Chapter 10

i'd take another chance, take a fall, take a shot for you

At home the next day, I was on the phone with Nick. God, he even had a hot phone voice.

He told me about a party he was having the next day, and told me to invite everyone I knew.

"Any particular occasion?"

"Nope, just a party for the sake of partying. And plus, my parents are away for the next week, so I'm partying it up."

We laughed, "Sounds like a plan. Okay, what time should we stop by tomorrow?"

"Well I think people are migrating around nine or so, so maybe nine thirty."

"Sounds good, we'll see you then."

"Awesome."

"But look, I kind of have to go, so I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Okay, see you tomorrow."

"Bye."

I hung up. Was I seriously going to get a rebound boyfriend this easily? Something was really messed up here.

Spur of the moment decision, and I had my sneakers and running clothes on. More just a pair of Sophees and a white tank top, with sports bra.

I made a quick running playlist, and then headed out, complete with a fully charged iPod and water bottle from the refrigerator. I left my cell phone at home.

I told Mom I was running, and then headed out for the park. There was a good trail for running there. In my head, I sung the words to the songs, and let my New Balance-d feet carry me around the park. And then I spotted him.

He was running fast, as he usually did, but this was an angry fast. Maybe an anger at me. I tried to just focus on running, and pretend I didn't see him. He looked back once when moving to the other side of the trail to make sure he didn't run into anyone, and saw me.

I pretended not to see him stare straight at me, and continued running with ease. He stopped. I continued running. I kept my eyes away from him, and towards the park that was the interior of the trail. I turned the volume up on my iPod, and changed the song to a rock song. I picked up my speed, but so that it would not seem as though I was running away from him, but just gaining speed. I passed him, feeling his eyes on me.

Once I was past him, I could think clearly again. Why was it, that whenever I saw him, my mind went blurry and I could only think about him?

Did he get the message? That I didn't want to speak to him? Or be near him? Or even look at him?

At the correct turn, I veered off the trail, and back along the road towards my house.

I heard footsteps behind me (I had turned down the volume some), but I had to continue running. I heard him calling my name, but pretended my iPod was too loud. I practically sprinted all the way to my house, pushing against the exhaustion. I ran up the walk, and into the house, shutting and locking the door behind me.

My bell rang.

Brooke came out into the foyer to answer it.

"No..." I whispered as she approached.

"What?"

"Just wait..." I looked through the peephole quickly, and was right. It was Luke, needing to talk to me.

He eventually stopped ringing, and left.

"What was that?" Brooke asked, annoyed. She turned and went back into the kitchen, I followed her.

"That was my ex boyfriend, following me. He keeps saying that he needs to talk to me. So what!"

"What do you mean, 'so what'? Talk to him!"

"We have nothing to talk about..."

"At least listen to him!"

"No! This is stupid, I'm going upstairs!"

Brooke had no idea what she was talking about. She didn't know what had happened, she didn't understand the circumstances.

Then why had my best friend also told me to listen to him?

Whatever...

Two hours later, I was sitting at my computer, bored. I was taking personality quizzes on seventeen.com for Christ's sake! I had blocked Luke, and proceeded to not talk to anyone else. I put up an away message, the stupid ones that everyone hates, that come with AOL when you first register. "I am away from my computer right now."

Then I realized that I still had to tell everyone about the party the next night.

I turned off my away message, and IMed whoever was online. That being Claudia and Rachel.

"Nick is having a party tomorrow night, and he invited me and said to bring friends."

Rachel was enthused. "Awesome! What time?"

"Nine thirty."

Claudia was still worried about her boyfriend, "Can we bring the guys?"

"Um ... not sure. Will have to ask."

So I texted him. "Can my friends bring their boyfriends?"

Five minutes later, I got a reply, "Sure."

"OK thanks babe. C u tomorrow!"

"Ciao."

I typed to Claudia, "Yeah, you can."

"Okay, sounds good. What time?"

"Nine thirty."

"Alrighty."

"Spread the word."

"Will do."

And with that, I was done. And bored again.

I looked at Luke's profile.

He hadn't changed it yet. His marital status still said "I love you Lauren."

"Fuck," I muttered to myself. And almost started crying.

So I put up the away message again, and went to the movie store. And the grocery store.

Good ole "Sleepless in Seattle" and "Titanic," and then "Get Over It," "Bring It On," "Sugar & Spice," and "the New Guy." Then three containers of chocolate chip cookie dough from Haagan Daaz, better than Ben & Jerry's. Ben & Jerry's had better cookie dough, but Haagan Daaz had the ice cream you wanted.

I was in a sappy movie, and total-chick-flick-crap movie, mood. It was fun.

So I sat on my bed, once again with my parents lap top plugged into the outlet behind the bedside table, and ate and watched.

It was a great way to spend the night.

Rachel called me halfway through "Bring It On."

"Hey," I said, through a mouth full of cookie dough.

"Hey, what are you up to?"

"Eating and watching. What else?"

"Want to go out?"

I didn't have to think about it for two seconds. "Don't think so."

"Why?"

"Because I feel like shit."

"Because of Luke? Come on Lauren! You have to get out at some point!"