He needed to know that I was okay; that we were okay. I'd give him whatever validation he needed.
Addiction - Chapter 18
Tuesday
"He's divorced." I was sitting cross-legged next to Melissa on her bed.
"That's great news. So why do you look...not great?"
"I talked to Isabella. His ex-wife."
"What, why?"
"She broke into his apartment."
"Oh my God. Psycho much?"
I laughed. "Yeah." I looked down at my lap. "But she said I didn't know him at all. He's hiding something from me. He said we could talk about it tonight. But what if...what if it's something that I can't handle?"
"Penny." She put her hand on my knee. "He's your first boyfriend. If it's something you can't handle, then so what?"
"It's not what I expected. We've gotten so serious so fast."
"I know." She sighed. "I still don't get it. What happened that night? I thought you two were done."
The fight."I thought he had broken up with me. Apparently he hadn't."
"Which involves Tyler because you two can't keep your hands off each other?" She gave me a mischievous smile.
"Yeah. Actually we had sex."
"What?! When? During the party?"
"Right before James showed up."
"So..."
"So?"
"So...what the hell, Penny? How did you go from having sex with Tyler to getting back together with James?"
"He explained everything to me. He said he was trying to protect me. He never stopped wanting to be with me."
"He ignored you for weeks. He acted like you didn't exist. He...hurt you. Penny, I've never seen you like that before."
"I know." I closed my eyes and leaned against the wall. "I didn't mean to fall in love with my professor."
Melissa laughed.
I opened one eye, glanced at her smiling at me, and closed it again.
"Penny." She grabbed my hand and squeezed it. "You can't help who you fall in love with."
"Which is why I'm worried about tonight."
"How bad could it be? You've hung out with him so much. If it was bad you would have seen it."
"You're right." I looked at her for a minute. "Have you talked to Tyler?"
