Fall ❈ Benny Rodriguez

xiv. fragile

CHAPTER FOURTEEN!
FRAGILE　KYGO & LABRINTH

　

　

THE FOLLOWING DAY happened to be one that I could not quite ignore. The Fourth of July: the best day of the year to light up every firework in sight. To wave sparklers in the air and chase your friends with them. To burn your fingers attempting to light said sparklers.

　I'd awoken, of course, buried beneath Luke's arm and legs: In sleep, he was a cuddler, and it was not the most comfortable thing. Still, after managing to disentangle myself from the boy and escape the confines of his sleep-heavy limbs, I trudged into my bathroom and slipped into the tub.

　Hot water and darkness and soft music did not help the way I had hoped. The ibuprofen did not seem strong enough to fight the terrible throbbing in my head. And at this point, there would probably be no possible solution to rid the swelling beneath my eyes.

　The bath, in conclusion, did little more than give me more time to feel depressed and alone. After getting out and wrapping a towel around myself, I went back into my bedroom, and was startled to hear a knock at my door.

　Some stupid, petty hope brushed my mind that it might be Jordan, coming back with the news that he had changed his mind. Needless to say, my luck did not run this high—but it was a pleasant thing to come face-to-face with Leah and Ivy, both bearing some sort of gift, their faces pulled into sympathetic hesitation.

　That morning consisted first of eating the peanut butter and chocolate chip waffles Leah had whipped up and not using the lighter Ivy had brought to burn pictures of Jordan. While I was heartbroken, I was not hostile, not bitter; it was my fault for being in love with someone else. If my boyfriend was still hung up on his ex, I probably wouldn't be able to just dismiss it that easily—and I explained all of this to the girls, as they sat with me on my bed.

　Ivy shook her head of thick curls, so that they bounced wildly, perfect brows knit into a frown. "No, baby girl. If he really wanted to be with you, he would have stayed and tried to get through it with you."

　The words hit me like a bullet to the chest, puncturing the thin veil of protection I had worked so hard to weave. After catching my breath, all I could do was stare at Ivy, throat clenching, trying not to cry. That opinion had certainly changed the game, and I was feeling particularly fragile.

　Leah nudged Ivy, shooting the girl a soft glare—a look only Leah Briley could muster: Sweet but dangerous, all at the same time. "Don't say that. I don't think that's true, Kayla. People handle these situations differently. And that letter seems pretty sincere to me."

　Assuming a slightly ashamed expression, Ivy nodded, softly this time. "Sorry, Kay. She's right. What do I know? I've never been in, as Kat would say, a proper relationship, so...don't listen to me."

　Soon after, another knock sounded at my door. Before any of us could move to answer it, the door swung open, and in poured several boys, led by Ham, who held a Monster energy drink close to his shrinking gut.

　"Hope this is still your favorite," Ham said, one eyelid dropping into a wink.

　A swift glance answered my suspicions. All of the boys—solely the original sandlot crew, sans Benny—arrived bearing gifts. Timmy brought a cup of cookie dough ice cream—"I've heard that ice cream is a girl's go-to after a breakup"—and Tommy brought a Hershey's bar.