Dahlia's POV
"This isn't going to work."
"Huh?" I ask.
"Dahlia, this isn't going to work. Have you thought about how we're going to do this? We're leaving for summer break. Right now. You're going back to your parents and I'm going back to mine. How are we going to do this?"
"Mark, I don't know what you're talking about." And, I really don't, especially considering the fact that we just had a makeout session and his hands were all over me. His hands were literally on my boobs and bum.
We're in Mark's dorm room while his roommate is out, and one thing led to another, and, well...I don't usually do this. I don't want Mark to think I'm a...a sl*t or anything.
We've only had a mindblowing kissing session once before, but I thought that since we were going back home for summer break, this was a good time to do it again. I was going to give him my V card today but something is holding me back. I know I won't be able to see him for a few months.
"Dahlia, you live five hours away from me. We'll be apart the whole summer. What kind of relationship is that?"
"Um... a long-distance one?" I say it as it was pretty obvious.
He laughs, but it's not a nice kind of laugh. It was the kind of a douchebag *ssh*l* laugh, actually. Which is really mean considering he just had his hands down my panties and his tongue inside me. The least he could do is be a little nicer. I can't believe I'm even thinking this.
Nicer? Yeah, Dahlia, um... he's your boyfriend! He should be nice to you. Duh?
"I don't do long-distance relationships, girl," Mark says.
"It's not my thing."
"How would you know if it's your thing if you haven't tried."
"It's just not"
"So what does this mean, you're breaking up with me?" I ask as if I couldn't say anything stupid at the moment. Yes, I've got perfect grades, I was at the top of my class in school, and I've got at least five scholarships that will more than cover most of my first three years of college even though I don't need them, but apparently, I'm still dumb enough to have to ask if my boyfriend is breaking up with me.
"I'm not breaking up with you," he says.
"Oh," I say as my insides calm down a little. But he is making no sense to me.
"I'm just saying we can't do this. I can't go the entire summer without s*x, babe. It's impossible."
"Oh." I have no idea where he's going with this. But I just keep quiet and let him talk.
"We'll take a break. See other people. At least for the summer. When we get back to school next year we can pick up where we left off."
Wait, what? Look, I know what you're thinking. I'm not an idiot, alright? I'm really not. I just...I like Mark. I think. I'm not sure how I feel about him. Mark and I have been going out for a couple of months now and he's the only boyfriend I have had and I thought everything was going well, but...Nope, apparently not.
"But during the Christmas holidays, we didn't have any problem"
"Yeah, I know. I had a little help. See, It's not you, it's me," he says.
"Yeah, obviously," I say. I know it's not me. What a stupid thing to say. He's the one breaking up with me.
Mark laughs. "It'll be fine. Go home and think about it. I want to have s*x with you but I'm trying to respect your choices. When we come back to school next year, we can date again. Trial run or something? See how it goes. I've been putting up with you for now, but I really need someone who knows she can trust me even with her body, Dahlia. We haven't had s*x and the makeout sessions just haven't been that good. Sorry to put it out there like that."
"No," I say. "It's fine."
That's not really what I want to say. I want to say more. I want to say something annoying and sarcastic. Obviously, the problem isn't me. He's not a very good kisser either. Selfish and fast is about how I'd explain it, but I thought he liked me, so...My God, I'm an idiot, aren't I?
I look at my watch, try to rearrange my clothes, and rush to the door just as his roommate is coming back. Someone accidentally blocks me from making a hasty retreat. Thinking it was his roommate, I looked up wanting to apologize for bumping into him but I saw Stacy, the cheer captain. And then I understood what he meant by he had 'help' during the Christmas holiday.
How…when…I just want to go now. I want to run back to my room and pack and leave right now, because... because...Mark is an *ssh*l*! I almost think about screaming and hitting him, but I stop myself. I can't do that.
I'm the good girl, the girl with perfect grades, the girl everyone expects to go far in life. But I'm...I'm a doormat. I'm the girl whose boyfriend breaks up with her so he can sleep with other women during holidays.
I heard a spank just as I stepped out. Wow. Really, wow. I didn't need to turn around to know that he had just spanked her *ss. It would prove me absolutely right.
"Text me sometime or something," Mark yells to me as I rush down the hall.
"F*ck you," I say. I want to shout it, but I don't. I whisper it to myself under my breath. I'm Dahlia Peterson and I'm a good girl. Good girls don't swear and shout down the halls. I can't do that, even if I want to.
Instead, I walked as fast as I could then my phone rang. I didn't want to pick it but immediately I saw the caller, I changed my mind.
"Hello, Birdie!" my best friend, Rachel, chimed over the phone, using the nickname she'd coined in elementary school.
"Hey," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.
"My gosh, what's wrong? Is it Mark? What did he do?" Rachel's concern was palpable.
I took a deep breath before blurting out the truth. "He cheated and broke up with me because I said I wasn't ready to have s*x."
Rachel's response was immediate. "What a douchebag! You know what? Let's go out. We can hit that new club downtown, and it'll help you forget all about Mark."
I hesitated for a moment before agreeing. "Yeah, let's do that. I don't want to be moping around."
We made plans to meet up, and I headed to my dorm to get ready. I slipped into a yellow dress that made me feel s*xy and confident. Rachel was already waiting for me outside, looking stunning in her short leather skirt and tank top. She's always been open about her s*x life, smart but she's also fiercely protective of me.
As we entered the club, the thumping music and flowing drinks enveloped us. I was ready to let loose and forget about Mark. That's when I saw him – tall, dark, and handsome, with a captivating smile.
But he wasn't a stranger at all...