Second Chance (28 page)

“What’s wrong
with picking up where we left off
?” I ask him
.
“
Why can’t we just

make the most of the time we have together
when we have it
?
I thought that’s what we
wanted
?
”
 

Gray smirks
.
“
Because
f
r
om my
personal
experience,
Dylan,
falling in love with you is like jumping out of an airplane with no parachute
.
It’s fun as hell,
a
rush of adrenaline
,
until the inevitable crash comes where you leave and my heart splatters all over the ground.
”

“I
nteresting theory,” I
mumble
.
We get to my driveway and Gray looks over at my little apartment, lit soft
l
y by a lamp in the window
.
 

“
Do
you want me to leave
town
?”
I ask.

He takes a deep breath
.
“I don’t know,” he says
.
“I
came out here to get a fresh

start
.
This
place has no memories attached
to my family or my sister or to you
.
Now you come along
,
and
I know you
r style
.
You’re going to
leave your mark everywhere
.
And it’s all fun and
games
for you, but
you’re leaving again
.
Being t
he person that gets
left behind sucks because I have to live
with
all the
memories
.
I had to do that with Amanda
in Phoenix
.
I’ve had to do it with you
.
I
can’t do it again
.
I’m done.
”

I nod and it surprises me that I’ve never considered it from his side
.
It makes me feel selfish
, b
ecause he’s right
.
Gray doesn’t spread his l
ove
out like I do
.
He
saves it for
a few
worthy
people
and he allows himself to depend
on
those people
.

“
I don’t want to
be
weave
d
in and out of your life when it’s convenient for you
.
So if you want to stay
here
, fine, but don
’t do it for me
.
W
e’re over.
”  He turns and heads down the street
without another word
and I watch his shadow grow smaller in the distance
.

GRAY

Kari and I
text back and forth and she sends me messages like “miss you,” and “yo
u’re cute,” and I wonder if she’s stealing
phrases
from a box of valentine heart candy
.
I ask her out
for dinner
by text
since she prefers to communicate that way
,
and we swap
restaurant ideas. S
he wants
to eat at Harvest, this all
-
organic five
-
star gourmet restaurant, and yeah, I’d love to eat there too, if someone else was treating
.
We agree on Firefly, a local restaurant
Todd
recommends
that’s
perfect for a date
. G
irls will respect you for supporting
a local business, and
you don’t break your budget
.
   

On the way to pick up Kari, I stop at the
Brew House
to loan Lenny
my copy of S
uper Troopers
and she meets me outside for a
cigarette
.
She
observes my combed hair
and
wrinkle-free shirt
.

“What fraternity did you recently join?” she asks me
.

“I’m taking Kari out to dinner,” I remind her.

She takes a long drag
on her cigarette
and her eyes turn into attack mode
.

“
I thought you were above being a player.
”

I take offense
at
this
.
“
I’m not being a player
.
I have a date
.
I asked
Kari
out over a week ago
.
”
 

“
So, c
ancel it,” she says.

“
Why should I?
” 

She just shakes her head
.
“Y
ou’re
wast
ing your time
, Gray
.
And your money,” she inform
s
me
.
“
Stop trying to punish Dylan
.
You’re just punishing yourself.”

I laugh at this assumption
.
“
She’s been back for
less than
a week
,
and I’m supposed to d
rop everything
?
”

Lenny
exhales a puff of smoke and
stares at me like I might be suffering from brain damage
.
“Don’t you get it
?
She’s trying to make it up to you
.
She’s trying t
o prove you can depend on her.
She came back here and you’re pushing her away and she’s staying and taking it
because she loves you
.”

I
shove my hands in my pockets
.
“
We’re not getting back together
.
” I say the words like
a mantra
.

“
Get over yourself
.
She’s perfect for you
.
I’ve never seen you so entertained by someone
—and I
’ve seen you really high,” she adds and points a finger at me.

I throw my arms up in the air
.
“Yeah, isn’t she great
?
She makes everyone fall in love with her
.
It’s her gift
.
It’s her survival
plan
,
so she can travel the world and be
a mooch
.
”
 

Lenny frowns at me
.
“She’s not a mooch
.
She’s the one
that paid
for all th
o
se groceries
the other
night.”

“This is
all
temporary
to her
,” I argue
.
“
You’re all
infatuated right now
because she’s
funny and
she’s
different
.
B
ut you can’t depend on her
. One
day she’s going to get
bored
and leave and cancel you out of
her
life.
”

“I don’t think that’s true
.
I think you can count on Dylan more than anyone
.
I like her Gray, and you know me
.
I barely like you half the time and you’re my best friend.”

I can feel my shoulders slump
when I hear this
.
Lenny should be taking my side
.
Now she’s suddenly suiting up to
join
Team Dylan
?
Traitor
.