Grey

Thirty-Seven

[RORY]

"Ladies, come on. It's 3pm, I would like to do something with my life today."

"Bryce, go away," Em groaned from behind me on the couch. I was sitting on the floor in front of her, leaning my back against it. The hangover was thick in her voice. "You're too peppy and loud and it's making my headache worse."

"Maybe if you ate some of the pizza I ordered, you'd feel better."

"Maybe if you ordered me pizza last night when I asked you to and you said no, I would also feel better."

"Maybe if you hadn't made me sleep on the couch because I said no, my back would feel better."

"Guys," I muttered, nursing my own headache for different reasons. "Please shut up."

I chewed on my bottom lip, hearing my phone buzz on the ground next to me. My chest ached as I looked at the screen, seeing Finn's third text of the day.

His first came in just after 6 in the morning.

I'm really sorry. Can we please talk when you're up? Come over?

The next, just before 10.

Baby I know we both said a lot but I'm begging you.

Then the new one.

I can give you your space but please call when you're ready.

It took everything in me to ignore it, but I knew it was what was best. I hadn't realized the room had gone silent as I rubbed my tired eyes, still swollen from crying half the night. When I picked up on the uncomfortable tension, I glanced over my shoulder, hating their sympathetic looks.

"I'm fine, please stop looking at me like I'm a dog at the shelter."

"You're allowed to be sad, Rory," Em sighed, playing with the ends of my hair that were fanned onto the couch cushion. "You're sure you guys shouldn't talk? Not even for closure?"

"It's just going to make it harder," I mumbled, playing with a hair tie I found on the rug. "I'm doing us both a favor."

"I'm sorry for pushing you to go over there," Em moved her hand, squeezing my shoulder. "I feel really guilty. Kind of like I caused this."

"You didn't, stop."

"But I kind of did."

"No, it's not your fault," I sighed, wanting to move on from the topic. "It's probably best we did talk last night. We both said a lot of hurtful things and it'll be easier to stay away from each other with that being our last memory."

I felt sick as the words came out of my mouth, thinking of any and all happy things to will the tears welling in my eyes to evaporate. I exhaled, grabbing my phone and standing up.

"Em, I'm sorry but I think I'm going to have to side with Bryce on this one." She frowned, knowing where I was going as I extended my hand. "You need to peel yourself off the couch, I want to go do something. I need the distraction, movie?"

"Oh my god, Rory, I think I love you," Bryce gasped from behind me. "Can we please go see the new James Bond?"

Em stared at him deadpan from the couch, accepting my hand. "You and I both know there's no way I'm getting up for an action movie."

"It's a romcom," he replied.

"You want the couch again tonight? Keep it up."

-

Seeing a movie had been a good distraction but as we walked out of the theater, Em and Bryce in a heated discussion about how she could possibly fall asleep in a Bond fight sequence, reality washed over me again. There was an emptiness in my chest magnified by all of the happy groups, happy couples, mulling about around us in the crisp night air.