venture • lrh

thirty-nine

DEJA VU DATE NIGHT (PART ONE)

*

Luke can't help but read the message over and over again. Somehow it doesn't occur to him that he should react, not to mention he doesn't know how to respond. The words dig more profound than they should, and he tries to formulate a response. He can't help but feel a little overwhelmed by her message.

He was about to text her to ask whether they could talk as well, but he deleted his message. In fact, he typed something entirely different. Something he didn't want to send, but he wanted her to know. Maybe to see if he still had a chance. Yes, he has had sex in the meantime, but that doesn't mean he didn't think about Alexis for a minute. He came to the thought of her while having sex with someone else. Not that even mentioning that to Alexis herself will change her thoughts about it, though.

She can't be moving on. He can't have her moving on.

He's selfish for that, and he knows it. But he can't give a flying fuck about it. She's his girlfriend—in his mind, still.

But as much as Alexis says that Luke was her first love, Alexis was also Luke's first love. Yes, he may have fucked the entire city by now, but he has only loved one girl. Alexis Finley. It hurts equally as much.

However, Alexis hasn't even been able to think of anyone else. She has thought several times that Luke might have moved on, and the thought doesn't comfort her. In fact, the idea aches her tiny, little, fragile heart. If she's ever going to hear about it, it'll hurt her a little less knowing it has been on her mind.

Settling for disappointment isn't always a bad thing to do. It doesn't bring your hopes up, the truth hurts a little less, and it will feel great when you're wrong.

"He is a bitch!" Alexis screams at her roommate. "He is a motherfucking bitch, and I will rip his dick off!" Ashton pauses his game and hangs his headphones on his neck. "How can someone with a dick behave so much like it?!" She exclaims. Of course, she can overreact, and that's exactly what she's doing.

"He hasn't reacted yet?" Ashton asks. Alexis shakes her head and desperately falls on the couch with her head on his lap. Ashton can't help but let a chuckle escape his lips because of her behavior. "You know, him not reacting means he's either busy or thinking about a response. He will react." Ashton informs the girl. Luke and her never really talked through text, not as much as they do in real life, so she doesn't know about his texting behavior as much.

"So, I'm supposed to wait?" She asks her best friend.

Ashton sighs deeply before he looks at the girl. "I'll give you a free pass, okay?" She nods and listens. "Be bold. Give him a time and place to be and be there. Say that if he wants to talk, he should meet you there. If he doesn't talk, he won't show." He places the controller on the coffee table and removes his headset. His hand rakes through her hair. "Give me your phone," Ashton says. Alexis gives him the phone; he unlocks it and starts typing.

LEXIE <3 [13:47]
meet me at theo's tonight, 6 pm

He sends the message and hands her back her phone. Alexis looks at her phone and rolls her eyes. She has never been to that bar. And to be fair, six is a shit time to meet someone. That's around dinner time. Does Ashton expect them to get a four-course meal at a local pub?

"I would never ask him to meet me at some pub," Alexis complains.

"Shut the fuck up," Ashton says. "That's not the correct way of thanking me, and I'd appreciate it if you'd thank me still. You could say it or give me head." Ashton smirks. Alexis immediately sits up and gives him a nudge. A boyish chuckle falls past his lips, and a dimple appears on his cheeks.