Mess To Be Made

48

Heartbreak is awful.

I wouldn't know. I've never felt it. But I've witnessed it.

And I've witnessed a heartbroken Lindsay far too many times.

Despite longing to be in a serious relationship, Lindsay had never been in one. She always went after guys who played the game, enjoyed the chase. And that wasn't Lindsay. She wore her heart on her sleeve. When she cared, she cared hard. When she started to fall, she put her full trust into gravity.

So even though Lindsay and Caleb had only been seeing each other for 2 months, the pain she felt after walking in on him fucking another girl was the equivalent of 2 years.

I can't say I was surprised by Caleb's actions. It was why Lindsay called Rachel instead of me when it happened. She didn't want to hear I told you so.

And it was the first thing out of her mouth when I walked into Rachel's bedroom, having been dropped off by Tyler after prematurely ending our first date. He refused to accept my endless apologies, insisting that friends come first. Always.

"Don't say it," Lindsay hissed at the sight of me. Her auburn hair was a tangled mess, framing her mascara-stained face like a lion's mane.

I simply shook my head, discarding my purse on the ground with a thud before rushing over to engulf her in a bone-crushing hug. She was quick to return the embrace. After all, Lindsay needed a hug and Rachel wasn't a hugger. Which is why the latter had summoned me.

"I might be a bitch, but I'm still your best friend."

My words had Lindsay choking out a laugh, though it was barely audible under a sob as she buried her face into my shoulder, staining the fabric with her makeup.

We spent the rest of the night snuggled in bed, Rachel and I sandwiching Lindsay between us like we were bodyguards protecting her from the terrors that lurked beyond the bed frame. We watched Mean Girls and Bridesmaids, eating greasy, delicious pizza we ordered after midnight.

I fell asleep and woke up in the same position—with Lindsay snuggled into me. Sleeping peacefully in the comfort I provided. A temporary blanket of safety to fill the empty void that now lived within her.

Heartbreak is awful.

~ ~ ~

"Can't you come in with me?" I asked Tyler with a half-hearted glance, trying—and failing—to make the question sound like a joke. His giant ass Suburban spoke for him as it groaned while idling in my driveway.

We'd carpooled to and from school all week. Mostly taking his car because apparently I'm a "bad driver." Turns out rolling through a stop sign in the middle of an empty residential neighborhood makes me dangerous.

In my opinion, the real danger was when Rachel and I rolled up to school Monday morning, beelining it for Sean's car with linked arms and a vengeance for blood.

"Where is that slut-shaming prick," I cooed sweetly after scanning each boy's face, only to find that Caleb Rodgers wasn't among them.

Liam and Sean gave Rachel and me, respectively, disapproving looks.

"We just want to talk," Rachel lied.

"I think we laid into him enough during practice yesterday," Sean told us, over articulating as if that would help diffuse the twin rage emanating off me and my fiery brunette friend.