Always & Forever (Nick & Bailey #2)

48. One Year Later

Bailey:

My mouth is pouting as I finish applying my lipstick.

"Are you done yet?" Mandy asks, sprawled out on my bed. She is wearing a dress so short that at this angle I can see straight up it. I avert my eyes.

"Jesus, Mandy! Cover up! I don't want to see your cooch on my birthday. Can that please be my present?"

"Too late—in more ways than one." She sits up and reaches onto the floor. She picks up a plastic shopping bag and hands it to me.

"Aww...you wrapped it and everything," I say sarcastically.

I rummage through the bag and see various trinkets referring to it being my 21st birthday. There is a sash, a tiara, neon colored shot glasses and...a whistle for some reason.

"Do I really have to bring all this?"

"Yes!" She insists. "I've missed your last two birthdays, and I'm making up for it this year."

I can't say no to that. I place the sash over my shoulder and stick the tiara in my hair. "Alright...let's go."

Before we can leave my bedroom, the text alert on my phone goes off. Mandy is closer and picks it up, looking at the screen before handing it over. "It's him," she says with an eye roll.

I take the phone. "Why are you being so hard on him?"

"I just think it's weird that he breaks up with you a week before your birthday because you wouldn't tell him you love him...but then still feels the need to text you like nothing happened?"

I quickly type a reply, thanking him. "You're too hard on Patrick. He was a nice guy. He just thought I couldn't get over my ex."

"Are you? Over your ex?" Her curiosity evident.

"Of course! Nick and I broke up over a year ago!"

"Alright..." she agrees, unconvincingly.

"I dated Nick for five months. I dated Patrick for nine months. Don't you think, if I still liked an ex, it would be Patrick?"

"Instead of Nick? No. Not necessarily."

I turn around, not responding to her ridiculous conclusions, and try to straighten out the crown on my head with a big "21" in sparkles written across the front. It is so gaudy, which is why Mandy picked it out, I'm sure.

I really wished that she wouldn't have brought up Nick. Now I'm going to be thinking about him all night.

"At least Patrick moved out. Can you imagine if you still had to live with him now?"

I shudder briefly. "No. As upset as I was when he transferred schools, now I see it as a blessing."

"You never should have dated in the first place, if you want my honest opinion."

My mouth drops open, and I turn to her. "Why not?!? He was cute, smart, nice, fun. I could go on."

Although I don't mention it to Mandy, there was one downside to dating Patrick. Derek finally admitted his feelings for Abby over this last summer. But she said she couldn't date him while they lived together. Using Patrick's and my co-dependent relationship as an example of what not to do.

I thought it was slightly unfair of her considering Patrick and I rarely fought, and we never did it in front our roommates. But it was probably true that we may have gone too far, too fast.

"Yes," Mandy continues. "Patrick was perfect on paper. But he was your rebound, and you were his. You don't date your rebound. Have hot and crazy one-time-only sex? Of course! Call each other up when you're feeling lonely and need a warm body? Fantastic idea! But they don't become your boyfriend. Have you even been the slightest bit upset that you guys broke up?"