“Tar, what’s going on?” I asked again.
“You’ll never believe what Heather called and told me,” she yelled into the phone. She continued without waiting for me to respond. “She went to the bar with Jimmy last night, and Megan was in there with some guy. They are obviously a fucking couple or really close. He had his hand on her thigh, and they were shoving their tongues down each other’s throat every chance they got. Heather said she couldn’t watch any longer, so she left. She was debating on whether or not to tell me. She’s my best friend, though, so she felt she had to let me know.”
“Are you fucking joking? You better be, because Megan told me she had a migraine last night and was staying in bed,” I yelled back.
“Chase, why would I lie? She’s a fucking pig, and yeah, she was in bed all night, but it was with that guy.”
“Tar, I gotta go.” I slammed my phone on the kitchen counter, not caring if I cracked it on the granite top. I paced the kitchen. I didn’t want to accuse her, but I needed her to confess.
Fuck it, I don’t care. I’m confronting her.
I dialed her number. She picked up groggily. It was ten a.m. Why is she still sleeping? That’s definitely not like her.
“Still have a headache?” I asked with an attitude. “You must, if you’re still sleeping.”
“What’s your problem?” she asked, probably rolling her eyes. I was picturing it in my head.
“Listen, I’m gonna get to the point. I know about your boyfriend. You might as well just come out with it,” I said, throwing it out there.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she replied, denying it.
I could definitely hear a guy whispering in the background. I sat there, not saying anything.
“Obviously you’re upset. We can talk about this later,” she said, acting very strangely.
“Megan, we’re through. I’m fucking done with you. Let me know when you’re getting your shit out of my house. Have fun with your new man. I hope he treats you as good as I did,” I yelled into the phone. I felt like I needed anger management. I’m normally calm, but this mess just caught me by surprise.
I hung up on her as she was yelling for me to wait. I left the house and here I am… at the gym.
Normally I bench press 110 pounds; today I’m pushing it to 130, and I’m blocking out all the guys I normally hang out with in here. My best friend Parker is across the room on another weight bench. He starts walking toward me so I stop my reps, sit up and grab my water bottle. I pull my earphones out.
“Dude, what’s up?” he says, looking me up and down. “I called you an hour ago. You look crazy.”
“I feel crazy. I’m pissed off. I just broke up with Megan,” I say, taking another gulp of water.
“I’m sorry. No, I’m not. She was a bitch. You could do better than her. The only thing she had going for her was her rack.”
“Seriously, P, I’m not in the mood,” I grunt. “I guess I’m the only one who didn’t see she was a bitch.”
“Nah, you were pussy-whipped. I mean I would have been, too, if I was banging that. Let’s go out tonight. You can pick up a random chick and give it to her O’Brien style.” He laughs.
He’s really not funny. Well, at least I don’t think so at the moment. His only response ever is to go out drinking, hence the reason he owns his own bar.
“I have work at the pharmacy tonight and have lacrosse practice early in the morning tomorrow.”
“I’m fucking neglected. You never have time for me, between being a pro lacrosse player and a pharmacist.”
“I don’t have time for myself.”
“Maybe Megan felt that way too,” he says, bringing up the obvious.
“You think I don’t know that? But you just don’t go and find someone else.”
“Nasty ho.” I give him a warning look, so Parker changes the subject. “Did you get your invitation yet?”
“For what?” I ask.
“High school reunion. Ten years, man.”
“No, and hell no I’m not going.”
“What? The lacrosse star and most popular guy at school. You are expected to be there.”
“I refuse to see that bitch Carrie,” I remind him, in case he’s forgotten my high school sweetheart… not.
“Maybe she changed. Maybe you’re meant to be.”
“I’m going back to my weights. I’ve heard enough.” I lie back down on the bench.
Hell will freeze over before I step foot in that reunion.
Back to Jay Z and my own ninety-nine problems.
CHAPTER 3
Chase
A WEEK’S PASSED since I broke up with Megan. She has called a couple of times, but I refuse to answer. I don’t care what she has to say. I did finally listen to the voicemail from this morning, though.
“Chase, it’s Megan… Again. We need to talk about this. I think you overreacted. I’ll be over tonight at seven to figure this out.” She disconnected the call. Damn it. I don’t want to see her, but I guess I have no choice since she’ll be here in fifteen minutes.
I’m not even going to rush to get changed. She’ll be gone as soon as she gets here. I’m sitting here on my sectional in my clothes from the gym. I just got in half an hour ago and still have on gray Gap sweatpants and an NYU T-shirt. I need a shower, but this bitch will try to get in with me if I take one now. I have no intention of getting back with her, even if she flaunts her fake breasts in my face. I know Megan. She is going to use sex to get me back. She will throw herself at me. She always did that whenever we had stupid little arguments.
I get up off the sofa and walk to my stainless steel fridge to grab a cold water. I was going to make a salad and some grilled chicken, but that can wait until I get rid of her.
She texts my phone saying she is on her way over. I can’t contain my excitement. I sit back on the sofa and put my feet up on the coffee table, flipping on ESPN to catch the beginning of the Knicks game. I’m totally engrossed in it when I hear Megan walk in. I left the door open purposely so I didn’t have to get up and answer it.
“Hey babe,” she says, tossing her Michael Kors bag on the sofa.
“Yeah, are you here to get your shit? I boxed it up. It’s on the dining room table.” I’m doing good, so long as I don’t look at her body and get a hard-on.
“You’re taking this break-up to the extreme, don’t you think?” she asks with her hands on her hips. I can see her nipples hard through the tight T-shirt that fits over her breasts. I just want to grab her hips and take her right here. I need to get a grip. She fucked another man. She was in bed with him and lied to me.
“No. You banged some other guy. I don’t want you.” She walks toward me. My heart starts beating. I jump off the sofa. “Megan don’t… I can’t do this. Take the box and get out of my life.”
“You’re just gonna throw me out of your life, like we had nothing?” she whines.
“You did that to me.” I shove the box at her and throw her bag and coat on top of it. I push her out the door. “Don’t ever call me again. I’m through.” I slam the door behind her and want to take a cold fucking shower.
CHAPTER 4
Hailey
MELANIE COMES into my office to bring me a message. She bends down to pick up a paper that is sticking out from under my desk.
“What’s that?” I ask, wondering why she is crawling on my floor on her hands and knees.
“I don’t know. It was stuck under the leg of the desk,” she says, out of breath.
“Is it important?” She hands me the paper. Gee. I’m excited now. I thought I threw this out. It’s the invitation for the high school reunion. “Throw that out.”