Want Me

Chapter 3

It's been 2 weeks since I met Stacy. In that time I got a rescue dog, Newton. Newton was a retired police dog I found at my local shelter. I decided a dog would be best because they are a human's best friend, right? I've also watched every rom-com movie on Netflix and eat about 20 pints of ice cream. Not my proudest moment, but who cares, tonight is a waffle run night.

On every third Wednesday of every month, Edgar and I have a tradition of going to our local waffle house at 2 am in our pajamas and hanging out. This first started when we would hang out in my apartment and stayed up super late studying for exams, working on projects or other school assignments. This was a tradition we started our freshman year of college. Missing a waffle run was not an option. We agreed that a waffle run night was sacred best friend time and missing it was treason to our friendship.

Usually, on a waffle run right, Edgar would spend the night at my place and then make our way to the diner.

Since Edgar officially started dating Stacy, I haven't seen very much of him and that broke my heart. I knew after Edgar had introduced Stacy to me, that he ripped out a huge piece of my heart. I also knew that I would never get that piece back because I have subconsciously given that piece to him. Now I was living my life with a gaping hole in my chest and I had no one to blame but myself. I blamed myself because nobody forced me to give him so much of me.

After I resigned myself to living a life where I would never be fully satisfied, I was devastated again to figure out that not having Edgar in my life hurt even more. It feels like there was a fire in my soul that was put out and every time I take a breath the fire ember burn bright and makes me ache for the missing flames that are no longer there. I understand that we can't spend as much time together as we used to, but no contact was a little extreme. It felt like he took my happiness with him when he left me for Stacy.

I round the corner of the diner and make my way inside.

"Hey honey, long time no see." Shawna drawls. Shawn is the only waitress on the night shift.

"Hi Shawn, it's nice to see you too." I have a genuine smile on my face as I go over and give her a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek. Shawn is like an aunt to me. She was one of the first people I met when I moved to Portland.

"Are you gonna have the usual?"

"You know it."

"Go ahead and grab a seat while we wait for Link to show up. He's never far from where you are." Link was Shawna's nickname for Edgar.

"Not lately" I sat dryly. She gave me a frown and I elaborated, "he has a girlfriend now and that makes me chopped liver"

"Aw honey, do you want me to get you a slice of cherry pie?"

I smile sadly. I only get cherry pie when I'm super upset. "No, that's okay. He's gonna be here tonight and I'll talk to him about it." She pats my cheek tenderly and I go take a seat at our booth.

Not two minutes later the door chimes and I hear Shawn's voice. "Link, honey, where have you been?"

He gives her his cheekiest smile and says, "In the clouds, Shawna." Once he saw her expression his smile was wiped right off his face and I fight to muffle a giggle that bubbles in my throat.

Shawna grabs Edgar by his ear and pulls him down to her level. Shawna might be a five foot two, plump woman, but she could instill the fear of God into your soul with just one look. It's funny when it's not happening to you, but when you are on the receiving end you just about pray a hole opens up and the earth swallows you whole. "If I ever hear that you've been huffing the devil's lettuce there's gonna be hell to pay, ya hear?"