Chapter 8
At the airport. Tristan was handling two massive suitcases like some kind of travel cam
Everything about him werexmed competence–check in, baggage, security, customs forms, he turned every nightmare airport operation All I had to do was follow behind him, and for the first time in months, I felt like trould actually breathe,
It was such a stark contrast to traveling with Leam Fl always been the one doing everything–planning parking, thressing abong every dead while he’d humble around like a toddler, losing shot and whining the entice time
In the departure lounge, Tristan returned with a perfect latte and some delicate pastry–three gans, strawberry flavor. Somehow he’d memoriaed exactly what keit.
“Take a break We’ve got time.”
He nodded toward the seats. I took the drink, feeling this unexpected warmth blooms in my chest. I’d hardly sat down when my phone bed. Without thinking, I answered.
That voice. God, even rougher than usual.
“I can’t find that necklace you get me last birthday… where the hell did you put it?”
My fingers want white around the phone.
“And that the we bought together? The blue one from when we went shopping.
He was talking like nothing had happened. Like we were still together.
“Hall closet. Second drawer.”
My voice came out completely dead. He paused, then actually had the halls to keep going
“What about my… where’d you put my boxers? You always used to organize my…”
“Lennon.” I cut him off sharply. “We’re not together anymore.”
Dead silence. Then this pathetic, heavy breathing:
“What about all your shit then? Those dresses I bought you, the purses all the stuff you left at my place..
“Turn it.”
“Even that stupid teddy bear you’re obsessed with? You seriously don’t want it?”
“I don’t want anything.”
“What about me?”
His voice cracked “No, you really don’t want me anymore?”
I stared out at the chaos of travelers and felt something cold settle in my bones.
“no, I don’t want anything that reinds my you exist.”
“Time I’m not throwing your shit away! You want it, come get it yoursel
There it was. His signature isove
WIL
Every single fight, he’d prall this “come collect your stuff card. Then when I actually show up, he’d cling to me, sweet talking until I folded.
Maybe in his mind, this was just another one of my “moudy” he could charm his way out of
“TE hire someone to pick it up.”
“Nos, come on! Stop being crazy….
Now his voice went all soft and manipulative.
–
“Did you hear my performance? Isang our song and afterward, everything just hit me. All our memories, growing up together, every pro made… Noa, we’re wired for each other. How can you just end this?”
“Ive got A–list producers blowing up my phone! This is real! It’s just–I’m in the spotlight right now, everything’s so public. I can’t announce as yet. But we could keep it private? Just until things calm down, then I’ll tell the while world…
“Lennon I cut through his desperate rambling.
“None of this has anything to do with me anymore.”
“Nothing to do with you? Then who? You’re really gonna break up with me? For who?” His voice carried this laughable certainty. “Who else in this world gives a damn about you like I do?”
He paused, like he was making some magnanimous gesture:
“Look, okay, maybe things got messy. Maybe Nina was a little. inappropriate. But I swear, nothing happened between us?”“”
A laugh bubbled up from somewhere dark and bitter:
“See, Lennon? You DO know she crossed lines. But what did you call it before? Just being herself? Innocent and straightforward?
“You knew exactly what game she was playing. You just loved the attention Loved having your devoted girlfriend at home while some other girl threw herself at you. You wanted to have your cake and eat it too–stability with me, excitement with her ”
Caught red–handed, he scrambled
“Jesus, Noa, what do you want from me? I’m literally groveling here! I’ll cut her off completely, okay? In a couple years when my career’s stable, I’ll go public with us. Full commitment. Isn’t that what you want?
The laugh that came out of me was sharp enough to cut glass
“Lennon, maybe you see me as some boring, low maintenance girlfriend. But my love doesn’t have room for any bullshit, especially the kind you knew damn well was happening.”
“The moment you failed to choose me, to protect me–that was it. We were done.”
My voice was getting steadier, stronger:
“From now on, you can chase your dreams and fame and fortune. I’ll build my own path and refch for my own stars.”
“This is where we end.”
