I Can't Believe This

“I’m back!” I yelled, walking through the front door.

“In here!” Billie called back.

I walked into the kitchen, where he was still on the phone with Tre. He held up one finger, telling me to hold on a second. I nodded, and held up the doughnuts and coffee, before sitting down. Apparently the ‘hold on a second rule’ doesn’t apply when there’s doughnuts and coffee. Billie rushed over and immediately grabbed one of the doughnuts. I laughed and picked up my cup of coffee.

A minute later Billie hung up with Tre and sat down across from me.

“So,” he said, sipping the hot coffee. “Tre wants to have another party.”

“Oh jeez,” I sighed. “You mean the kind of party where everyone gets piss ass drunk and ends up making out with everyone else?”

Billie nodded, then got a solemn look on his face before adding, “Everyone will be making out with everyone else, except for you and me.”

“Oh of course.”

He smiled and pecked me on the cheek. “I’m going to get dressed.” he said, getting up. “Oh, and the party is at 8:00. Oh and it’s here.”

I nodded, finishing my coffee. I watched Billie walk up the stairs for a moment, before finally getting up and heading out to the front yard. I emerged from the house to see the trash man picking up the garbage already. Oh man. Now what the fuck am I going to do with Ethan’s number? I was going to to throw it out here so that Billie definitely wouldn’t find it. But now I couldn’t I thought, as I watched the truck pull away from the curb. Dammit.

I walked back inside, deciding to just tear it up really small and toss it in the trash. I had just pulled out the trash can when the phone rang again. Sighing, I went over and answered.

“Hello?” I answered, more steel in my voice than necessary.

“You ok?” Mike asked.

“Yes.”

“Right. Well, did Tre tell you guys about the party?”

“Yup.”

“Wow, someone’s fond of one word answers today.” He muttered.

“I’m sorry, I’m just…tired.”

Man, was I using that excuse a lot lately.

“Oh, well then I’ll let you go.” Mike said, concerned.

“Ok, thanks. See you tonight.” I said, hanging up.

“Who are you seeing tonight?”

I whirled around, coming face to face with Billie.

“Oh, that was Mike. Asking if Tre had told us about the party.” I said, all of it coming out in a rush.

“Cool, so what do you wanna do until then?”

It was then that I noticed that the Piece of paper with Ethan’s number on it was still in my hand. Trying to be inconspicuous about it, I gently put it in my pocket. “I have no idea. But I do know that I’m going to change, after all, I’m wearing my pajamas." I laughed a little heading up the stairs.

Immediately, I walked toward the trash can in the bathroom. I was just starting to throw it in, when I thought about what I was doing for a minute. I mean, it was just a guys phone number and I’m sure Billie has the numbers of a bunch of girls….No. throw it away. I threw it in, then got dressed and went back downstairs.

***

Music was blaring as I wove my way through the massive crowd in Billie’s house. There must be something like 200 people here. Finally, after side stepping a make out session between Tre and Rhianna. I found Billie grabbing a beer. I hadn’t seen him most of the night. I tapped him on the shoulder and smiled when he turned around. “Hey.”

“Oh, hey.” he answered shortly.

“Where have you been?” That was an easy question right? I mean, it’s not that hard to come up with an answer. But what did he say?

“Around.” He said, then adding quickly. “I gotta find Mike.” Then he turned around and walked away.

What the fuck was that about? Sighing, I grabbed a beer, and went to mingle with some other people. Turning a corner, I walked right into someone. I looked up and Mike steadied me. “Isn’t Billie with you?” I asked, automatically, looking behind him.

“Nope. I just saw him head outside actually.”

“Oh.”

“Why? Everything all right between you two?” He asked, concerned.

“I think so.” I turned and walked out to find Billie, telling Mike a ‘thank you’ before leaving.

I headed out into the backyard, and found Billie sitting on the edge of the pool, his feet hanging over. I sat down quietly.

“Hi.” I said, softly.

“Hi.” Billie said, not looking at me.

“Is everything ok?”

“Fine. Everything’s fine.

Liar.

“What’s wrong?’ I pressed.

“Nothing. You should go inside and have a good time.”

“Billie, tell me what’s wrong.”

“No.” He sighed, standing up.

I followed, grabbing his arm and turning him around. “Come on. I’m your girlfriend. You can tell me.”

Wordlessly, Billie pulled a small piece of paper from his pocket, holding it out to me. I peered at it, mentally cursing myself.

It was Ethan’s phone number. How in the hell did Billie? Then I knew. I forgot to rip it up.

“Drop something?” Billie asked, quietly. Looking down at the paper.

“Billie I…”

“It‘s no big deal.” He cut me off, walking through the house.

“Billie!” I yelled, following him. I caught up to him at the foot of the stairs. “Billie, it is a big deal to you.”

He stopped, turning around suddenly. “Were you going to tell me?” His voice was angry now.

“Billie, there was nothing to tell. I ran into him at the coffee shop and he Insisted that I have his number. Then, I got home and threw it away.”

“Right.” Billie snapped. Taking the stairs two at a time.

“Billie! Dammit. Nothing is going on with him.”

“So who was on the phone earlier today? Huh? You said it was Mike, but it was that Ethan guy wasn’t it? I mean you did say ‘see you tonight.’ Is he here now?”

“Billie! It was Mike!” I snapped, my anger getting the best of me.

“Fine. It was Mike. But you still should’ve told me.” He yelled.

What the hell did he have to be mad about? He was the one accusing me of cheating.

“Billie! There was nothing to tell! Fuck. Why don’t you believe me?”

“Maybe because it’s a little strange that the same guy you meet all the way in fucking Washington D.C. just happens to live around here, and work at the coffee shop you went to!”

“I didn’t plan that! How the hell was I supposed know where that guy worked? Think about it Billie.”

“I already did.”

“So that’s it? You think I’ve been cheating on you?” I whispered.

“I don’t know what I think right now.” Billie said, his voice matching mine.

I nodded, looking at him. God, things had gotten fucked up in a hurry. Tears sprung to my eyes against my will and I quickly wiped them away with my hand, not wanting Billie to see. I back up, then turned and left the room.

***

I had walked all the way home. A little over 6 miles from Billie’s house. When I got there I just went into my room and cried. Things were bad. And it was all my fault. Billie and I had broken up. But that hadn’t been entirely my fault. Billie was the one who thought I was cheating on him. Not the other way around. i wasn’t the one who just stood there and didn’t try to work anything out.

And I wasn’t the one who had just let the person they care about walk out on them.

No, that was all Billie. I don’t know how long I cried, but eventually the tears quit. I didn’t have enough energy to keep crying. An hour or so later Rhianna came home, drunk as hell. I was sitting on the couch, mindlessly watching television when she stumbled through the door.

“Hi.” she giggled, sitting next to me.

“Hey.”

I think something seemed to click in her mind, because she stopped giggling and looked at me. I guess I looked like a mess cause then she asked me what happened.

It all came out then. I couldn’t stop it. The tears streamed down my face as I told her what Billie thought and finally ended the story with me sitting here.

“Oh God.” she said, no longer drunk.

I just nodded, grabbing a tissue from the table in front of me.

“I’m just going to bed.” I stood up and trudged up the stairs.

Rhianna didn’t protest. Which relieved me. I didn’t want to stay down there. She’s my best friend and I love her, but right then I just wanted to be alone.

I laid down in bed, staring at the ceiling. How the fuck had it come down to this? All because of a stupid phone number. I rolled over onto my side, closing my eyes, and let the tears silently escape once more.

Billie and I had broken up.
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A/N: Thanks to all of the readers for reading my story. It means a lot to me. And thank you all for the comments. It encourages me to keep writing. You guys are the best readers ever! And I know that everyone says that, but I mean it. Thank you so much.