Every New Beginning... (Chris Evans AU)

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Opal POV

  I slip into Decker's seemingly unnoticed by most even though I've spent several nights here since Lily's Bachelorette. Scanning the tables opposite of the dance floor I see Laura chowing down on some chicken wings, Cooper on the side opposite of her with Spencer heading back towards the table from the bar. 

  I figure maybe Chris isn't here yet as I maneuver through the dance floor, bile rising in my throat as I catch a glimpse of CJ out of the corner of my eye moving in the opposite direction as me.  Swallowing down the lump in my throat that has doubled inside I shimmy my way over to the group's table.

  "Ope!" Laura yells out, jumping up to squeeze me tight. She scoots over into the chair next to her, giving me the one closest to the dance floor. 

  "If it isn't the woman who broke my man's heart," Cooper seethes, eyes narrowing at me over his bottle. "Gotta say, I think you're in for a real treat tonight, Opal."

  Laura shifts in her seat, bringing my attention back to her. "What is he talking about?" I ask, bouncing between Laura and Spencer. 

  "I'm talking about the fact that you're about to regret everything you've done in the last ten months. Leading him along, knowing you'd never actually go through with marrying him."

  I'm stunned by his words and how honest he's being with me. This is a very different man than the one I spoke to the night of Laura and Spencer's wedding. The man that admitted to me that he'd be lucky to find someone like me. The guy that told me I was definitely not the six he'd originally labeled me as. 

  Cooper looks towards the bar, causing me to follow his line of sight. My breath catches in my chest as I see Chris in a desperate lip lock with CJ. As much as I want to look away, I can't. Knowing I pushed him to this.

  I watch them pull apart just long enough for him to throw some cash on the bar before he grabs her hand in his own, practically dragging her towards the door. He looks over towards our table, all of us looking back at him. Cooper gives his jackass nod of approval while I just feel lost.

  That's when he notices me. He looks right into my eyes. All I see behind his is both an emptiness and a desire. But that desire is no longer for me. His attention goes back to his task at hand as he pushes through the front door of Decker's, surely headed to his apartment to continue the escapade that began just a moment ago at the bar. 

  "So, Opal, let me ask you a question?" Cooper's cocky voice matches the expression covering his face.

  I shudder, already feeling my face wet with tears. Begrudgingly I give him my attention knowing exactly what his next words will be.

  "How does it feel for everyone to always leave you?"

  

  I wake up, panicked and unable to catch my breath. My body shaking with fever like chills and yet I feel abnormally hot at the same time. My cheeks damp along with my pillowcase, alerting me to the fact that the tears weren't only a part of my dream. By the look of it I had been crying through the whole vision. 

  And even now, my chest is so tight that I can't breathe more than small gasps, my heart beating so fast and hard that I swear I can feel it against my rib cage. I fumble around the bedside table for my phone, realizing only after I flip the lamp on that it's not there. I fling the covers around before finally noticing it laying on the pillow. My hand reaches out for it, trembling worse than I've ever seen. 

   I do my best to catch my breath as I flounder to unlock my phone, dialing the only person that I know can help me.

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