Delirium

Chapter 9

Griffin's name appeared on her screen. Ella's eyes met her friends. Esteé motioned for her to answer. She took a deep breath accepting the call. His words began to mumble as he spoke, "Elle?"

The voice belonged to someone other than her boyfriend, "Dallas?" Ella could tell he had been drinking.

"I didn't have your number, so I had to call from my brother's phone." Dallas slurred.

"Okay?" she replied confused.

"I wanted to apologize for my actions earlier. I didn't mean to hold you like that. It was wrong of me. I just. . ." There was a heavy sigh, "Never mind. I'm just sorry Ella."

"It's okay Dallas." She said as he hung up.

She had hoped he hadn't regretted it. It seemed as if he did but the tone in his voice said otherwise. No matter their wretched history, he still had her heart to this day. She may have left that fateful night but needed to figure out who she was. Ella had lost herself in their relationship.

She always hated how Dallas didn't deal with confrontation. He would rather shut the person out and pretend he didn't know them. He always threw the blame on the other person rather than accepting that he may be the issue. Somehow she ignored the red flags at the start.

Years later she was a veterinarian, in Nashville, Tennessee, making herself known. Dallas was the infamous soul he always had planned to be and he seemed to have a change of heart.

Her phone rang again. Ella picked it up checking the contact. Skyler 'Sky' Jorden. Skyler was Ella's roommate and best friend at Western State. She and Sky had hit it right off when they met. Sky was very shy at first and confused about who she was.

Ella answered her call, putting it on speaker.

"Hey, girl!" Skyler beamed on the other end of the phone.

"Hey, Sky," Ella said as she picked up a stack of bills.

"Ella guess what?"

She flipped through the envelopes, "Hmm?"

"Zara finally proposed!" Skyler squealed.

Her heart plummeted. One of her closest friends was getting engaged at the age of twenty-four, while she was still searching.

"That's great Skyler."

"What's wrong Elle?" Sky asked.

"Nothing really, confused about how I feel, I guess."

"You still love Dallas don't you?"

Ella felt her eyes widen, "What, no!"

"I can't see you right now, but I bet a lie is written all across your gorgeous face."

"Okay, maybe I do Sky but he'd just cheat again. 'Once a cheater always a cheater.'" Ella stated.

An awkward silence droned on. It made her uncomfortable. "Well, that is true Ella. But that was a long time ago. Maybe he's changed."

"He cheated on Elizabeth Lee." She murmured.

"First of all, I heard that. Second of all, Elizabeth is a nutcase." Skyler paused, "What is that saying about people named 'Elizabeth'"

"'Anyone with the name Elizabeth is crazy.'" She hastened, " Not everyone with the name Elizabeth is insane."

"Not all but this one is."

They both laughed.

"My trust for him is still diminished." Ella scoffed.

"Well, going back to an old relationship like that I would be cautious too." Sky said. "Dallas is an adult now, he should know better than that."

"You're right. I just need to end my relationship with Griffin." Her heart gave a squeeze, "I just don't want to hurt him. He's so much like his brother, he's going to be pissed if I even bring the word breakup up."

"Tell him to mature. Life is not all about him. Tell Griff 'Life's tough. Get a helmet.'"

"Did you just quote Boy Meets World, Sky?" Ella laughed.

"Maybe."

"I want a second shot at Dallas, Sky. But I bet he's still bitter at me for getting up and just leaving." She sighed.

"Life's all about choices and changes Ella. We can't just shut someone out because they do something we don't like."

"Are you getting ready to quote Boy Meets World?"

"'There's going to be a lot of changes in your life, Ella. It's not the changes that matter. It's how you react to the changes. That's what makes you who you are.'"

"Eric Matthews."

"Damn, when did I get so wise?" Sky said on the other end.

"You are smart when you want to be." Ella giggled.

"Fair." She muffled, "Listen Ella, I'd love to talk more but I have to get going. Zara is fussing at me."

"I can hear her. She's been yelling for the past five minutes." She rolled her eyes smiling.

"Well I gotta go. Love ya, Elle."

"Love you too, Sky." She said hanging up.

Ella got up off the couch and headed toward her front door. She opened it and headed toward her car.

She knocked on Dallas' front door. A few seconds later, the bronze knob giggled. It was time to face the reality of how she truly felt.