As A Friend

12: How a Guy Should Treat You

It's been a week and I'm still a little sad about Elias and his straightforward rejection and Dominic's low key rejection. I'm sitting at breakfast, moving around my oatmeal. I don't even know why I got oatmeal. I don't like it. Dominic clears his throat from across the table and I look up at him.

"I was reading online that in order to get over a breakup, you need to allocate a specific time slot for sadness. I think this past week has been that. The next step is to put yourself out there, so I think we should go out tonight," he blurts. I look at him and offer up two slow blinks.

"To where? A party?" I ask.

"Yes," he answers. "And not for my sake but for yours."

"Dominic..." I trail as I drop the spoon into the thick bowl. He looks at me with a serious expression on his face.

"Nova," he starts. "Elias was a jerk. You may feel like he was right about what he was saying but he didn't handle the situation like he should've. He should've had that conversation before you guys did anything. Regardless, you're a prize, Nov. Any guy, and I mean any guy, would be lucky to have you in their life. I can guarantee you that every straight male finds you attractive. You're just that kind of girl. You're too pretty to be moping about some guy that made a really stupid decision. You're too funny to be sad. So you need to go out and grab life by the balls and go after what you want and who you want because you can get anyone without question."

I want you. I stare at him and feel the small amount of inspiration dissipate in my chest. He definitely wasn't talking about himself when he said that. I turn my eyes on the food in front of me as I shrug weakly. "Thank you," I say quietly.

"You're welcome," he replies quickly. I feel his eyes on me as I swirl around my oatmeal.

"But I don't think hooking up with someone else will help." That'd make things ten times worse.

"I didn't research this one but rebounds always helped the guys." He shrugs at me and I shake my head.

"A rebound isn't going to help me. In fact, I'm almost 100% certain that hooking up with a guy will just hurt me more," I explain.

"Okay...then how about we go out? Just the two of us?" he offers, which earns a curious gaze from me. "We can go out and do something to get your mind off of him."

"That sounds better." I want to ask like what but I have a feeling he doesn't know yet.

"Okay then, it's a date," he assures me before pursing his lips. "Now I just have to find something for us to do."

"We could always see a movie." There are a couple of good ones out now that I want to see.

"No, I'll find something better." He waves a dismissive hand and I offer him a nod. I wonder what he's going to choose.

We part ways and I go back to my room to study while he 'plans our date.' I have no idea what we could possibly do. Our hometown may be a city but there's nothing in it. The neighboring towns also have nothing worthwhile. Unless he wants to walk around the mall then I can't possibly think of anything other than the movies. I'll let him figure it out.

At five o'clock, he messages me and tells me that I should dress warm for our date. I look at the weather and see that it's 48 degrees. Before I can text him back, he messages me again and tells me not to bother checking the weather and to be ready by six. I sigh loudly but begin getting dressed.

I start the layering process. My leggings go underneath my jeans as does my tank top beneath my sweater. I set aside my hat, gloves, and scarf and I zip up my coat. As I double up on socks, I groan and nearly keel over from my body heat. I pull on my boots and examine myself in the mirror. Wherever we're going better be fun or else I'm going to be upset.