Page 53 of Level Me Up

Chapter Twenty-eight

Morgan

I don't know how long I sit on the couch crying. It could have been minutes or hours, I don't know, but eventually, I make my way back to my room and crawl into my bed. I'm still fully dressed, but I don’t care. I allow myself to unleash a big ugly cry. The kind of cry you don't want anyone else to ever see or hear. I hear my phone vibrate on the nightstand next to it but ignore it. Probably thirty minutes later I hear it again. I turn over and look at it. Hoping that it isn't Dex.

Gia:Is it ok for me to come home?

Gia:Should I stay at Ruby's?

Morgan:no.

Gia:Is Dex still there?

Morgan:no. We broke up.

Gia:What? I'm on my way home.

I put my phone back on my nightstand and roll back over to face the wall. I lie there momentarily, just staring at the wall. No tears come.

Good. I'll get over this. Before I know it, a soft knock comes from my bedroom door.

"Morgan, it's me." I hear her as she comes slowly in the room. I answer with a sniff.

She sits down on my bed but says nothing. Then I hear Ruby whisper, "I brought the Advil, water, and tissues." Then I hear said supplies being placed on the nightstand followed by Gia climbing over me to sit against the wall and Ruby taking her spot.

"Morgan, can you please tell us what happened?" Gia whispers.

"I broke up with him," I say through a croak. My voice is hoarse since this is the first time I've actually spoken in more than an hour, I think.

"Ok. But why? Is it because of the photo?" she asks in a coaxing tone.

I heave a sigh and push myself into a sitting position but keep my head against the wall before answering.

"Kind of," I reply.

Gia sighs, but it's Ruby who says, "Mo, you're going to have to give us more than that."

I close my eyes. I don't want to talk about this. They are going to think I’m crazy.

"We were moving too fast, and I just didn't like feeling left behind when he traveled. He has to do that a lot. I guess I just didn't like the way I felt when I’m not with him, and I'm not ok with that." I open my eyes, and they are both staring at me with concernetchedon their faces.

"And how do you feel when you're not with him?" Gia prompts.

"I feel insecure and needy. I feel like I can't be without him and that he's going to forget about me while he is out doing his thing. I know that it’s probably idiotic, but it’s how I feel,” I say, defensively.

They both exchange a quick look then I add, “And that was his ex-girlfriend by the way. The chick kissing him in the picture."

"What? Really? Did he tell you or did you find that out on Facebook?" Ruby asks.

"He told me. And he didn't seem to think it was a big deal."

"It's kind of a big deal, though," she agrees.

I go on to tell them about the fight. At some point, I start to cry again. Ruby keeps shoving tissues in my hand. When I finish, she hands me some Advil and the glass of water, which I'm grateful for; all the crying I've done will make for a horrible headache in the morning.

"Do you think you made a mistake?" Gia asks. She was quiet through the whole recount of the breakup. Ruby asked questions and kept me on point if I stopped for too long to cry.

"Wh-What? Do I think I made a mistake? Why would you ask that Gia?" I ask her with accusation

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