When peer pressure pushes Lenny to try out a new dating app, she starts to realize that the past may not always define the future.
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Lenny Harlow wants a lot of things, but a boyfriend isn't...
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FOOTSTEPS THUNDERED BEHIND ME LIKE fat, angry, drops of rain or something equally as comparable. I didn't even want to know who it was.
"Lenny, slow down."
I picked up my pace, sneakers hitting the pavement as I tried to get as far away as I could as soon as possible. Colin could've easily ignored me. He was supposed to ignore me. That was the whole point of turning him down. I guess he didn't understand that.
I should've known he wouldn't after I saw that smile of his. It was a clear hint that he was going to do something, and I should've braced myself for whatever that something was.
Nash caught up with me, stopping me with a hand on my shoulder. Of course he did. I was barely "in shape", and even if I was, I'd bet my entire tuition that he'd beat me in a race, even after I got a headstart. That's how unfit I was.
Not that it mattered.
"What the hell was that?" At least he was breathing hard so I knew he wasn't superhuman. We'd come a fair distance from the café, and Lord did I never want to return there, ever. "Some guy shows up after you tell me there's nothing up with you, and then you storm out, expecting me to believe that? C'mon, Len, I'm not an idiot." He'd thrown the nickname so casually into the conversation that I had no choice but to pretend to be okay with it and not steer us off topic.
"Are you sure about that?" I muttered coldly, keeping my eyes on him to witness the effect of my words first-hand. A pained expression took over his face and he flinched backwards. My eyes went wide. "Shit, sorry. I didn't mean-"
"It's fine. You're upset. I get that."
But you don't, do you? Keeping mute, I settled for a brief nod, clutching the front of my jacket with a tight fist. All that annoyance had to be let out somehow, and I was far above punching people just for the hell of it.
Okay, maybe I wasn't so far above it, but I couldn't afford to accidentally break a bone or dislocate anything.
"Lenny?"
I let out a steady breath. It too way too much effort to keep my calm. I wanted-no, needed-to scream at something. At someone. It didn't matter who, or what; I just needed an outlet.
"I have to go."
"Lenny-"
God, what the hell? Do I not deserve a bit of peace and solitude? "Look, Odin, today has been the most shitty day of my entire life, unless you count the actual shitty days, of course, but still. I'm so fucking exhausted, and I know you think you're helping, but you're really not, so drop it, and let me leave." I shot him a pointed look to emphasize my point, but apparently the fucking universe wasn't done shitting with me, because the little fucker-thankfully-released my shoulder, smiled, and said, "You probably need to get it off your chest. We can go somewhere if you want, but I'm not leaving you by yourself."
