for, lover (Completed; editing)

Chapter 64

Bree
"What did he say to you?" Maddy asks.

"He's fucking crazy!" I yell, gripping the side of my head and screwing my eyes shut.

"Bree! What did he want?!"

She grabs my arms and pulls them down to my sides. I let out a deep breath.

"He wants to get Phillip, Trent, and Reed arrested."

Maddy loosens her grip, puzzled. "Wait, what?"

"He wants to set them up. Get them to be in the same place at the same time. He wanted me to call the cops!"

"Is he crazy? Why is he trying to get involved?"

"I don't know. He said he couldn't move on..."

"He said that? To you?"

I scratch my head. "Yeah, why?"

"He said that he couldn't move on from you?"

"No, just that he couldn't move on."

"From you." She clarifies.

"That isn't what he said, Maddy. I doubt that's what he meant."

"I know for a freakin' fact that's what he meant. You know it too. That's why he's doing all of this."

Miles would not come up with some idiotic plan that puts both of us in danger just so he can prove his undying love for me. That wouldn't even prove anything and he isn't that stupid.

"My head hurts." I groan and pinch the bridge of my nose.

"So are you going to do it?" Maddy says.

"Do what?"

"Help him! Are you going to help get them in jail?"

I sigh. "We can't, Maddy. We've got no proof that Miles' friends killed Selena. I don't see how getting them in the same room would get them arrested."

"Maybe he was trying to get them busted for something else like...hmm, let me think- the fucking drugs?"

She's sassy tonight.

"A little drug charge won't get them in there for that long. It'd have to be the cops finding out where Phillip's supply is and I'd rather not get myself shot again."

"Does Phillip know what you look like?"

"No, I don't think so. None of them do except Levi."

"You could try to get him to sell to you."

"Okay, you've lost your mind. How many times do I have to tell you guys, I am not getting involved! Since when did you acquire your reckless role again?"

"Since I found out there's a way we can get back at those pricks who got away with killing Selena and put you in the hospital." She huffs.

As nice as that would be, we have to be realistic. None of us have the proof we need to report or the resources to get them locked up. It would be a waste of my time and would look really bad if it ended up turning on us in front of the police. A criminal record doesn't really fit my managerial role.

"Miles can go figure out his own shit by himself. I'm done with it."

I start walking back to my bedroom.

"He's trying to do us a favor! I think it's sweet."

"Who's side are you on, Maddy? We can't bring Selena back, the guy who shot me is dead, and I'm with Tony. We've got to learn to let things be. You've got a baby to worry about now."

"A baby who has to grow up not ever getting the chance to meet the snarky, lovable badass that Selena was. She deserves vengeance."

I shake my head and shut my bedroom door again, the last time for the night.

I've got to at least try to sleep in preparation for my last shift tomorrow before my weekend with Tony. At least I'm confident enough to have a stress free time with him after this shitty of a day.

Halfway into my shift the next day, Miles strolls in. Today wasn't even a delivery day.

"What are you doing here?" I snap.

He picks up a bottle of water from the To-Go packages shelf and passes it over for me to scan.

"What's my total?"

"Are you avoiding my question for a reason?"

"Not really." He smirks.

I roll my eyes. "$3.48."

He gasps. "For a bottle of water? This establishment should be ashamed."

"It's not Dasani. If you wanted a cheaper one, you know where you should've gone."

He reaches into his wallet and hands me a five. "I'm glad I could contribute this average American embezzlement and help you reach your irascible quota for today."

Irascible? The goal is for us to be the jerks and make fun of other hot headed idiots, not the other way around.

"You're an asshole."

"A parched asshole. Thanks for the water." He snags the bottle, winks at me, and heads right out the door.

Vanessa walks over to me when she sees my fists forming. She wraps her fingers over my knuckles and lowers my hand onto the counter.

"Is everything okay between you two? I know you guys aren't on the best of terms but that seemed overly crude of him."

I inhale through my mouth and turn to face her. "Honestly, things were better when I was confined to a hospital bed."

"Bree, don't say that. Whatever you're going through, you have people you can talk to about it. When's the last time you went and visited some family? Maybe you could try talking to them."

"My dad doesn't really care about my problems unless it effects him and my mom never gives me any useful advice without a drawn out lecture, so I think it's safe to say I'm on my own for this one."

"Well I'm a good listener if it ever gets too bad. We could do it off the clock. You can tell me everything and I'll do my best to not lecture you or make it about me."

I chuckle. "Thanks Vanessa."

"Anytime." She pays my shoulder and walks off.

I ended up having to close the store because my new shift leader who was supposed to close tonight, called out sick a few minutes before they were scheduled to be here.

It's pitch black when I make it out to my car. I wave to my closing barista and wish them a safe drive home before I slide into the drivers seat. I go to turn my car on and see a piece of paper wedged between my windshield wipers.

Ugh, it's too late at night for this.

I quickly snatch it and get back in my car to lock the doors before I open it up. Miles' handwriting is scribbled across the crumpled piece of paper. It's weird that he insists on leaving me hand written notes instead of just texting me. It's also endearing in a way.

"I fucked up. I'm learning a lot about myself and the appropriate way to act in situations I have no control over. I'm sorry that I keep coming off abrasively and I swear to you I only want what's best for your happiness. It's not my place anymore to make that a priority, but I would still really like to be friends. We never got that chance."