Beginnings and Endings [complete]

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

That day, that painful message was all that stuck in my mind. It was Valentines' Day, officially the worst of my life. Even with the sale by the Catholic Student Society from my form, the orders I had to fulfill, it was just so incredibly hard to stop thinking of him and what happened to us, and how I wish I'd done something.

The next day was a holiday, so I ended up sleeping later than usual. My sister started begging to watch a Japanese animation, and I let her choose her favourite since I wasn't in the mood anyway. My mom wasn't paying attention, doing work on her laptop, and my dad was on a business trip. Good thing both my parents were busy today - they hadn't seen me crying, especially when I logged onto this online radio thing, and the first two songs off my playlist that played were My Immortal by Evanescence and Avril Lavigne's My Happy Ending. No, not the best songs to listen to.

I was humming along in depression quietly to myself Everytime by Britney Spears, watching and waiting as my sister put on the movie, Totoro, when my phone trilled. Without a word, I got up to take it. Opening the message and expecting the worst, say something from Alyssa asking me to back the fuck off her boyfriend, it was an ex.

Okay, some FYI stuff here. Mark was my first boyfriend when I was six. Yeah, tell me about hormones starting up early right. He was this tall, Catholic, nice black dude who treated me nothing less than a best friend - we were so young, what did you expect? - and it was my most innocent relationship. I ended it after three, almost four years because it just didn't feel right anymore and I didn't wanna go long distance.

Back to the story.

Mark: Hey! :)

I managed a small smile at his optimism - he always looked on the bright side.

Adrianne: Hey :) Happy Valentines'. But you know, as friends :)

I added that last bit just to emphasize the fact that there was nothing more between us.

Mark: Haha, yeah, that's why I texted. Happy Valentines'! :D

Adrianne: Haha. Who's yours this year?

Mark: Don't have any. Would be great if it was you though, but you probably already have someone else.

Whoa. Where did that come from? My personal, inner alarm appeared out of nowhere, ready to blare the warning signal. I mentally scolded myself - yeah, it was unusual for something like that to be said to an ex, but he didn't imply anything more. Just to check, though...

Adrianne: Oh, haha. Nah. My relationship with Lennox ended last Friday and well, all ties got cut today, so yeah... :/ single and available, I guess...

Mark: Oh, I'm so sorry. You okay?

Adrianne: Yeah, I guess so. I saw it coming, anyway, so yeah.

Mark: If you need anything, just text :)

Adrianne: I am :)

Okay, so maybe that was a stupid comeback.

Mark: Haha. You know, I miss you.

Adrianne: Really? What's there to miss?

Mark: Your smile and sense of humour, mainly :P don't take this the wrong way, but you look pretty now. I saw your latest profile pic.

And my alarm turned red. Shit. I'm so not ready for this, not after something like that Lennox incident! Damn it, you had to be curious, didn't you, Adrianne? I cursed myself inwardly.