Page 28 of My Wildest Obsession

I can feel the tears stinging the back of my eyes and I blink rapidly, trying to stop them from spilling over.

He pulls up to our apartment building a minute later and I’m out of the car before he can shift into park.

“I quit,” I tell him without making eye contact.

“Clara,” he starts but I slam the door closed.

I speed walk into the building and then right into the elevator. I don’t hear his shoes behind me, but I wait until the elevator doors have closed before I let the tears spill onto my cheeks.

My apartment is quiet as I step inside and lock the door behind me. I guess it won’t be my apartment any longer. I’ll have to find another job and a place to move to. I’m tired just thinking about it.

I kick off my shoes and twist to unzip the dress. It pools at my feet by the door, but I keep walking. I fall onto my bed and wrap the blanket around me.

The tears won’t stop falling now and I don’t bother to try.

What am I supposed to do now? I can’t stay here in this apartment that reminds me so much of him.

My phone buzzes in my purse and I drag myself out of bed. I’m hoping that it’s Theo, that he’s realized that he made a mistake and he loves me too.

Instead, it’s my brother, Kai.

Kai:When are you coming home for a visit?

I chewon my bottom lip for a moment before I decide, fuck it. It’s not like I have anything holding me here. I can go home to Sequoia and job and apartment hunt from there. Maybe some fresh air and small town life will help ease my broken heart too.

Clara:Tomorrow.

I fall back into bed,trying to drum up some excitement as I close my eyes and pray for sleep to take me.

TWELVE

Theo

I stare glumlyout my office windows. The sun is shining bright and it’s another beautiful day here in Los Angeles. It feels wrong. It feels like the sky should be overcast or something.

I’m miserable,I admit to myself.

I miss Clara and I wish that I could be what she wants me to be. I wish that I could be hers, but I can’t. I know that I would have just messed things up between us eventually. It’s better to just let her go now before I’m even more in love with her.

Is that even possible? I was already head over heels for her.

I ignore my subconscious and take a seat behind my desk. My eyes stray to her pink fuzzy chair and that damn feather light in the corner that she had delivered just two days ago. Then to the dark green shag rug in the corner that she convinced me to keep by letting me fuck her on it.

The place really is brighter in here now. More inviting.

“Pining over Clara?” Adrien asks as he pushes open my office door.

“No,” I lie, and he pins me with a hard look.

“Dude, you totally are. It’s obvious.”

“He’s right. It is obvious,” Levi adds, and I sigh.

“It’s for the best,” I tell them.

They share a look and it’s silent in my office. My whole floor seems to have picked up on my mood and I know that they’ve all noticed Clara’s absence. They’ve been avoiding the hallway that leads to my office like the plague.

“You’re being an idiot,” Adrien says, and I glare at him.

---