My Only Exception (gxg)

Part 6

When Poppy said that she liked to "have fun", I hated that something resonated within me.

My last relationship ended when I was 18. I dated the same girl all throughout high school, Danielle Jones. It was a toxic relationship, very on and off. We always seemed to be fighting or breaking up about something, and then making up and staying together again for a couple of months. The cycle continued. It wasn't healthy, especially with how young we both were.

Danielle wound up joining the military, which was ultimately why we broke up, and she's 22 and on her second wife now.

I'd like to think I dodged a bullet.

She might have as well with me.

Since then, I've...had fun. I don't hook up with a lot of women, around 10 since I broke up with Danielle, but each hookup was just a fun time for me. I wasn't looking for anything serious at all.

However, unlike Poppy, I made that known upfront, in an effort to not hurt any of the women I was hooking up with. Did that always prevent them from getting hurt? No. But I was always honest.

Once again, unlike Poppy, who led Emily on for months, practically made her fall in love with her, and then hooked up with someone else but made it seem like she did nothing wrong because her and Emily weren't "official".

I'd never do that to someone.

The last time I had hooked up with someone was a couple of months ago, it was actually someone from my high school that I reconnected with on Tinder, Meave Doran. She wasn't out in high school, but I always had a feeling she was into girls.

I was right.

The day after the party at Layla's, I saw Emily. I went over to her house. Emily lives with her parents, and her two younger brothers, Jake and Ethan.

Emily moved back home after she finished college last year, and she has been working as a medical scribe. Her goal is to get enough clinical hours to apply to Physicians Assistant school. Ever since I knew Emily, she's wanted to help people. She originally wanted to go to medical school, but ultimately, she landed on being a PA.

I wasn't going to tell Emily about my interactions with Poppy even if she asked about it, as I figured it could upset her. I didn't want her to think I was checking out Poppy in any kind of way. I also didn't want to mention Poppy hooking up with another poor victim to her.

As Emily and I chilled in her basement, she instead asked me about my nonexistent love life.

"You're really not interested in a relationship at all?" Emily asked me as we sat next to each other on the couch.

"No, I'm not. First off, there's no one I can think of that I want to be in a relationship with, and second, I just don't think I can handle that right now."

Emily smiled at me, "Who knows? Maybe your dream girl will work into the coffee shop one day."

I shrugged but laughed, "Maybe. I can't even think of what my dream girl is, but who knows. I'll keep you posted."

"I just feel bad," Emily contributed, "It's been years since you've dated someone."

"It's okay, Em. I'm not really lonely, it's my choice. Plus, I have a vibrator. I'm fine."

Emily laughed, "Nothing like a vibrator when in need."

"Hey, who knows, you might get to that level with Evan. You're still talking to him, right?"

Emily smiled, "I am. I'm going to see him sometime this week. He's kind of like you, dresses in all dark clothing, he has some tattoos."

"You've gone for that type before, that doesn't surprise me."