It
had been three weeks since the “Jeremy disaster” and I was suffering from a
broken heart. Well, technically.
Even
though my relationship with Aaron was growing everyday…I just couldn’t stop
thinking of Jeremy and how much he had hurt me.
“Please,
do not tell me you are still thinking of Jeremy?” Leon said.
“What
would make you say that?” I asked.
“You
have that dazed, soulful look in your eyes.” He said with a smile.
“Fine!”
I said “I’m here with you…and I’m going to try to stop thinking of Jeremy, I
kinda promise.”
“That
works for me. Do you want anything to drink?” He asked getting up from his
seat.
“Anything
with lots of alcohol” I shouted as he entered the kitchen.
Leon
was Jeremy’s (technical) cousin {his grandmother was Maggie’s sister…Maggie was
Jeremy’s grandmother} and he had been a good friend to me through out
everything. When I wasn’t with him, I was with Aaron…I made it a big deal to
avoid my best friends…simply because they did not understand.
Jamie
couldn’t understand how I could be heart-broken over Jeremy when I was with
Aaron.
Allyson
was full of pity for me, even though she understood why I was hurting, she
didn’t understand that I didn’t want to be pitied. I just wanted them to act
like nothing was wrong.
As
for James, he understood perfectly. But because he was always with either Jamie
or Allyson…I had to avoid him too.
But
Leon, Leon was perfect. He had been in my shoes before and he understood
exactly how I felt.
“You’re in love with him, aren’t you?” he
had asked that night, three weeks ago as I cried in the parking lot during
Maggie’s party.
“I don’t know why?” I had said “he’s not the type of guy I date, we have
nothing in common and he’s taken.”
“Look, this is not Jeremy. He’s a stickler
for the rules; he’s not the type of guy to cheat on Hanna…or any girl for that
matter. It’s not like him to lead you on like this…and all I can think is that he must be in love
with you too and he doesn’t want to let Hanna down…they’ve been together since
forever.”
“I don’t want to love him anymore.
Not if it feels like this.”
“Well, I’ve been here before and I know just
the thing that might help.”
“What?”
“Alcohol. Lots and lots of alcohol.”
And
that’s how we ended up where we are right now.
“Here
you go.” Leon said handing me a glass of dry martini. “For now.”
“Thanks.”
I said as I took my drink from him.
I
enjoyed hanging out with Leon…he was a different scene from what I was used to
and a different guy from the ones I hung out with. He wasn’t gay like James,
self righteous like his cousin Jeremy…he was weird. And he was kind…and he was
amazing. Did I mention weird? Yeah, he’s really weird.
“I
broke up with Lisa.” Leon said, sitting down opposite me.
“Good,
I never liked her.”
“She
never liked you.”
“Who
would have guessed?” I retorted. Lisa was Leon’s annoying, spoilt brat of a
girlfriend.
“You
know, she always thought we had something going on.”
I
sprung up in a laugh. “Is she crazy?” I asked “me…you…never!”
“Hey!
I get it you like Jeremy.”
“I
like Aaron, I’m dating Aaron.”I corrected.
“Lisa
and I… we were just heading into different directions, our time was up.”
“I
get what you mean, I-” I was interrupted by the buzzing of my phone beside me.
I ignored it and turned to Leon “we were saying?”
“Aren’t
you going to get that?”
“It’s
Ally… so not really.”
“Allyson…what’s
her deal anyway?”
“What
do you mean?”
“I
mean…is she like dating anybody, what kinda guys does she like?”
I
laughed “you’re into her?”
“Can
you blame me, don’t you see that body?”
“Whatever.”
I added getting up from where I had been seated. I walked off into the kitchen
to look for what to eat. Leon followed me.
“I
think it’s time you stop running.” He said
“From
what?”
“From
your friends. They care about you; they’re just trying to help.”
“I
don’t need their help. I’m just fine.”
“We
all need help sometimes.” He said as he reached into his pocket pulling out a
piece of paper. It was a hand drawn picture of Jamie, Allyson, James and I. Best
friends.
“Where
did you get this?”
“Oh
I couldn’t sleep a couple of nights back and I found the picture laying around
so I drew that.”
“Thanks.”
I
knew Leon was just trying to take care of me and make sure I was happy.
“I’ll
go see my friends but after one little thing.”
“What’s
that?”
“Let’s
go to Mexico.” I said.
“Are
you stalling?” he asked me.
“No.
it’s just when I go back to my friends, I may not see you as much as I do now.
So let’s have one final, crazy. Insane, spiral-fun weekend. Okay?”
“Are
you stalling?” he asked again.
“A
little bit.” I admitted.
Leon
just stared at me with a crooked smile, accessing me. This was his form of
torment, not giving me an answer.
He
knew I would do anything to avoid my
friends…and the topic ‘Jeremy’ and would stall along as possible to get into
that…but he also knew the sooner I get what I want before he gets what he wants
and that includes me making time for my friends.
Finally
he broke into a fully fledged smile “Let’s go to Mexico.”
