1985
Boston, Massachusetts
"Why did you have to invite her?" Lindsey said, as Conan drove her home.
"She's my friend." Conan wasn't in the mood for a fight and by Lindsey's tone of voice, maybe it was what she wanted.
"What did I tell you..."
"Mom told me to, she's a friend of the family as well."
"Conan..."
"I'll stay as far away as I can be, okay?" Conan reassured her.
"Yeah, but she'll still be there." Lindsey started raising her voice.
"She will, she's friends with Luke, Justin loves her, and so my parents. You don't have to talk to her if you don't want to."
"God, Conan. For once I thought you understood what we talked about."
"And what is that?"
"The fact she's always around you, she likes you, and she wants to be with you."
Conan remained silent for a moment. "And now, I kindly asked you to be away, and you're still not away. This just means you want her too. You kissed her, Conan. Right in front of me."
"I already said..."
"Yeah, and all you said is bullshit. I don't believe you want us to work."
Conan stopped by her house, and walked her to her doorstep. It was time.
"I wish that you did as I say just for once." Lindsey frowned at him.
Conan stared at her for a few seconds, that felt like years. Lindsey was never happy. They dated for a year and a few months and it finally clicked. His life drastically changed after he started dating her. The few friends he had, even in college weren't as close. He felt better alone with them, and with his fellow writers at the Lampoon than with her. She would go to his dorm at three in the morning to convince him to go out and buy fast food, because "she wanted it so bad". He felt used, and she would continue to use him and he had to stop her of doing so.
Conan shook his head. "I do whatever the fuck you say, whenever the fuck you want."
Lindsey's eyes widened. Conan continued speaking, inches away from her, looking down and staring her in the eyes. "I'm tired of it."
He continued, staring at paralyzed Lindsey. "I'm your useful idiot. I'm the one who drives you around, where you want to go. I have to be at your doorstep when you want. You call my parents late at night when I'm not where I'm supposed to be."
Conan shook his head, in what was more of a rant than a confrontation. "It's all about you, all the time. I can't even remember the last time we had sex and I enjoyed it. It's always so one sided. Every time."
He sighed. "I kissed June. I was wrong and I'm sorry. I was looking for the emotional support you never gave me. It was wrong and I regret it."
Lindsey frowned at him, trying to hold back the tears, but he continued. "I won't regret this, though."
She shook her head and finally broke down. "It's over, Lee. It's not working out."
"See?" Lindsey's voice cracked. "I told you she would do this to us."
She was a mess of tears, but Conan was firm on his decision.
"I'm doing this for me. Goodbye, Lindsey."
