The Break Up

In this chapter, it's more about Reese and how his parents are fighting. It shows how he's liked Mariah from the beginning. He breaks up with Rainy, his girlfriend.

Chapter 2:

The Breakup

I rolled over in my bed and took my phone in hand. It was light up with a text. I opened it.

 Melany: Where are we having Christmas?????

 Every Christmas, Melany and I’s family spend it together at either’s house.

 I texted back: Can’t have Christmas! I have to have it with Amy’s family. I’m sorry hon, maybe next year.

 Melany: :( Maybe you and Reese could hook up or something. Something is always throwing you guys together. I mean you guys are meant to be!!

 ME: Shut up and got to bed. Love you! Cake ;)

 Melany: Love you too. Pie ☺

 I smiled, closed my phone and pulled the covers up over my shoulders and up to my mouth.

 

 Reese

 I can’t sleep. Obviously, Mariah had eaten off that ice cream. Like, her spit had been in the ice cream. Maybe I indirectly kissed her. I laughed to myself for acting weird and got out of bed to finish eating that ice cream I stole.

 

When I finished it, I went back to my room and lie down in my bed again. I really need to stop thinking about her. I thought I got over Mariah years ago when I started dating Rainy. But obviously, I’m not over her if I’m still imagining taking control of her body and f*****g her with a slow burn. Gosh I just can’t get her out of my mind. All of the time she’s there and her- ugh! God I need something right now. I picked up my phone and texted Rainy.

 

Coming to get some of that a*s. ;( But of course we don’t do anal. That’s just odd.

She sent a winking face back and I pulled on my jeans and walked right out of the house. No questions from my parents at all. What was wrong about going to Rainy’s house was that I passed Mariah’s house and it just didn’t feel right. For some reason, I felt guilty. I feel like I’m cheating her. I parked a block away and texted my girlfriend to come outside. When she walked up, she whined. “Why do we have to do it out here?”

“Because I didn’t want your dad up asking questions when I got here.”

“Whatever,  just do me." She said lightly pushing me into the car, kissing me. Looks like I won't be thinking about Mariah at all tonight.

Mariah

Why couldn’t I stop thinking about Reese? I was over him years ago I thought. Why is he popping back in my head especially after tonight? What a jerk. Ugh I wish he’d just move away or something! He’s been in my life for way too long and I really don’t like him right now. I groped for my phone to call Melany and talk with her. “What the heck! I’m trying to sleep!”

“I’m thinking about him again!” I said, rubbing my eyes. “Plus, I’m losing sleep over him! What’s going on?”

Suddenly, she seems alert. “What’d he do now? Because it seems like whenever he does something bad, you can’t stop thinking about him.”

It was true. He never did a good thing for me and when he did- rarely- I never thought once about it except to say thank you and repay him. “He took my ice cream. You’re so right. This can’t be happening. Why?”

“Because you know you like him.  Admit it, Riah. Now can I go back to sleep?” She said and I could hear the grogginess returning. And I could tell that right about now she was frowning deeply now.

“Ye-Yeah. Goodnight.”

“Cake.”

“Pie.” I pulled the phone away from my ear and pressed end. Putting it back on my nightstand and getting out of the bed. I turned on my light and sat at my vanity. I looked at my reflection in the mirror. Picking up my brush, I ran it through my hair. I combed my fingers through it also, letting it fall over my shoulders. That’s when I heard my window start to open. I didn’t have time to do anything except grab my sharpest weapon, which was a bread knife in my drawer. I held it up, staying in my place.

I might as well let the criminal come to me instead. 

Except, this was no criminal. This was Reese. I ran over to him and helped him through.  “What are you doing here!?”

“Expecting someone else? Put the knife down. Can I stay here?” He asked, kicking off his shoes and walking to my bed.

I knew there was no saying no now so let him do what he needed to do. “Sure.” He slipped his shirt over his head and put it on the nightstand. He pulled back the covers on my bed and got in. I turned off the lights and climbed in the bed next to him. 

Reese

I started kissing Rainy’s neck and as soon as I started, she moaned. I’d usually be happy about that, but she also moaned, “Paul.”

I pressed the vibrate button on my phone and pulled it out and turned on the backlight. “I got to go. My mom found out that I was gone. We’ll do this again soon. I’ll drop you back at home.”

She rolled off me, pouting. I rolled my eyes. What a b***h. Four years together and she’s cheating.  I turned on the car and pulled around in front of her house and climbed through her one story window and blew me a kiss. I kept my head straight and tore out of the neighborhood.

When I got to my house I kicked off my shoes and started up the stairs. My parents must have been in their room already. I got halfway up when I heard the yelling coming from their room. It’s been happening a lot lately. I just turned around and walked back down, putting my shoes back on. I locked the door back and started walking.  For about fifteen minutes I walked aimlessly. I stopped in front of her house and stood for about a minute before walking to her window. Not to sound like a creep, but I know for sure that her window was unlocked. It always was. Her light turned on and she got out of her bed and went to her vanity and started brushing her hair. I started lifting the window and she acted fast, pulling out a drawer and retrieving a bread knife. I started climbing through and she dropped her knife, running to me, helping me through. “What the f**k are you doing here?!” She said.

I just kicked off my shoes. “Can I stay here?”

She took a minute, just staring at me- contemplating- as I took off my shirt. “Sure.”  I was only wearing sweats as I climbed into bed and Mariah turned off the lights and got into bed next to me. She cuddled close, her soft hair falling on my shoulder. Mariah kissed my shoulder. What was that supposed to mean? “You want to talk about it?”

I just shook my head. All I wanted to do was go to sleep.

Mariah

I climbed into bed next to Reese and put my arm around his middle. Kissing his shoulder, I said, “You want to talk about it?” I don’t know what possessed me to do it, but I did. He shook his head and let out a long shaky breath. His shoulders starting to shake, I knew he was crying without making any noise. I really wanted to know what was up, but I didn’t want to pry.

Why was this happening? We haven’t been best friends since the third grade and now suddenly he’s popping back up and playing with my feelings. I bet he doesn’t even know he’s doing it. What was really going on in his life? I wanted to know very badly. Why was he crying like this? And why did he come to me instead of the million other people he knows? Too many questions. I decided to let it go as I listened to his breathing steady and his shoulders to relax. I check the clock. 11:53 PM. I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

 

 I was having a weird dream. I was alone in the atrium of Reese’s house with Reese. When I heard: What the f**k is going on here? It wasn’t a yell. More like a demand of an answer. I opened my eyes and looked over to my door to see Cade standing there a deep frown on his face and his eyebrow lifted.

“Uh,” I started, “Cade?”

“You’re damn right it’s me. What’s going on here? Why is he here?”

I looked to my left and realized that Reese was here. What happened last night? I took a quick peek under the comforter to make sure we were both fully clothed because his bare shoulder kind of scared me for a second. When I realized we were either wearing pajamas or something of the sort because he was wearing sweats. I looked back at Cade and sat up, rubbing my eyes. “We’re both wearing clothing and nothing happened. I swear.”

He rolled his eyes. “That doesn’t answer my question, Mariah.”

“He needed a place to stay, okay? Leave me alone and let me sleep.” I said falling back into my bed.

“Why didn’t you tell him to go to the couch, then? Why is he in your bed?”

I looked at the clock before answering. 1:30 AM. It’s only been half an hour? “Obviously, he needed to sleep with someone and for some reason, he came to me. I don’t know why. Just let me sleep.” Cade left with a disapproving grunt and left my room, closing my door back. I turned to Reese and he turned to me. He was awake?

“Maybe I should go. He seems mad.” He said to me, pulling back the covers.

I stopped him by putting my hand on his shoulder. “You don’t have to. He can get over it. Stay until you feel ready to go, okay? He’s just my brother so I don’t have to listen to him.” He closed his eyes and fell back onto the mattress.

“You sure?”

“Yeah.” I fell back asleep and didn’t wake up again until seven forty. I shook Reese awake. “You should go home and go get dressed for school.”

Reluctantly, he got up and left my bed, pulling his shirt back on and leaving my room through the window after pushing his feet into his shoes, stepping on the backs. I heard shuffling in the kitchen and decided to go check it out so I didn’t miss out on food. “What’s being cooked?” I asked Amy, who was over the stove, wearing my brothers t-shirt and a pair of soft cotton capris.

She turned to me. “Hash browns, bacon, and pancakes. Good morning.”

“That sounds good. Good morning to you too.”  I said hopping up onto the counter.

She put down the grease-covered spatula ad looked at me. “I heard you had Reese in your room last night. Go ask him if he wants some food.”

“He left.”

“When?”

“Just now.”

“How?”

It sounded like a game of cat and mouse. The back and forth. “Through the window. That’s how he came in too.”

“Why?” She asked interested as she tended to her pancakes so that they wouldn’t burn.

I shrugged. “I asked him if he wanted to talk about it and he said he didn’t want to,” I said, swinging my legs then crossing them. “Get this: he was crying too.”

She raised her eyebrows, putting some pancakes onto a plate and pouring some more onto her pan from her Pampered Chef Pancake Pourer. “Crying? Why would Reese be crying? It’s so unethical for him to cry. I’ve known him for so long and he’s never cried.”

“And the fact that he came to me out of everyone he knows? I mean I hate him.”

“Are you sure you hate him?” Amy asked me, flipping the pancake. “I mean if you let him stay in your room, then you really don’t hate him as much as you think.”  Her words made perfect sense. There was a moment of silence as she put the pancake onto the plate. “There. All done.”

I hopped off the counter and took out six plates and put them on the counter. Three salad plates- for the hash browns and bacon- and three entrée plates- for the pancakes. When Amy makes pancakes, she pours enough batter on the griddle to fill it up. So we each have one thick, fluffy, and big pancake. And she doesn’t like eggs, so we get our protein from other foods. Cade came in just in time for breakfast, wearing his ‘office clothes’ as I called them. When we were all seated, I took a bite of my food and smiled. “Um, why am I staying home from school today?” I asked taking another bite of hash browns.

“Oh!” Amy said, wiping her mouth. “We are going to the obstetrician. We wanted you to come with us.” She said, touching Cade’s shoulder.

It took a minute for the word ‘obstetrician’ to register in my head. “You guys are having a baby?”

“No, just Amy.” Cade said, his stupid humor shining through his business like attire. Amy slapped his arm lightly, smiling as she did it. “Instead of having to go to school to pick you up, we decided to just make you stay home. You know, because we’re lazy. I’m going to work for half the day and then I’m going to meet you two at the OB.”

 She turned to look at me. “So it’s going to be girl day for a little while.” Amy said. “What do you want to do? Shop?”  I shrugged my shoulders, not really knowing what I wanted to do today.

After the small conversation, the couple went to chattering. They are perfect for each other. Total talkers.

Reese

When she kissed me after I got into her bed, I didn’t know what to think. I know I like her but damn. What was the kiss supposed to mean? When I got back home, I went into my bedroom and put on a fresh pair of sweatpants and a white t-shirt.  Walking back downstairs, I checked my phone and it was only eight o’clock, so I decided to go back upstairs to sleep. I set my alarm to eight fifty and fell back asleep.

Fifty minutes later, it went off and I reluctantly got up and went to my car. Pulling off, I turned on my music and bobbed my head absent-mindedly to the beat. It only took me five minutes to get to school and when I pulled up, I had five minutes to ‘mingle’.  I wanted to get as far away as possible from Rainy. Why would she cheat? And I had every reason to believe that she was cheating.

No matter what I did right, I always got screwed over in the end. Take my parents: I do everything good and right. And in the end, they will most likely be getting a divorce by the end of this year. It just wasn’t right for me. My whole life is messed up right now and the only person I feel I can turn to in my time is Mariah. Maybe it’s because she was my best friend for the longest time. I don’t know what happened. We were like two peas in a pod and we just split. I wish it never happened. If I had just kept my word, we would still be friend. Instead I broke my promise and messed everything up. She’s a great girl and I bet I ruined my chances with her.  I think she hates me.

The bell rang breaking me out of my thoughts. I didn’t even talk to anyone. My best friend walked by, patting me on my back. I walked ahead to my first class. When I got in, Rainy was sitting on my desk.

“What’s up with you? Why didn’t you answer my texts last night? Or my calls?” She asked, sliding off the desk and pushing herself against me.

I pushed her off as gentlemanly as I could and said, “I don’t want to talk about this right now.”

She scowled and moved to me again. “Well I do and we do what I want. So why?”

“My mom took my phone. I said waving her off.”

“You’re such a f*****g liar. Tell me now.”

“You want the truth?” I asked grabbing her wrists, roughly.

She struggled out of my grasp and said, “Yes! I want the f*****g truth, Reese!”

“I was with a girl. I slept in her bed.” She pulled off me.

“Okay. Well just to let you know, I slept with Paul. I mean I fucked Paul. One of your best friends. And you know why I did it? Because you weren’t satisfying me. And yes we’ve been together since high school started.”

“Well it’s nice to know who the real cheater is. You know, if you hadn’t slipped and said Paul’s name, I wouldn’t have known and we would’ve done it. I slept in another girl’s bed. I didn’t have sex with her. I slept in her bed.”

“Who was she?”

“Why would I tell you?”

“Because…” She started, but never finished.

I sighed. “It was Mariah.”

“Mariah Houseman?!” I nodded. “That s**t! Sleeping in the same bed as a guy that’s attached.”

“No Rainy . I think you’re the one that’s the s**t. Let’s even go farther and call you a w***e. Why? Because you cheated. I was completely faithful to you this whole time but you…” I stopped and ran a hand through my hair. “It’s over between us. I’m through with you.”

“But Reese. I’ll stop seeing him please! I promise! Please, Reese!” I couldn’t put up with her. No.

Author's Note

Tell me what I can do to make it better. Point our grammatical errors.