and we scored

Scene 44

CADEN

I think I might be sinking as someone knocks at the car window. I didn't hear it the first time. Not with the sobs.

She's gone.

She's gone. And it's my fault.

I look up and discover Jacob, standing in front of the window, pointing toward the locked door for me to open it. I roll my eyes annoyed and open the door for him. I could see a small grin on his face, before he enters, closes the door behind him and his face remains blank.

We stand in silence for a few minutes. Me crying on the driver's seat, Jacob analyzing me from the passenger's one. He doesn't say anything. Which is for the best.

When I can't have the silence between us anymore, I whisper: "She's gone." It was a whisper at first, since I didn't want to say it out loud. Saying it out loud would mean making it real. And I was still hoping it was all a nightmare.

Not anymore. She really is gone.

"She's gone", I'm screaming now. "I fucked up. And she's gone."

Jacob only nods, as if he would already know. I raise an eyebrow at him, wanting him to explain how did he know. He gets the hint and continues.

"Sofia came to the frat party a few minutes ago. Everyone knows she isn't allowed to because of the palace. I figured out that if she came, something must have happened."

Right. I don't want to imagine how Nini must be feeling now, if Sofia broke the law to come here.

It's all my fault. Her pain is my fault.

I scream again and Jacob only looks at me worried, being there for me. I take it as a silent invitation and scream my guts out. I scream until my lungs hurt, my throat hurts, my head hurts...Nothing as much as my heart hurts though.

When I'm done screaming, Jacob takes a deep breath and asks: "So, what are you going to do now?"

I look at him confused. He gets the hint and explains. "About Nini."

"She wants me gone. She wants me to never come close to her. And honestly, can you blame her? Not after what I did. She deserves someone much better than me."

Jacob's eyes are so wide, they might fall off any second now: "Are you kidding me?! Dude, that's not how you get the girl. Are you honestly telling me you watched months of romcoms and didn't learn a single thing?"

"What are you talking about?" I ask him, still having no idea what he's talking about.

"Groveling, man. Groveling."

I still look at him the same way I look at quantum physics. With no damn clue.

"You really haven't learned anything", he adds, shaking his head disappointed. "Caden, look, as your best friend, I have to tell you three things", he begins and suddenly I am starting to worry. I've never heard him talk so honest before. He only continues: "First, you're an idiot."

I can't help but cough once. Did he seriously call me an idiot?!

He doesn't mind, only goes on: "You're an idiot for not ending this deal sooner. And for hurting Nini. She didn't deserve it."

A tear rolls down my face again. Because he's right. I know he is. Nini didn't deserve this. She only deserved the best. And what I gave her wasn't that.

"Second, it's clear you loved her a lot. Still do. Caden, I've seen you with girls before. But you were never like this. You look like you couldn't live without her. Man, you're in love. Which brings me to the third thing. Get your act together and win her back."