Hickeys | Ethan Dolan

ch. four

The next morning, I woke up. My face was tight from my dried tears. I rolled out of the bed and reached for my phone by my pillow. My home screen was filled with messages from Wesley. I didn't open them even though I saw some of them last night.

wes: can we talk?

wes: i love you way too much to let you go over this... i'm still mad you danced with him tho.

wes: hayden???

wes: baby, pls.

wes: i know i've fucked up in the past, but i thought we could move on together.

wes: i'll drop this situation if you drop mine.

wes: deal?

I thought about the last two texts. Wesley never loved me; he only compromises with me. Love is not a deal. It's a commitment. I give him my heart and he gives his and we work together to protect one another.

I didn't want a deal. I wanted truth. I wanted honesty. And frankly, Wesley wasn't very honest when I found out about him and his prostitute.

I unlocked my phone and texted back. It wasn't hard to do. The only option I had was the best.

me: we're over, wes. delete my number and i'll delete yours. sorry it ended this way...

I locked my phone and walked to the bathroom. The mirror reflected a monster; my hair was frizzy and nappy, the makeup Ivy perfected was smudged and ruined, and I was still in my bathing suit.

Glitter was all over my body. Every time I moved another speck of gold would shimmer for a split second in different areas of my chest and arms.

I sighed and went back to my room. Wes called me seven times, sent thirty texts, face timed me too many times to count, blew up my snapchat, and sent me dm after dm. One notification caught my attention. It was a random number.

unknown: you ready to study????

Study? It was Saturday. I was loose and single. I didn't want to study. I wanted to party.

What am I talking about? I need the grades.

I thought about the text, then it clicked. It was Ethan.

me: are u ok to study??? its only 11 in the am.

I sent the text back not even asking who it was. He read it immediately with one word.

ethan: yeah :)

I smiled and sent a text back.

me: okay 👌🏼

I threw my phone back on the bed and ran to the hall closet for a towel and washcloth. I needed to be presentable. Right now, I looked like Coachella threw up on me.

I brushed my hair in the shower and washed up with my favorite body wash: Coconut Paradise. It was so pleasurable. I washed my hair and brushed it out again.

I reached out for my toothbrush and toothpaste and brushed my teeth. My breath was kicking harder than Bruce Lee. I put the toothbrush and toothpaste back on the sink and began to scrub the crud off of my face.