Page 26 of Staying for Her

My phone rings and pierces the blissful silence of my bedroom and I wonder who the hell is calling me this early in the morning. It’s not until I pick it up, and look at the time that I realize it’s after one in the afternoon.

Fucking hell.

The sun shines in through my bedroom window, causing every muscle in my body to lock because my head is pounding as if someone is standing over me with a hammer. I keep my eyes closed, taking a deep breath as I try to calm my stomach that all of a sudden feels as if it’s about to regret everything I put into it last night.

How many drinks did I have? How the fuck did I get home? All of these questions blur in my mind as I sit up, trying to get my eyes to focus when all I can see is a blur. All I remember about yesterday was hanging out with everyone at Addison’s place for Luna’s birthday, Billie had to leave for a job, and then… fuck. The phone call.

Everything about that phone call comes rushing back and I fling myself into my bathroom, kneeling in front of the toilet, and let nature take its course. As I sit in front of my porcelain throne, the phone call from my lawyer plays over and over again in my brain, and I still can’t seem to wrap my head around it. Why would my parents make me jump through all of these hoops only to take it all away from me? I’ve spent most of my life trying to get them to understand my way of life, then gave up and decided to fake my way through but obviously, it didn’t work and now I’m screwed.

I get up off the floor once I know there’s nothing left in my stomach, brush my teeth and look at my reflection in the mirror. I look like shit, which is to be expected, and those dark circles under my eyes tell me more than they should. So I rub my hand over my face as I head out into the living room, hoping to apologize to Billie who probably had to sleep on my very uncomfortable couch. Before I get there, my phone rings again, the sound piercing my brain as I answer it, putting it on speakerphone as I walk into the living room.

“Hello?” I say, my voice is hoarse from throwing up. I scan the room to see if Billie is around, but when I don’t see her, I shrug it off. She’s probably out getting food.

“How are you feeling this lovely afternoon?” Mark’s voice filters through my phone as I lean my head back on the couch, closing my eyes.

“Like shit, how do you think?” I say with as much sarcasm as I can muster.

“I don’t doubt it considering you pretty much destroyed Addison’s liquor cabinet last night.”

Fuck. I’ll have to buy her more to make up for it.

“I didn’t do anything stupid, did I?” I ask aloud, hoping to god there isn’t a warrant out for my arrest or something.

“No, just blabber about how shitty your parents are and how much you hate them and the life they live.”

That seems plausible and on-brand for me.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asks again, as if not believing me the first time.

“I’m okay. Still in shock, I think, but in all honesty, it might have been for the best.”

Mark makes an agreeable noise. My eyes really scan the room for the first time and it’s as if I’m electrocuted because as my eyes take in the room, I know something is wrong. Obviously, Billie is nowhere to be found but as my eyes take in the space, I notice that all of her stuff is gone. Her camera equipment that usually sits in piles next to the kitchen table is missing, along with her suitcase that usually sits in the corner by the hallway and even her shoes are gone. This sinking feeling begins to push to the surface and I wonder if she even came home last night. Did I see her? Talk to her? Does she know about the money? Is that why she left? All of these questions run rampant in my mind as I search my living room for a clue, something to tell me what happened and how to fix it because even though I lost the money, she’s still what I want. I think that was my breaking point last night while I was drinking my sorrows away. I realized that she was the prize out of all this. In the end, the money doesn’t matter. Would it have been nice? Yes of course, but meeting Billie, falling for her more every day was the best part of all of this and now I don’t even know where she is.

“Hey, man, can I call you back?” I mutter, hanging up before he can answer, and I stand up, my eyes looking everywhere for a clue and that’s when I notice a piece of paper lying on my island. When I pick it up and see her elegant handwriting, my heart sinks, and I know even without reading it what this note says.

Lucas,

This is not how I wanted this to end. I wish things could have been different. I wish I could have met you sooner, but from what you told me last night, our arrangement is void. You don’t need me anymore and that’s okay. I’m sorry I couldn’t be the woman you needed to get what you wanted. I’m sorry I screwed up your chance at reaching your dreams and I’m sorry I played a part in you losing it all.

I understand now that everything that happened was situational. Even though it hurts to think that everything we went through, every moment that was just between us was nothing more than a means to an end for you, I understand. It was brilliant while it lasted.

I hope you find peace in your life, Lucas, you deserve it more than anyone.

Xoxo, B

My hands shake as the piece of paper falls to the ground. What the fuck did I do? What did I say to her last night that made her leave in the middle of the night? The panic starts to set in as I look around my apartment, trying to find a clue as to where she went, but come up empty. It’s not until I hear a knock at the door that I finally stop looking and answer it.

“What do you want,” I mutter, Mike’s face staring blankly at me from the other side of the door.

His smirk causes my hand to move on its own and I go to slam the door in his face when his foot juts out and stops me.

“I know where she went,” he says, causing my whole body to stop as I open the door, hoping to god he’s telling me the truth.

“You saw her?” I ask, that sinking feeling causing every limb to go numb.

When he nods, I brush my fingers through my hair, wondering how this douche knows and I don’t.

“What happened?”

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