𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐒𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 - 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐱 𝐨𝐜

𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭!

it was 11:30 when iris pulled into the empty parking lot. rowan was already leaning against his truck, head leaned back against the metal, pretty eyelashes casting shadows over his cheeks from the streetlamp a couple feet away. he looked up at the sound of her tires against the gravel, and when she got out, she heard him exhale an even breath.

"hi."

she put her hands in her jacket pockets, trying to calm her racing heartbeat. she couldn't deny how cute he looked in the darkness, but she stood a healthy distance away. "hi," she breathed. "what did you want to talk about?"

"i just know you prefer sorting things out in person, so...here i am." he wasn't smiling. "you kind of went radiosilent after the date. i wanted to know if you were okay."

"what, can't stand the idea of a girl using you back?" it came out much more bitter than she meant it. "to be honest, i'm more frustrated than, like...bitter. it kind of surprises me you even noticed i hadn't messaged you first."

"what is that supposed to mean?"

"it's supposed to mean that you seemed so against the idea of a relationship, i'm surprised you even care."

"so you're saying i don't care about you?"

her voice hardened, "i never said that."

"it feels like you did."

"why am i here, rowan?"

"i was going to break it off." he watched her carefully, brown eyes scanning for any emotion on her face. iris felt the way her heart dropped to her stomach and the ground swayed underneath her feet. of course she liked rowan. of course she'd feel this let down because of how long she'd been pining over him. but with clay—and alex's anger towards rowan—it didn't feel as hard as it was supposed to be. if anything, it benefitted the friendship with clay because he said he'd felt like he was being led on... what was she even thinking at this point? she should be focusing on not letting rowan get the satisfaction from seeing her 'heartbroken.'

"that's it?" iris asked, praying her voice sounded even.

rowan blinked, the only sign of his confusion. "you're not upset?"

"you seem like the guy to end things with a girl over text," she admitted. "but that's not the point. i wasn't even aware we had a thing to end in the first place."

his lips parted, brows pulled together. "i mean...true... but—"

"why does it feel like you were more worried about my reaction than regretful of actually cutting it off?" she interrupted.

"because you've been throwing yourself at me for months," he responded in a 'duh' kinda voice. "i thought you were in love with me."

she forced a snicker as if she didn't wonder the same thing a week ago. "not in a million years. sorry, roe."