Dare Me Not | 18+ ✔

15. Fix It with Money (Parker)

What did just happen? Did he wake up on the wrong side of the bed or what? His swinging mood was worse than the emotional roller coaster of a PMS-ing girl. We talked just fine several minutes before, and in one blink of an eye, he was back to that stiff asshole again. He left our convo abruptly like a man with an anger issue. Did I say something wrong to him? I was only talking about fun stuff to do on weekends.

That dude needs a chill pill.

As soon as I'm in my office again, I kick my high heels off my feet, change into my flat shoes, and plop down on my chair. I swivel to face the window and watch the heavy traffic on the street. There is no point in driving home right now. I would get stuck for an hour on the road, bored and irritated.

Right when I'm about to start my PowerPoint, my phone chimes. Mom's caller ID is blinking on the screen.

"Hi, Mom," I greet her, leaning back in my chair.

"Hi, sweetie," she replies through her sniffles.

I frown. "Are you crying?"

She chuckles and sobs at the same time. "Just a little bit. I'm fine now. I just wanted to hear your voice."

If she thinks I buy her bullshit, she's wrong. "What happened?"

"It's...it's nothing. Don't worry."

"What happened?" I ask again in a firmer tone. "What did Rick do?"

She breaks into tears at the mention of her boyfriend, and I wait until she can collect herself together. "I think he's seeing someone else," she says eventually.

"Why do you think that?"

"We talked last night, and he said he wanted to have an open relationship."

"A what?" I sit up straight. "So, he basically asked your permission to fuck someone else?"

"Well, I'm also free to date someone else, to be fair. He will still be committed to me, but he just wanted to explore more out there."

I close my eyes and heave a sigh. I knew this moment would arrive. "The question is, do you want to be in an open relationship?"

"I...don't know. I'm still trying to see if it's going to be good for both of us."

"The fact that you're crying is enough evidence that you don't want this."

"This is just something new. I've been cheated before, including by your dad —he was the worst among all, but this is the first time that my boyfriend communicated his needs to me up front." She sniffles again, followed by a shuffling noise. She must be in bed now. "It feels right because he respects me enough to say what he wants, but picturing him going out on a date with another woman scares me."

"What you feel is valid. If you can't handle it, reject his idea."

"But sweety, I don't want to be the selfish one," she says. "I know things have been tough around here. After the rejection of his last audition, he's a little bit off balance and not being himself. And I don't have the heart to reject his request now."

"How on earth does it become your fault? Being upfront with what you feel isn't being selfish. Why put yourself in that situation over and over again?" I prop myself up before pacing back and forth, frustration building up inside me. "If your feelings don't matter to him, then you should take a hard look at your relationship. What are you looking for from this?"

"I know you're not into relationships, so it's hard to make you understand, sweetie. I want this." Her delicate voice is shaking. "I want him, but the way he wants to navigate our journey together is a little bit scary. But I trust him, sweetie, I trust him with all my heart."