The Key to my Heart

Chapter 35: The Right Decision (Marella's P.O.V.)

I'm SOOOOO backed up when it comes to pictures I want to post, but this is one... As you can see from the date, I drew this last month...

NEW ANNOUNCEMENT! ANYONE WHO HAS NOT SEEN SM'S NEW POST ON INSTA GO CHECK IT OUT I'M SURE YOU'LL LIKE IT! Note: this only applies to people after 10:00 am California time. (Tam if you lied I swear you're going to get it)

I couldn't help but notice Dex looked a little down today. Sophie did, too. For a little while, anyway. By the end of the day she was wearing the same smile as Biana. Dex was not so lucky. His mood not seemed to worsen throughout the day. But the scariest thing was: where was Stina? If I had believed for only a second that she had changed, I would be more stupid than her. I, along with most everyone else, knew she was playing him, waiting for the right moment to tear it all down. We tried to warn him, Maruca and I. Some others did, too, but he had turned cold and numb to the world, simply drinking up Stina's lies.

I had always liked Dex. I wanted him, and it broke my heart to see him with Stina. Now, I think he's too broken to ever trust- never mind love- again. So maybe I wanted to go further. But for now, I would just try to be a good friend.

As soon as I got home, I went to my room, shut the door, and called Dex. Sophie had given me his number a long time ago, along with everyone else's. I was missing Tam's and Linh's, but  was sure if I asked, she would give them to me, too. I wondered if any of them were checking in on Dex. Probably not, I answered for myself. They were probably doing special stuff for each other for Valentine's Day.

Dex didn't pick up the first time. Or the second. Or the third. By the fourth unsuccessful call, I have up, flopping back on my bed. Suddenly my phone vibrated, and Dex's face came up on the screen. I thought about not picking, so he would know how I felt, but decided against it.

"Dex?" I asked. You never knew with his family. It could always be one of the triplets' prank calls.

"Yeah," a choked-up voice responded.

"You okay? You sent seen right in school. That's why I called," I added.

Dex sighed. "I'm sorry I didn't pick up. Today's been a really rough day."

"I got that," I said. "But what happened?"

He hesitated before telling me. "Stina broke up with me today. She... never really loved me. She was just playing me. But I don't want any pity," he added quickly, before I could give any. "I should've realized it a long time ago."

I had to agree. "You can be just as oblivious as Sophie sometimes, you know," I told him.

He sighed again. "I know. Well, now I do, anyway..."

There was a heavy silence.

"Well... Thanks for checking in on me, Marella."

I smiled, even though he couldn't see it. "No problem."

More silence. Neither of us was ready to hang up, each waiting for the other.

"Well... Bye, I guess," Dex said eventually.

"Yeah, bye..."

I lowered the phone from my ear and was about to hang up when a thought popped into my head.

"Dex! Are you still there?"

"Yeah."

"Do you want me to come over for a little while? My dad won't mind. And I'm sure it would help you get your mind off of Stina."

"I'll ask my mom... She says you can come for dinner... Beware the triplets, though. They're not going to see this as an innocent little get together." He laughed, as so did I.

"Okay, Dex. I'll see you in a few minutes."

As I hung up, the lingering smile on my face grew wider. I wasn't particularly happy that Dex and Stina had broken up. But I sure was glad she wasn't leading him on anymore. Because it would give me a fighting chance. Not yet. Dex wasn't ready for love, I could tell. He was scarred as broken and needed time to heal. So for now, I would just be a good froend, ready to move on when he was.