Tear: A Seaside Novel

Chapter Twenty

Sunday came and went with nothing exciting to report other than the fact that my heart felt like lead, and every time I texted Demetri he refused to answer me. Odd, because he had always been really good about getting back to me when I chatted. But he was teaching, so it was possible he was super busy.

Later that night I was so viciously bored, considering my ultra-expensive phone wasn't buzzing at me, that I turned on TV.

Rumor has it that the D in band AD2 has been seen sneaking around town with someone other than his girlfriend. Our sources tell us that Anjelica Greene was spotted leaving the star's hotel room in the wee hours of the morning this morning with a very satisfied grin on that picture perfect face. Has the rock star dumped the local hottie? Stay tuned to find out!

What. The. Hell.

I threw the remote onto the couch and ran over to the guys' house. I lifted my hand to bang on the door when it suddenly flew open, revealing a very shirtless Alec. Well, no one ever said life was fair, or easy, or awesome.

"What the heck is his problem!" I roared, stomping into the house like a woman on the edge.

"Good evening to you too," Alec muttered behind me.

I ignored him. "First he's all trying to take advantage of me at your house, then spouting nonsense about you and me, and then..." I began to feel hysterical. "He said that he wanted to be first. Of course, that was after his second attempt at getting me out of my dress and into his bed, and then he wouldn't let me go, and then he got all weird and I saw pills and freaked. It was like he was saying goodbye. More like, Sorry Nat, but I'm gonna go screw some movie star instead!" I felt tears coming on but fought them back, allowing my anger to take over. "I've been heart-broken for almost forty-eight hours thinking I've done something tragic to him and he's, he's—"

"Nat," Alec interrupted, his voice severe. "Stop."

"No!" I whipped around and charged toward him, finally poking him in the chest. "You don't get to tell me what to do! You rejected me! Twice — wait, three times!"

Alec rolled his eyes. "Listen, Nat. As much as I'd love to sit here and listen to you complain about my brother's shitty decisions and lack of love for you, I'd rather not. Everything he's done has been for you, and you repay him by coming over here and talking shit? Really?"

"How is him cheating on me doing me a favor? Because I'm dying to know. This ought to be good." I crossed my arms and waited, finally allowing a tear to run down my cheek. I quickly wiped it away and broke eye contact, choosing to look at my Converse rather than Alec's shirtless perfection.

"It's complicated."

My head snapped up. "Of course it is. It's always complicated with you two, and you never tell me why! I don't know why you're here, I don't know why you chose my mom out of all people to see, and I don't know why you have the same stupid tattoo!"

"Get out," Alec snapped, pulling my arm.

"I didn't mean it was stupid, just that—"

"Out." Alec gently pushed me out his door and leaned against the frame. "Nat, go home. We should never have involved you in the first place."

"What are you saying?" I felt my lower lip quiver.

"I'm saying goodbye."

"You're shutting me out," I said numbly, not allowing my heart to believe that I had successfully lost the two boys I loved in the course of a weekend.

He closed his eyes while he whispered, "Family comes first."

"And I'm not family."

Silence.