That Summer Feeling: SUMMER 4EVER [H.S.]

24. Just Someone With a Sweater On

"It'll never happen again."

I shove my wet toothbrush into my small cosmetics bag along with the rest of my toiletries. I walk past Eli and throw the bag into my suitcase. I can't be here anymore.

"Lacey, please."

I yank the cord of my charger and place it inside my tote bag. I throw my phone in there as well. I walk around the room while Eli hopelessly follows me like a goddamn dog and tells me everything he thinks I want to hear.

"I love you, Lacey. I want to make it right so can we just talk?"

Wordlessly, I head to the drawers. I want to get out of here as soon as possible so I throw all my clothes into the suitcase without stopping to fold them neatly. When Eli grabs a few shirts and puts them back into the wooden drawer, I sigh.

"You don't have to do this. I can stay on the couch tonight. Don't be so dramatic, Lacey."

I dryly chuckle at that. I take the shirts he moved and put them back inside my suitcase. I don't really care about taking all of my things now but I at least wanted most of them. I'll come back for the rest later. I didn't want to be in here longer than necessary.

I can feel Eli's stare when I close and zip up the suitcase. I walk around it and head towards the closet but he places a hand around my arm.

"Lacey."

I yank my arm back and glare at him. "What?"

"It was a mistake. A one-time thing, I swear. It'll never happen again."

"Oh, great. That fixes everything, Eli."

He sighs. "I'm trying to fix things—"

"No, you're not. You're passing off the fact that you cheated as a 'one-time thing' instead of owning up to it. You're not taking responsibility at all and haven't this entire time."

"Responsibility? I told you, I wasn't thinking—"

"It's still your fucking choice. Stop pinning the blame on everything but you."

"I'm not— God, Lacey, it didn't mean anything to me! Absolutely nothing."

"Of course, it meant something, Eli! It means you're a fucking asshole who's incapable of respecting me and our relationship. It means you don't love me. Not in the way you claim you do otherwise you wouldn't have fucking cheated on me."

"God, we didn't even have sex!"

Anger bubbles and rises in me again at his set of words. I've tried so hard all day to have as much patience as I can to end this thing as graceful as possible so it's not so fucking awkward for anyone but I don't think I have it in anymore. I don't even recognize Eli at all. What the fuck did I ever see in him?

"Wait, that's not what I meant—"

"I'm sure it is. And I'm sure you would have if I didn't catch you when I did. Maybe you wouldn't have run away like a fucking coward after."

"I'm a coward?" He sarcastically laughs. "You're no fucking better. Running off into Harry's arms because coincidentally he's always there like Prince fucking Charming."

Another dry laugh leaves my lips. The act makes his jaw tighten.

"Yeah, you know what? While you were getting head from someone else, he was helping me with the fucking cut on my forehead I got because of you."

"Do all your friends want to fuck you or is it just him?"

"Do you cheat on all your girlfriends? Maybe I should hit up Vanessa. I think we'd be good friends considering how much we have in common already."