Page 50 of Drawn to You
“I’m fine,” I assured her. I’ve told her many times already over Facetime last night, but she still looks worried.
“When Andrew told me you were in the hospital, I thought he was joking.”
I feel guilty about worrying my best friend like that. “I’m so sorry, Dana. I was stupid.”
She puts a hand on my arm. “Don’t say that, Britt. You weren’t used to the new people around you. It’s all. It’s Andrew’s fault.”
“No, it isn’t!” I say in a hurry. “Please, Dana. Don’t blame him! He saved me! I can’t even imagine what would’ve happened without him.”
“But if he hadn’t let you move out in the first place—”
“I insisted. He didn’t want me to. It’s all a foolish misunderstanding,” I say. “Besides, we’re good now.”
She rolls her eyes and smirks. “Yes, I saw the way you guys looked at each other. My worries aren’t necessary.”
“Don’t be jealous, please,” I say as we stop in front of her car.
She laughs. “Jealous? No! I’m so pleased to see you finally get what you want, Britt, even though I don’t think Andrew deserves you.”
I gasp, pretending to be shocked. “You don’t think he does? Then why did you try so hard to get me to work for him?”
“Okay,” she smiles sheepishly. “I was selfish. He’s a jerk sometimes, but I love him, and I want him to have a nice girlfriend.”
I giggle. Dana is actually very proud of her brother, although she might sound deprecating when she speaks of him.
Highland and Hollywood is an impressive entertainment and shopping center in Hollywood. We park on the basement level and come up in one of the many elevators. This is the first time I shop here, although I’ve driven past the landmark nearly every day in the past few weeks.
It’s Thursday afternoon, but the place is crowded.
Before going into the shops, we go out to Hollywood Blvd to check out the famous Chinese Theatre and the Walk of Fame. Dana has been here before, so she’s actually my guide. We take lots of pictures in front of the historic landmarks and with street performers dressed as various characters such as Batman, Superman, Cinderella, and Zorro. Within ten yards, we encounter at least three Johnny Depps — as Jack Sparrow, as Mad Hatter, and as himself in a fedora. We’re also greeted by an Elvis in his sixties, who grabs a tourist’s hand and kisses it, making her squeal and laugh. The area is bustling with energy and absolutely crazy, too.
After getting some everyday essentials from Gap, we each get a dress from Forever 21. And then each of us gets a Love-it ice cream cup from Cold Stone and sits on the balcony outside, which overlooks the courtyard of the shopping center.
“Thank you so much for coming to see me,” I say to her.
“Oh no, Britt,” Dana says. “How can you say that? I’ve missed you too. I’ve wanted to come ever since you left.”
Naturally, our conversation is steered towards the incident of the previous day. “Are you going to press charges against Meyer?”
“No,” I say. “He hasn’t really done anything to me, except the drugging part. I don’t want the stress and the public attention, and I don’t want Andrew to get in trouble. He broke the guy’s nose and jaw.”
Dana nods. “But you’ll need to convince Andrew because he’s already filed a police report.”
“I know,” I say. “I’ll talk to him.”
“So, how serious has it gotten between the two of you?” Dana asks a moment later.
I take a moment to register the change of the topic and can’t stop smirking. “He told me he loved me.”
She gasps, “Ohmygod! I don’t think he’s said it to anyone else!”
“How do you know?”
She shrugs. “I just do. Andrew hasn’t been serious about any of the girls he was with. He never even brought home the same girl twice.”
True. I’m aware of the fact, although it doesn’t mean he hasn’t fallen in love with them. And frankly, I really don’t mind even if he had. The past twenty-four hours are the happiest time in my life. I still can’t believe Andrew meant what he said. He could have felt guilty about what happened to me, or he got carried away by our intense love-making.
“What’re you thinking?” Dana asks.
