Heart Breaking and Entering

2. cheers, bitch

Macie insisted we went shopping.

While I was completely prepared to spend the weekend on the couch binging Keeping Up With The Kardashians, my best friend wanted nothing more than to distract herself with designer shoes and lacey lingerie.

"What about this one?" She asked, raising a white bustier in front of her tank top. "I think it says, 'I'm modest, but not the prude kind'."

I cracked a smile, tracing my fingers along the edge of the lace. "It's pretty," I said, my voice trailing. Her blue eyes flickered between mine, trying to read my hesitance.

"But?" She cocked a brow, lowering the piece slightly. "You don't like it."

"I didn't say that," I laughed, grabbing the hanger from her and holding it up in front of me. "Seriously, it's gorgeous, I just--" I bit my lip, deciding whether or not to continue. "--I just don't know why you need it."

Her eyes darted to the side and she took the hanger from me, placing it back on the rack. "What if I just want it for me?"

I gave her a sweet smile, placing a hand on her shoulder. "If you like it, you should buy it."

Macie paused, looking between me and the bustier and sighed, "No, you're right. I don't have anyone to show it off to, so I guess I don't need it."

Now, that made me feel bad. I snatched the bustier off the rack and slung it over my shoulder, holding up a finger before she could protest. "I'm buying it for you." She opened her mouth to speak, but I wagged my finger, smiling. "I insist."

"Ugh," she sighed, rolling her eyes. A small smile crept up onto her round cheeks as she shook her head, trailing behind me toward the register.

Shopping was a necessary distraction, but Macie couldn't stay in this state of denial forever. As soon as the weekend of frivolous splurging was over, she'd have to face Declan head on in the halls of Klein Academy on Monday.

Even I wasn't ready for that.

In the shade of a purple canopy outside Beaumont Brew, our favorite hole-in-the-wall coffee shop, we cheersed our almond milk vanilla lattes.

"To freedom." I smiled, clinking my mason jar against hers.

"To my best friend," she continued, blue eyes crinkling. "The only person I know who will never let me down."

My close-lipped smile should have been an indication that it couldn't have been further from the truth. Alas, I sipped my latte anyway.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" I looked up at her, twirling my straw around the glass.

Her glossed lips pursed as she gazed out into the courtyard, sunlight streaming through her blonde locks. "I don't really know what to say; I guess I'm still in shock."

I nodded. "I totally get it. That's normal." But I needed her to talk about it. I needed her to give me an opening. "What exactly happened last night?"

"Um," she paused, sipping her drink. "To be honest, I don't remember most of it. But, from what I do remember, he was making out with some girl in a bedroom." Her eyes fell to the table. "I saw them."

I swallowed, clenching my jaw. "Are you serious?"

She nodded, slurping on her straw. "So I broke it off right then and there, and that's when I came to find you. I didn't know what else to do." She shrugged, combing a lock behind her ear.

"Well, he definitely deserved vodka to the face, then." I scoffed, shaking my head. Macie's lips quirked up into a smile. "That's disgusting. I can't believe him."