Analia
"Would you like anything else to eat, sweetheart? This is your last chance before I put the food away," Cindy offers, holding a bowl of potato salad.
"I'm good, thanks. I've already had two plates, and I couldn't possibly eat anything more," I reply, already feeling full.
"You're as skinny as ever. My son not keepin' ya' fed?" Richard, Wyatt's dad, chimes in. Cindy hits him in the arm, shushing him. Richard walks away from the table, yelling at Wyatt's cousins for making a mess of his backyard.
Wyatt leans in and whispers, concern evident in his voice, "Are you okay, babe? You seem distracted." I smile reassuringly and assure him that everything is fine.
"Honey, can you help me clean up and cut the cake?" Cindy asks Wyatt, taking our paper trays and disposing of them. He nods, giving me a gentle kiss on the forehead before leaving.
As I stood checking my phone for messages, it buzzed in my back pocket. I knew who it was before I even checked. I looked around at everyone, paranoid that someone might notice it was Lexie and jump to conclusions. I excused myself and went to the bathroom, hoping for some privacy.
My phone buzzes in my back pocket, and I instantly know who it is. Anxious that someone might notice, I glanced around, worried that someone might suspect it's Lexie and assume I'm cheating on Wyatt, even though that's not the case.
I look around at everyone, paranoid that someone might notice it's Lexie and jump to conclusions. I excuse myself and go to the bathroom, locking the door for some privacy.
"Hey! What are you up to? I miss you," she shouts over the music, momentarily silencing someone talking to her. I can hear laughter and the chatter of people in the background.
"Not much, I miss you too," I reply, unsure of what else to say. I was torn between telling her the truth and keeping her in the dark about my relationship with Wyatt.
Wyatt's knock on the door interrupts our conversation. "Babe, are you okay?" Panic surges through me and I quickly mute my phone, hoping Lexie hadn't heard him.
"I'm fine, I'll just be a minute!," I hurriedly assure Wyatt, hoping he doesn't suspect anything.
He says okay and I wait for the sound of this footsteps to trail off before unmuting my phone. "You there?" Lexie asks, her voice at a normal volume and the music now distant. "I asked if you're enjoying your 4th of July?"
"It's been stressful, but I don't say that. "It's been okay. How about the party?" I ask, trying to redirect the conversation.
"It's alright, but it would be so much better if I could see you." Her words elicit a warm feeling inside me.
"I'll be on my way soon enough. But I gotta go for now. I'll talk to you later," I say goodbye and hang up the phone, feeling relieved yet guilty at the same time.
I thought I had the perfect plan to celebrate with both Lexie and Wyatt—a backyard party with Wyatt's family in the afternoon and Lexie's beach party at night. After the kids went to bed, I would tell Wyatt I was tired and have him take me home, then I could go see Lexie.
But as I look at myself in the mirror, I know I can't keep living this double life. I had to break up with Wyatt—for real this time.
Lexie
I feel a pang of frustration as Analia ends our call. It's no surprise she's at her boyfriend's house. It's frustrating to keep waiting for her to make up her mind. How much longer am I supposed to put up with this?
I need to have a serious conversation with her. I understand she needs time, but I don't think she realizes that it's not fair to me. We spend so much time together, she even stays over at my place, yet she's still someone else's.
When she arrives, however, all my frustration momentarily fades away. Seeing her in that pink bikini, I almost forget why I was upset in the first place. She attempts to jump into my arms, but I fail to catch her, and we both end up falling.
"I missed you," I whisper, showering her with kisses. And I truly did miss her, more than I've ever missed anyone. I can't help but wonder if she feels the same way when she's lying in his arms.
Thoughts of her upcoming birthday and the gift I made for her cross my mind. If she's still with him by then, I'll have to let her go and get rid of her gift.
Analia stands up, offering her hand. I grab it and she pulls me up with a gentle tug. "I'm sorry I took so long. I missed you too," she says with a warm smile.
Birdie and Tyler notice us and begin to make their way over. I hadn't introduced Tyler and Analia yet, and I hadn't planned to anytime soon, if ever.
"So, this is your girl, huh?" Tyler remarks, pointing at Analia while holding a cup in his hand. "You don't strike me as gay."
"She's not my girl. Now, please go away," I retort, not in the mood for his nonsense.
Birdie glances at a shocked Analia, then back at me, nodding without saying a word. "We'll leave you guys alone. But don't forget, it's a party. Try to have some fun."
As they walk away, Analia turns to me, wearing a concerned expression on her face. I can sense that she's hurt, but I don't say anything. I'm hurting too. "She's right, it's a party after all. We should try to enjoy ourselves," she says, attempting to lighten the mood.
Leaving her standing there, I make my way to the drinks. Birdie meets me at the coolers, without Tyler in tow. "Not your girl? What happened?"
I explain to her that Analia had been at her boyfriend's house before coming here. Birdie lets out a sigh, shaking her head. "Well, she did say she needed time. Just give her a little more time."
I jokingly ask her, "What happened to 'there are other girls out there'?" Surprised by her response, I pour myself a cup of lemonade, adding a double shot of Tito's.
"I was wrong. I genuinely want to see you happy, and it seems like she makes you happy. She might just be the girl for you."
YOU ARE READING
HER
Romance"There's nothing wrong with following the rules. I don't like getting in trouble." She doesn't say anything for a minute, just stares at me. "That's too bad," she says, leaning in closer. "I was hoping to get into some." ...
