{my best mistake} (ONE)

Complicated

"...I love you too."

I exhale. My hands shake, I start to breathe slowly, closing my eyes, and waiting for them to answer.

"No Julia. You don't." Dukes shaky voice comes over the phone.

"Yes. I do." I nod. "I was wrong before, Duke. I love you."

"Okay."

Three months later

Duke and I were sitting next to each other as he fed a grape into my mouth. I see Rose pass by, she didn't take notice of us. Her girlfriend takes her hand, giving me a death stare and walking past. These past months were great. Duke and I got together, like my mom always wanted. Rose stopped hanging out with us and got a girlfriend. Everything was great.

"Wanna hang out today? Party?"

I nod and pick up my bag as the bell rings and we walk off. Thus had become a regular thing, hanging out on Fridays. We walk to our classes, and after school I walk home with him. "I'll be ready in a few."

"Okay I'll call you when were supposed to leave"

I walk into the house, tell my mom what I'm doing, and start getting dressed.i put on some plain jeans and a T-shirt, flopping back down on the bed. My phone buzzes, a text from Duke.

Duke: you ready?
Me: yeah

I head downstairs grabbing a jacket and open the front door to see Duke in the driveway. We walk to his car and I ask "who's party are we even going to?"

He mumbles some name of a guy in his class or whatever and I don't really listen, not really caring. I felt different. I felt..not right.

We arrive at the party, some popular song blaring on a speaker. I'm already tired of this. Duke runs in, grabbing alcohol as soon as he sees it. He chugs it down swiftly, and I walk away from him, not wanting to see it. I see Rose and her girlfriend walk in, and all the sudden it's like my grey world was full of color again.i don't go say hi to her, thinking that she probably doesn't want to talk to me let alone see me. I yawn, bored, and look across to see Duke and some chick kissing. I knew it'd happen. I walk into a nearby bedroom and sit on the bed to think.

I hear a faint knock on the door. "What." I say, annoyed.

The door creaks open and Rose peaks her head in. "Hey."

I sit up and look at her, my eyes watering and drooping. "Hi."

She comes in and sits in the bed with me.

"I saw Duke-"

"Look if you're here to try to give me sympathy, don't. I fucked up, I lead you on. I'm sorry."

"I just wanted to talk to you."

"Why, Rose? Why? Why did you even have to come here and mess with my head? I wish you never even-"

"Met me?! Yeah me either!" We both stand up, our voices raising.

"I fucking get it okay! I messed up, I'm a fuck up, I'm sorry!"

"You're not even sorry! I see you and Duke kissing and holding hands and it hurts Julia, it hurts!"

"Well what the fuck do you think i feel?! You're girlfriend-"

"Is making out with your boyfriend." She breathes heavily, and her voice cracks.

I step closer to her.

"Rose.."

She looks up at me. I push her against the wall and start kissing her passionately. She didn't kiss back at first, but then she started to. I hold her body against my waist and against the wall, pulling her closer. Our kiss is hot and passionate, with her breathing heavily but not stopping.

The door opens.

"Julia what the fuck!" Dukes voice reaches my ears.

I step away from Rose and run after him as he stomps off angrily.

"Duke! Duke i-"

"Save it!"

"Duke you were kissing someone else too! You got drunk! Again!!"

"Bitch I know!"

"How could you do this to me?!"

"How could you do this to me?!"

I was angry. I was done feeling wrong, I was done caring.

"Duke I never loved you."

"I fucking know."

"Then WHY are you with me?! Why did you bring me here?! Why did you kiss me and hold me and walk with me and tell me things if you knew?"

"BECAUSE Julia, I love you!"

He stomps away, stumbling a few times. I roll my eyes and head back inside. The bedroom me and rose were in was replaced by a new couple..

Rose and her girlfriend.

My eyes well up with tears and I storm away, running all the way back home.