I take it that's a no on my invite to dinner?"

I pretended to looked around trying remember where I parked. "I'm sorry, I'm not ready to date." I gave him a brief glance.

"I see. Bad breakup?" We stopped when we got to my car.

I wanted to laugh at that. I was crushed over someone I didn't even date.

"Something like that." I unlocked my door.

"Alright look, over the weekend we're all going out right?" I nodded, remembering Kelly sending out an invite to everyone to unwind. "So say I see you at the bar, I offer to buy you a drink and you say yes. That's it. That's all there is to it." He snapped his fingers and grinned.

I laughed, looking up at him. He did have that boyish charm and looks to make any woman swoon. "Maybe." I smirked.

We said our goodbyes and went our separate ways. I pulled up in a parking spot at my apartment building and got out, reaching for my purse then locking the vehicle. I was almost to the front door when I heard her voice behind me.

"You look even more beautiful than I remember, amore."

-E