Chapter 6

“What the hell is this about you leaving?”

I gasp loudly before noticing Bre sitting on the edge of my bed.

“Can’t you knock or something? You nearly scared me to death!”

She tilts her head forward and gives me an are you serious look. 

“You texted me two hours ago saying you were ditching me… I didn’t even think you’d still be here!”

I grimace.

“Sorry about that… Things got a little tense there for a while.”

She waits for only a moment before throwing her arms into the air.

“Well? Are you going to tell me what happened?”

I take a deep breath and launch into everything she missed. I tell her about the letter and video I found when I got back to the room, and then about what happened with Mara when Logan confronted her. I even tell her about the walk in the park with Lucas. Bre grumbles a few expletives but holds most of her questions for when I finish.

“How do you always have so much drama in your life?” she asks.

“It’s not like I go out looking for it!”

“Well there’s only one common denominator here…”

I let out a sigh.

“So what should I do?” I ask.

The look she gives me makes me wonder if I just grew a third eye.

“What the hell are you even talking about?” she says. “Last night you were complaining about the fact that you weren’t sure if Logan was telling you the truth and now you’ve come up with some other problem out of nowhere… You’ve got to stop taking this stuff so seriously.”

“But it is serious.”

“You’re the only one making such a big deal about it.” She sounds angry. Or maybe she’s just frustrated. “We’re supposed to be having fun this weekend and you’re making everything a much bigger deal than it should be. Can’t you just cut loose and not blow everything out of proportion for once?”

I give her a confused stare. Something about her feels… off.

“Did something happen with Collin?” I ask.

“Collin doesn’t have anything to do with this,” she responds, too quickly.

“Do you think you’ll see him after this weekend?”

“Maybe I will, maybe I won’t.”

“Are you starting to have feelings for him?”

“Feelings? What are you even talking about?”

“Just humor me, would you?”

She shrugs a shoulder.

“We’re just having fun. Like you’re supposed to be doing…”

Bre isn’t a girl that gets too attached to guys in her life, but something isn’t adding up. I give her a flat look.

“Be honest with me.”

She squirms from side to side. I don’t even think she realizes she’s doing it.

“Look, I’m telling you, it’s just a weekend fling, okay? There’s nothing to tell.”

“Did he say something?”

Her eyes flare. Shit, she’s going to let me have it. I prepare for the worst when her shoulders deflate. Silence hangs over us as I give her the space she needs to open up.

“We talked last night—after he finished fucking me for the second time.” I give her an intrigued look but she waves me off. “Yes, the sex is good. Really good. But it’s whatever… We agreed that it’s just a weekend fling thing and that there isn’t a future for us.”

“How do you feel about that?”

She shrugs a shoulder.

“It is what it is.”

“I hate that saying.”

“Yeah, well, deal with it…”

I sit down next to her and wrap my arm around her. The fight in her melts away when I pull her close.

“You like him, don’t you?”

“I was being stupid. This is what happens when you get attached…”

“You don’t really think that, do you?” I ask.

“Relationships are a hassle and a waste of time. Nothing is permanent and people who think otherwise are just going to get hurt.”

“I’d like to think that some things can last.”

She shakes her head.

“We’re all going to die one day. Everything comes to an end. Everything.”

Images of my loved ones dying flash in my head before I can block them out.

“You mean to tell me that no part of you wonders what the two of you might turn into if you had more time to explore it?”

“We’d just be delaying the inevitable. Might as well keep it simple and leave it as it is.”

I let out a loud sigh. Bre is too stubborn for her own good, there’s no point in arguing with her.

“Maybe you’re right,” I say, finally giving in.

She gives me a long, sad look. The whites of her eyes emanate a light pink hue.

“Look, Aimee, if you’re smart you’ll do the same thing. We should both just leave this weekend behind us. We’ve had our fun. Let’s just leave it at that.”

“Yeah, maybe…”

I glance at the illuminated numbers in the clock on the nightstand and my heart skips a beat.

“Fuck, we need to get ready or we’re going to be late!”

Bre looks surprised, and then confused.

“Late for what?”

“The big dinner… It’s in a half hour and we still need to get dressed!”

The confused look on her face deepens.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Gervas didn’t tell you? He said the house staff was preparing a big dinner for everybody before we go back to the City…”

Bre rolls her eyes.

“I’m sure Collin just didn’t bother to pass along the message.” She sighs, loudly. “One thing goes wrong and he acts like he can’t be around me ever again…”

I cock an eyebrow. I knew there was something more that she wasn’t telling me.

“What went wrong?”

The blood drains from Bre’s face. 

“It’s nothing,” she says, quickly. “Forget I said anything.”

I give her a look.

“You just made me go into graphic detail about my night of sex with Logan… you can’t hold out on me now.”

Bre looks like she’s about to say something, but then she purses her lips.

“I can’t.… It wouldn’t be right.”

“You know you can tell me anything, right?”

“It’s not that. This is just one of those things…”

I try to hold back a grumble. Whatever happened with Collin definitely has her on edge. I should respect that, even if I know Bre would scream and yell if the tables were turned.

“You don’t have to explain yourself. But I’m here if you change your mind or just need to talk. About anything…”

She beams at me.

“Thanks.”

I return the smile.

“Now, we both need to get ready for this dinner. This is our last chance to show these guys how hot we are before we go back home.”