one shots

crush | pt. 9

We dated for about a year, but I always felt guilty for feigning as if I was head over heels for him.

He was a good guy, but he just wasn't. . . enough.

Don't get me wrong. The sex was amazing, and he was really sweet and everything. . . but he just wasn't. . . Genesis.

There, I admitted it. He wasn't Genesis, and it's unclear if he ever will be, but life is too short to be waiting around to see.

I thought that if I kept trying to make it work, it eventually would. I felt that my effort would eventually pay off, but what good is effort if it isn't genuine?

Genesis had clearly moved on. I still kept up with him on social media, liking and retweeting his daily words of encouragement and other posts I could relate to. I would even like the pictures of him and his girlfriend, Zoe.

Mira thought that I was being a good sport for not letting jealousy take over me but often pressured me to "go up to that school and get my man back."

I couldn't possibly put him in a position like that. How awkward would it be to have an ex drive six hours to "get you back" when you've been in a healthy, loving relationship for the past year and a half? How stupid would I look, putting myself in such a situation?

Algee understood why I was breaking up with him. I didn't just flat out say he wasn't good enough for me because truthfully, any girl would be lucky to have him, but he understood that we were honestly like mixmatched puzzle pieces trying to fit. He'd actually felt as though the love had left him as well. He was planning to stick it out through the rough patch, and I thought he was a good sport for that, but it wouldn't be worth it, in the end. We both knew it.

Our relationship ended the same way Genesis and I's did: with a hug and an endearing kiss. The difference was that it wasn't as hard to let him go from my embrace, and neither one of us were crying. I told him not to be a stranger, and he replied, "never that."

I shook my head with a smirk, knowing that we wouldn't even speak to each other in passing after this.

I told him to take care of himself, and he reciprocated my saying before leaving.

I sighed deeply, feeling a weight lift from my shoulders as I closed my door behind him. With that, it was time to focus back onto what really mattered.

My education.

I was hoping to get a summer internship back home for graphic designing. By the time I graduate, I should be guaranteed a job, especially if I work hard as an intern and soak up as much information as possible.

I went online to begin the application process when Mira Facetimed me.

We talked for almost an hour about what she was up to currently and what she'd be up to in the summer. She explained how she'd be getting ahead on some classes and going back to her seasonal job at this boutique that was also back in our hometown. I asked if she'd heard anything from Jay or Jazz. She explained that Jay was hoping to get this job as a sound engineer at concerts or producing beats for artists. Jazz, on the other hand, had finally found his passion, which was teaching. He aspired to get more experience by becoming a counselor at a community center and STEM camp, back home.

I grew excited at the fact that the whole crew would be back together for the summer.
"It's gonna' be like old times," I smiled.
"Oh, yeah. It is," she spoke cheerfully in realization.

"We should all meet up for lunch or something," I suggested.
"And Genesis should come too," she smirked.
I rolled my eyes.

"Come on. I know you wanna see him," she cooed.
"I mean, yeah, I do, but--"