An Unlikely Romance

Chapter eight

I sit there, dumbstruck. I am slightly confused that Tom had just walked out of his own room but I think he was as shocked as I was about what had happened. I stand up and brush myself off even though I have nothing on me. I walk out of Tom's room and into mine.

It is super early in the morning so I decide to take a quick nap. I wake up about two hours later and walk downstairs where they are still serving breakfast.

I sit down alone and fix myself a bowl of cereal. I am halfway through my bowl when Gavin sits down across from me.

"Oh uh, hey Gavin," I say awkwardly.

"Hi Nicole," he says, smiling. I stare at him for a second, trying to figure out what's going on. Last night, er this morning really, he was giving Tom a bloody nose and yelling at me and now he's sitting down with me like nothing's happened.

"Are you okay?" I ask cautiously.

His smile falters for a second. "Of course I'm okay. Are you?" he asks.

"Yeah but about earlier-"

"Let's not talk about that. The past is the past and we can just forget that ever happened," he says.

"Okay..." I say reluctantly. Gavin smiles against and gets up to get some good. I look back down at my cereal. When I glance up, I see Tom sitting alone at the table. We make eye contact for a second and my skin begins to heat up. He looks away quickly.

Gavin sits back down and notices me looking at Tom.

"I thought I made it clear that I didn't want you to have anything to do with Tom," Gavin says, not even looking up.

"I didn't even do anything what are you talking about?" I ask him.

"I saw you and him look at each other," Gavin replies.

"It doesn't mean anything," I say, scowling down at my cereal. This is ridiculous. I understand that Gavin is my boyfriend, but that doesn't mean it is a sin to make eye contact with someone else.

"Nicole, you've got to understand, you're my girlfriend and you shouldn't be hanging out with other guys," he says.

"I shouldn't hang out with other guys?" I ask, not entirely sure I heard him right.

"That's what I said," he says, still looking down at his food. He's saying everything calmly and it feels eerie. I sigh. I'm just done.

"You know what Gavin? You're too controlling, you get jealous way too easily, and you treat me as if you own me." I say an stand up in my chair. I don't want to make a scene, but I was just over all of Gavin's issues.

"Where are you going with this?"

"We're done." I say, stifling my emotions.

"Excuse me?"

"Yeah. I'm breaking up with you."

He scoffs, "Yeah right, stop trying to be dramatic. Sit back down and finish your breakfast."

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," I say, "I just said I am breaking up with you but you are still trying to tell me what to do!"

"You are not breaking up with me," he says in the same calm tone.

"Yes I am," I say, mimicking his tone. He rolls his eyes and stands up too.

"I've got to go do some stuff. I'll be by your room later so we can get dinner," he says.

"No."

"Yes we are. I'll see you later," he says before walking away. I huff in frustration. Why is Gavin acting like a psycho... and why didn't I notice it before?