A Beautiful, Terrible Love - Lucky 97 (electronic reader txt) 📗

dream come true.
So I guess that was why my jaw dropped to my knees when he said, "Yes."
"Oh, really," I murmured, although my insides were tumbling and turning with excitement. A guy, besides Dex, had never said something so sentimental to me before.
I was surprised to find that his words almost excited me more than Dex's did.
Peter said nothing, just continued weaving his way through various roads until my house loomed before us both. He drove the shiny car on the dirt pathway until we were close to the door, my heart rate descending when I realized we were already there. I wanted a few more minutes to sit in the beautiful car, feeling the air rush past my cheeks, sense the comforting presence of Peter right beside me.
We both sat there, Peter making no move to unlock the car doors, I making no move to ask him.
"He... he left you, didn't he?" he finally asked after a long period of silence.
He seemed to understand what I was trying to communicate through my silence.
"That jerk's not good enough for you, Eve," his words hung between us, the truth evident. He looked at me, his gaze comforting. The tension wasn't there, only us.
Former best friends, current standing unknown.
My memory flashed to earlier events, when Dex said the awful words, "I have to leave." They still seared through me, like a poisoned barb, a whip of words that caused terrible pain.
Peter leaned closer to me, his hypnotizing lips dwelling next to my ear. My breaths suddenly became shorter, almost in frenzied gasps. "Just remember, Eve," his voice dropped to a whisper. He paused, then took a deep breath and said, "I'm the one that never left."
I was still frozen with shock when he pulled away, his gleaming car roaring, leaving me in the driveway staring after him.

Chapter 16
Eve

I dragged myself through the door, weariness showing in my slow walk. Lou was sitting on the couch, her magnificent raven black hair splayed among the pillows, contrasting sharply against her snow white skin. She was leafing through the TV channels, her expression of pure boredom, most likely trying to hide the worry that boiled underneath her facade.
She shot up at my entrance, crossing over to me with concern. "What took you so long, honey?" she queried, her voice worried. She had obviously been spending hours fretting about my tardiness, wondering just exactly what Dex and I were doing at such a late hour.
"Mom, I'm okay," I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper.
"He didn't... do anything to you, did he?"
"NO mom."
All he did was ditch me without saying when he was coming back, kissing me into oblivion, then leaving me in the dust as his limo sped away.
"Okay, sweetheart," her enchanting brown eyes stared into mine, "but if he does... would you tell me?" her voice wavered slightly, her expression of hope as she peered at me.
"Probably," I murmured, disconcerted under her all-knowing gaze. She shot me a relieved smile.
"Goodnight," she propelled herself, her plump red lips coated with lipstick, towards my forehead. She delivered a simple, sweet kiss, her minty breath wafting into my nostrils, and then glided away.
I smiled a little at Lou's kind gesture, the caring feeling she rarely expressed showing through. She was the sort of parent that didn't shower her love generously upon us. But I was fine. I could cope.
I glanced for a few lingering seconds at the sofa in the den. It was immaculate, not a trace of anything remotely Dex. The soft surface looked groomed, no stains to be found. He must have had it cleaned out earlier or something, the couch even better looking than when he arrived here.
It was suddenly hard to believe that Dex had slept on this very sofa. All I had left of him was a memory, a memory that was getting even more surreal by the minute.
Emotion starting to overtake me, I ran to my room, coughing as I fought back tears. The comforting aroma of my cinnamon candle greeted me as I slipped through the door, shutting it quietly behind me. The shaggy carpet, white as snow, crumpled under my footsteps, the ceiling fan whirring the air directly onto my form. My bed, a queen-sized one I had to share with Sadie, sat begrudgingly in the center, its covers rumpled and thrown aside. With walls as thin as paper, I could hear every word muttered in the house, not a good thing when you want to go to bed when your mom is watching TV.
I went to the small berth, sliding my form on it gracefully. I pull my knees to my chest, leaning back against the headboard, my eyes looking at the cracked ceilings, the fan that was dangerously close to falling, and the vent.
This, to me, was home. It was my secret place, the place I could just... be me in. It wasn't a lot, but it was enough.
I let the tears flow, finally, them racing in rivers down my cheeks and spilling onto the comforter. Why did he have to leave me?
Will he ever come back?
A million other questions zoomed through my mind, all of which I had no true answer to. It agonized me, the terrible feeling of being without answers or hope. Both were incredibly important to me, and only when I was without them I would panic.
I dragged the covers over me, my form shaking from my strong emission of emotion. The tears were blinding me, blocking my vision until all I could see was light, unable to distinguish specific forms.
The light quickly faded into blackness as my breathing became steady, my eyelids slipping to a close with a soft thud.

I woke to the sound of breathing. I quickly twisted in my position to see Sadie beside me, her beautiful eyelashes pointed downwards, sleep overtaking her form. She had a dreamy, satisfied look to her face, her cheeks blushing flame red. What could she be fantasizing about?
In that one moment, as I examined her serene face, I envied Sadie. Her looks were one of a kind, her complacent expression invoking the green monster inside my chest. I would love to be able to talk to people like Sadie always did.
But most of all, I wished my life was as simple as Sadie's.
I get up, swinging my legs off the bed, walking over to our chest of drawers. There was an awful creak as I slid it open, a groan that made me shudder. Quickly, I picked out a red, two piece tankini, with intricate designs down the side, gathering at the waist. Holding my breath, I slipped it on, knowing all the while that if Sadie cracked open one eye, it would be over for me. This swimsuit was one of Sadie's favorites.
I rushed down the stairs and out the door, gasping as a wisp of icy wind blew across my form, embracing me, the cold shaking me to the bone. The grass was green and crisp, the thin blades stick straight. Flowers bloom, a iridescent array of green, purple, red, blue, and yellow, splayed throughout the yard. The sky was still pitch black, illuminated only by the lustrous moon, its pure light shining upon my form. Another pretty, freezing cold morning.
I meandered over to the lake, marveling at it's beauty. It was crystal clear, the dark waters reflecting the night above. There seemed to be no turmoil beneath the surface, the pure serenity suspended in time, for these few meager seconds that nearly made my heart burst with happiness. Dex did not have a beauty such as this over in Hollywood.
To hide the sound of my sniffles and tears, I plunged into the perfect water, creating the first ripple of the morning.

I scrambled for my shoe with gusto, wanting to find that one specific pair that I loved. A bright green sandal with a huge flower on the straps was suspended in my left hand, dangling by its own leash. Before me laid a mountain of shoes, a true terror that frightened me to death. I knew that shoe had to be in there. I remembered the last time Sadie wore them a couple of days ago, leaving them in this disastrous pile.
l don't know what came over me to dress up this morning. I was wearing a light and airy chocolate colored skirt, mixed with swirls of blue and green. It sparkled, overlaid with sequins, ending at about mid thigh. My top was a plain turquoise, lace around the scooping neckline, buttons merely for decoration trailing down the front. There were no sleeves, it being a tank top, although I covered the revealing sight with a denim jacket that cut off just beneath the bust.
There was no one to dress up for, though, so why was I doing it?
I guess even the memory of Dex affected my closet choices.
I heard a banging on our thin door, and I quickly clacked over with my one shoe. Through the peephole, I spotted a wealth of cameras, microphones, and people. Not again, I thought. They had been pestering me ever since Dex left the vicinity, wanting to know the scoop between us.
The problem was, I just didn't know the scoop. I was as clueless as they were.
I looked down in fright at my bare toes. They would think I was crazy if I walked out there with one shoe. Quickly I tug a blue sandal with a very similar flower from the pile and shoved it on my feet. Who cares if it matches?
I open the door quickly, slipping out to not disturb my family, then shutting it quickly behind me. Might as well satisfy their curiosity now, when my sister was still taking a shower and not here to bug me.
"Eve!!"
"Eve Valencia, can you ans-"
"Have you and-"
"Are you going to continue to pursue a singing career?"
All I really heard was that last question.
"Please, one question at a time," I said, exasperated. My brain hurt from their frenzied bursts of inquiries. The chattering immediately stopped, a welcome change for me.
"That's a stylish outfit," a lady from Vogue commented, her eyes focusing on my shoes, "It's new and different! The shoes are cute. Would you want to be on our front cover next month?"
"Sure," I shrugged. I never got any magazines down here, because of the complete country-like aspect of this town, anyway, so it wouldn't affect me.
"Are you going to move to Hollywood or Los Angeles?" a thin reporter with a curly mustache prodded.
"Probably neither," I replied. How can fame change my life this much?
"Are you and Dex going out?" a pretty lady asked.
There was a pause. Everyone was suspended in silence, waiting for my words. This was the big question.
I decided to give them the truth, and nothing but the truth. "We were getting close to going out, but then he left for Hollywood before we could solidify our relationship." At least it sounded sophisticated.
"That's horrible!" the same lady replied, her brown eyes full to the brim with sympathy and concern. "You... didn't let him take your innocence, did you?"
"No!" I said quickly, redness coming to my cheek. "But... I did like him," I admitted softly to her, the lady's eyes widening slightly.
"I guess Dex has another side to him," she starts furiously scribbling on her notebook, I suddenly remembering who I was talking to. A reporter. Why did I have to tell the truth in front of a gossiping reporter?
"Please," I walked over to her and touched her arm.