The Change

Chapter Sixteen

We rode the bikes home. Once again, Harmony got into the house first, and I was stuck with Corey. "That was great. I had a really fun time!" I smiled.
"Yeah, me too. But you know what would really finish this day off?"
"What?" I smiled. Was it another kiss?
He took out a cigarette. "A good smoke." He took out his lighter.
"Babe, please." I crinkled my nose.
"What?" He asked, smiling. Did he think I was joking?
"Please don't smoke that."
His smile faded. "Why not?"
"I told you, I can't stand the smoke smell, and I don't want to watch you do that to yourself."
"What? Anastasia, its fine. It's just one little, tiny cigarette." He put it up to his mouth.
"Corey, stop!" I raised my voice a little, making him stop.
"Babe!" He chuckled, a "what the heck are you doing" look on his face. "Calm down. I'll be fine."
"Corey, don't do it here. You can do it any other place, but not here where I have to watch you, if you have to do it." I was getting frustrated. Why? Why was he doing this to himself?
"Babe, listen. You said you could live with it. This is part of who I am. So, please, just let me smoke one. Just one, that's it. I promise."
"No, I can't just turn around and pretend it's alright. It doesn't have to be a part of your life, either. You can quit, I know you can."
He rolled his eyes. "That last part is cliche! What's one gonna hurt, babe?"
"Me. I refuse to let you smoke on my property. I refuse to see you do that stuff."
"You know what? You're being kind of a bitch right now, you know that?" He was getting irritated.
Okay, now I'm angry! "Oh, am I?! Sorry I care about you and want you to be healthy! If I'm being such a bitch right now, then why don't you just leave? You probably have a line of girls waiting, anyways!"
I made him angry. "Oh really? Fine, I'll go! To think, I thought I loved you! You're just like all the other girls! Your a bitch, you're a real bitch!" He was so angry, he was tearing up.
"I thought I loved you, too! But no, you're the same. You can't change, Corey! You'll always use the girls who are stupid enough to like you, you'll always do drugs! And to think, I thought I saw a good person in you! But I guess I was just the stupid girl fooling myself while you played me and screwed me over!"
Now, he was hurt. I saw the pain in his eyes. "I thought I loved you." His tears were almost over flowing. "Here, bitch!" He threw a box at me then got on his bike and rode off. I looked down at the box and picked it up. It was small, with a tiny bow on it. I opened it up and gasped. "What?" I whispered, holding the silver chain of the necklace he gave me. On the chain was a golden locket embroidered with flower designs. In it was a picture of Corey and me. A piece of paper fell out. I picked it up and read it.
Dear Anastasia,
Listen, I've never really written any girl a letter, but here it goes. You're not just any other girl, you're smart and beautiful. I'm lucky a guy like me got a girl like you, haha. I know that you don't like it when I smoke, and I've been trying to stop, but it's hard. I'm glad that you're still with me, even though. You've changed me, Ana. I've never wanted to please someone so much as I do right now! I want you to know that I also usually don't get girls anything, so you know just how special you are to me. I got you this locket 'cause it was the only one left, so it was the only one of its kind, like you. You're one in a million, babe.
Love,
Corey ;)
P.S, I know I can be really hard to put up with sometimes, so thanks. Love you.