Page 83 of Crazy for this Girl

Since we never went to Switzerland four months ago, I'm so beyond frustrated and annoyed with myself that I can and have screamed. Troy has been nothing but patient, but it's time to pull the plug and give him a chance for a woman that'll expect, want, and receive all of his attention.

And I can't believe I’ve turned into this girl.

Once, I was the chick who barely dated, and wanted someone to just want to be with me. Now that I have it, I'm plagued.

I am the plague.

Everything I touch, think, or plan is dawned in black and excuses. How and why Troy hasn't broken up with me is unparallel to any other human being I've ever met.

"Laynee!" I outwardly cringe at Troy's voice. Not that it's unpleasant or annoying but because of what I'm about to do.

Slowly, I pivot around, locating him striding down the sidewalk with...a puppy in his arms?

Mindless excitement suddenly brews inside me as I watch the little Pembroke Welsh Corgi. The Queen of freaking England has had over a million of them.

Troy's smile widens as he gets closer, and I cover my mouth with my hand. I've only been looking at buying one to ease the ache in my heart for the last few weeks, but they range anywhere between a few hundred to four grand.

"Isn't he cute?"

Fuck.

Yeah, he is.

"Where did you get him?" I inquire, watching the little corgi shake his tail and pant eagerly.

"I bought him, babe," Troy replies simply. "He's for you."

Oh, no.

My stomach drops to my ass. "Oh, Troy, you shouldn't have. Seriously. She's so cute, but—"

"It's a boy. And you've been busting your ass in school. It's the summer now, and you deserve it."

"No...I really don't." Troy scoffs like I’m kidding before holding out the new puppy for me to take. If I do, I’m running away with it, and he’ll never see me or the dog again. "Can we talk?"

"Sure." He shrugs. "But take him so I can get inside and use the bathroom. I had to run across town to get him, then I went to the pet store and bought all his stuff too, so you didn't have to."

"Wow. Um—" The cute bundle of fur is hurriedly shoved into my chest, and I'm forced to take him.

"Think of a name."

"Where am I going to keep him?" I ask as Troy gets to his door and unlocks it.

He looks over his shoulder at me and knits his brows. "He'll stay with me. And you're going to be here practically half the summer anyway."

"Well, about that, I wanted—" Troy shoves the door open and sprints inside like a toddler who's about to piss his pants, disappearing before I can say another word.

Sighing, I follow him inside with his new dog and close the door behind me. God only knows how much he paid for this puppy. How in the hell do you break up with someone who just bought you something you really wanted that's alive?

Suck it up and do it.

Putting the dog down before it catches my bitchiness, I impatiently wait for Troy to come back out while staying close to the door.

I'm so grateful that he put such an effort into a gift, but I can't accept it. Not after what I'm about to do and what I've already done. I’ve practically cheated on Troy the whole time we were dating, wishing he was someone else. Comparing him to someone who wasn’t reliable and around. I might as well carry the label of adulteress on my clothes with a giant red A.

My cell decides to go off in my back pocket then, saving me from my inner turmoil just to give me another kind.

I might as well just off my entire self right here.

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