Page 50 of The Road to Finding Us

Blaine and I have kept in touch over the years. Even though we broke up when he moved away, and even though we never quite managed to cover all the bases together, in the process of dating, we formed a solid friendship. One I still cherish today.

“You miss him?” There’s a thud on the other side of the door as Aspen mutters the words, louder this time.

Asshole.

Blaine whispers something to someone on the other side of the line before there’s rustling and he’s back. “Oh my god, Lily, are you with a guy?”

Okay, Blaine and I have stayed really close over the years. He’s become my best guy friend. Because of that, he knows all about my recent dry spell.

“Oh, it’s no one,” I tell him, raising my voice to ensure it reaches Aspen on the other side of the door. Then I pull the phone away from my ear to better hear Aspen on the other side. Moments later, the items on the bathroom counter rattle when the door to our room slams.

“Lily, I heard a guy in the background. Spill—now,” Blaine instructs, being direct as always.

“Well, Aspen and I are on a road trip right now.”

“Are you for fucking real?”

“Yep.” I graze over a spot on my knee where I missed a spot shaving, my fingers brushing over the hairs.

“The Aspen?” A pause and then, “Well, this is a wild turn of events.”

I switch my phone from one ear to the other, shifting my weight on the tub. “Anyway… you said you had news?”

“Violet and I are engaged!” I can hear the excitement in his voice, and it makes me smile wide.

I jump up off the tub. “Oh my god, Blaine. Congratulations!”

Violet was Blaine’s best friend growing up. When he moved away to college, she stayed back home. During our relationship, he always talked about her fondly. A year after he and I broke up, he told me they were dating. He speaks of her like she put the stars in the sky, like a man desperately in love.

“Thank you,” he says with a long sigh. “I was so fucking nervous asking her, but she said yes. She’s stuck with me forever.”

Blaine and I talk for another thirty minutes as he catches me up on what he’s been doing.

My butt has long since fallen asleep by the time the two of us say goodbye. When I cautiously open the bathroom door, very aware I still don’t have my clothes, I find the room empty.

My bag sits on my bed, no longer hidden in the cabinet.

Aspen is nowhere to be found. Even after I get dressed and get ready for bed, he hasn’t made an appearance. Alone in the room as Nashville bustles outside our window, I decide to take him up on that drink.

25

Lily

Past - Age Twenty-Two

Someone has taken a jackhammer to my head. Or there’s a parade of elephants in clogs dancing around up there. There’s no other explanation for the pounding taking place inside my head. My brain feels like the car window Britney was taking her umbrella to circa two thousand seven. I attempt to open my eyes, but when I’m met with a sliver of light peeking through my curtains, I shut them again.

Groaning, I pull my blanket over my face. I stretch my legs underneath the covers, wondering why my legs are sore. Probably from the stilettos I swore were a good idea last night.

Veronica let me borrow them and I have no freaking clue how she can get around in those things. If I were her, I’d wear nothing but those combat boots she’s always stomping around in. The heels must be way less comfortable.

One of my roommates shuffles around in the hallway noisily. Lifting the blanket from my head a fraction of an inch, I peek out the space, making sure my door is shut. I don’t need my roommate seeing me like this right now. I need a solid ten minutes to wallow in my hangover blues before coming face-to-face with another human.

Deciding to brave the daylight in my room, I slowly pull the blanket from my face until I’m met with my dimly lit room. I look at my charging watch for the time, shocked that I slept until eleven a.m.

I wouldn’t know it was that late in the morning by the small amount of light coming through the space between my curtains.

Weird.

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