Shattered Hearts

Nicole Dawson was 27 years old when her world fell apart. She fell in love with someone she never thought she would fall in love with. She still claims to this day that it was not her fault. It all started when a new barista started working at the coffee shop that she would always guy to. His name was David. He was 21. When she first saw him she felt a magnetic attraction and she could sense he felt the same way.
Nicole heard things through other customers about David that he was not so nice as he let on, she was just not so sure if they were rumors. He seemed so nice to her when she went in to get her coffee. They became social media friends and started talking more and more. Nicole wanted to keep it as just friends because of the rumors but secretly wondered what it would be like to date him. She loved his piercing blue eyes and his wavy blonde hair. He had a smile that made her weak in the knees and he was always so polite to her.
One cold January he asked her if she wanted to get a drink. She froze. She wanted to go but she also did not want to get involved with someone like that because of the rumors. Her friends said to go and see what he was like so she agreed. He ended up cancelling. Then he asked her out for Valentine's Day and ended up cancelling again. He asked her if her age bothered him and she said "no I always wanted, a sweet respectful guy like you."
After that things spiraled downhill. She waited for him to reschedule and assumed that he still liked her. He never did though. One day during texting he wanted to come over and hook up with her and she told him she was not ready. They were fighting for over an hour how to get things started. That was not the first time. He kept saying things like "I do like you I am just in a lot of debt right now."
Things got worse from there. That was not the first time that they had a fight like that. Everyone around her kept asking. When is he going to take you out on a date? It has been so long! She did not want to give up on him. She told him that she would wait until he got his money back but she did not know that she was being loyal and he wasn't.
As time went on other women were getting involved, he was out partying, she was losing sleep every night. She was in heartache. He pushed her away saying "I am not the guy for you. "Then he came back." Then they had one fight that lasted for hours and he said hurtful things to her and she got only two hours of sleep. The fight lasted from 6pm to 2am. She remember dealing with him and crying herself to sleep every night. The pain that came with it. She didn't want any party of it. She decided to leave Los Angeles and go to Fort Worth Texas. A new place and just start over. She never wanted to see him again.
She started working at a local café. She got in apartment and one day she decided to read outside when she saw a big fat Hispanic guy about her age come up to her wearing a video game shirt. "Hey are you new here?" he asked. "Yeah why" she responded. "Just welcoming to you to the neighborhood. This place is so small. It is nice to see a new face. I am Rico. " "I am Nicole."
Pretty soon Rico and Nicole became best friends. They were laughing about their favorite movies. They were hanging out all the time. Nicole felt comfortable telling him about why she moved and slowly her heart was healing. The only problem was she could not be with Rico. Rico had a girlfriend. One day when they were hanging out she saw a guy with dark hair about her age reading by the lake.
"Who's that?" she asked Rico. "That's Brent he does not talk to anyone. we all wonder if he has any friends sometimes. "
All of a sudden a women a couple of years younger than Nicole came up to Rico. She was wearing a concert T-Shirt with ripped Jeans and missing a tooth. She looked very familiar to Nicole.
"Dude, why haven't you been answering my text?" "I have been busy. This is Nicole. She is from Lost Angelos." "I know you. " You do?" " I had a friend who worked in the coffee shop L.A. store he told me all about you." "It's over between me and him, anyhow I have to go."
Nicole went back home and started crying. She could not stand this girl. She actually remembered her one day from the store. Kylie was her name. She was all over David. Nicole was getting jealous. Nicole could not believe how she came here to start over and she got into this mess.
Nicole went for a walk and she saw a guy driving a porche. He was dressed better than Rico and Kylie. He had blonde hair and blue eyes. He slowed the car down as he saw Nicole and Nicole got scared a little.
"Where are you off to?" he asked. "What's in it for you?" she asked. "I am just wondering a pretty girl like you, should not be walking a lone." "Look if your looking for a hook up it is not happening." "I never said anything about a hook up I just never saw you before. Look I am sorry we got off on the wrong foot how about we start over during coffee?" Nicole agreed.
Nicole had a good friendship with Nick he was 22. He also had a girlfriend but his girlfriend lived two hours a way and he saw her twice a month. Nick's dad was a lawyer and he had a lot of money. Nick and Rico did not get a long.
Nick and Rico were constantly fighting over Nicole. Nicole kept trying to keep it at a friends only basis but sometimes it was hard. She was attracted to Rico because he was so sweet and thoughtful. She was attracted to Nick because he was charming.
Nicole tried going on dates she tried putting herself out there but every time it did not work out, she went straight back to Rico. She knew it was wrong but he gave her attention and she liked it. He made her feel good. It was lust and after David she needed that. Nicole never had a friends with benefits and she felt that she could get her experience so she did. The only problem was that she got attached and wanted the relationship also. She wanted to be someone's one and only. She wanted to be treated how other girls get treated. She knew what she was doing was wrong but she couldn't help herself.
Things went too far and she slept with Rico. She told him she loved him. He ignored her after that and he moved to Tennessee. She felt very guilty. She became friends with Nick again because they had a falling out because he wanted to sleep with her but she said only if you commit and he refused.
Brent and Nicole got to know each other and Nicole felt that Brent was flirting with her. Nicole liked Brent because he was smart but she was getting impatient because he was giving her mixed signals. She would go to Nick for advice "It's not fair if he likes me why won't he ask me out?" "He likes you, he is probably just shy."
Things came to a head when one day Nick just disappeared for no reason. Someone in the town said he moved. Nicole found him on social media and sent him a message but he never replied. She got upset. "It's not fair he was so smart. I learned so much from him. How could he just leave?" "It's time to move on." Nicole was angry and upset. She finally thought she met someone nice and smart and then this happened. She knew they were not dating yet, but she thought they had one chance.
Down the line she was so upset with everything that she turned to Nick. He was now single. She knew he hurt her in the past but at this point she just did not care. She needed love and right now he was the one that was willing to give it to her so they agreed to give it a shot.
A month later sent her a message on social media and said "be careful he hurt you once he will hurt you again." Nicole knew he was right but she did not want to admit it.
It ended up being true. After Nicole and Nick slept with her he told her "I got what I wanted, we can't be with each other anymore. " He said it was supposed to be a sex only relationship.
Nicole was upset. She felt alone. She had no idea why this kept happening. Every time she met someone and got attached to them it did not work out. She ended up going back to school for Marriage and Family Therapy and going online for love. This time with a paid membership where there are men who are looking for love.
Rico listened to her breakup. He came in and out of her life numerous times. She told him she wanted to be strictly friends and he agreed. She said she wanted to forget about what happened in the past and it was a mistake. He still had feelings for her but she knew she had to move on. It was very hard for her to do.
She eventually started dating again and met someone suitable to her needs. When that time came she had to say goodbye to Rico for good. She felt not only did she outgrow the relationship but the friendship as well. She admired at first how he was like a brother and he gave her advice but then he started to get too controlling and did not know when to let go.
Nicole felt she learned a lot. She will not wait for someone toxic to change their ways in the past. She knows her self worth. She knows she deserves love and does not deserve to be treated like a sex object. She would rather wait for the right man that to settle for the wrong man. She is glad that she waited so long for the right person and is now finally living her happily ever after with the man of her dreams.