Flowers

37

Michael

"Why the fuck would you do something like that?"

Alexis shook her head at me with a grin, "babe, we both know it wouldn't have lasted. She's Landon Prince's daughter, for Christ's sake. You need someone like—"

"How the fuck do you know who I need?" I ran my hands through my hair and tugged at them with frustration, feeling like I was going insane.

"Because I know the real you. She never really knew you," she placed her hand on my back and moved closer on my couch.

"She did," I mumbled, feeling like absolute scum-of-the-earth crap, "I should have told her myself."

"Maybe so," she laughed lightly, "it was best this way. It's a surprise how long you kept her around."

"How's Kate?" I wondered after a moment, eyes focused on my socks.

"Dead."

"Damn..." I breathed out, feeling so lost right now.

I had visited my grandma a few days ago, and the look on her face when I told her that things hadn't worked out with Camille made me cry. She had been so excited ever since I met Camille, begging me to bring her over every time I went to see her. I can't remember the last time I'd actually cried, and it made me feel like such a fucking pussy.

"You wanna move this to the bed?" Her voice lowered and turned seductive, leaning close enough for her hot breath to hit my ear and make me shiver.

"No," I murmured out, hoping she heard.

"Fine, but you do know I hate to fuck on a couch," she hummed to herself, sounding very pleased.

"We're not fucking," I grunted out like a damn caveman, unable to stop thinking about Camille and what I'd said to her.

"Why'd you call me then? We both know—"

"Needed to talk to someone," I cleared my throat, not having moved from my position in what felt like hours, "you're the only one around."

"Well shit," she laughed, "and here I thought I'd get dicked down tonight. Who knows, maybe things will escalate—"

"I think I love her."

Everything turned silent. It was surprising since usually Alexis always had some smartass answer up her sleeve.

"You think you love her?" She asked after a long moment of us both having processed it.

"I'm crazy about her," I breathed out shakily, feeling relieved to finally be admitting this aloud. It felt shitty not saying these things to Camille, but what can you do.

"And I fucked it up," I added spitefully, itching to punch something or someone.

"Mike, you're only thinking like you love her because she's gone. It's not real," she tried to assure me, but didn't know I'd tried assuring myself that for the past few weeks without any hope, "you need shots and a rebound, waddaya say?"

I didn't reply, not needing either of those things. Alexis sighed and I could just imagine her rolling her eyes at me.

"This isn't like you. She's from uptown, anyway. Just look at her life, man," she continued, "she was just looking for a little bit of excitement with a bad boy from downtown."

"She wasn't," I shook my head.

"D'you two ever even talk?" She then wondered, "can't be too many thoughts in that blonde head of hers."