Two Wrongs

Torn: Allegra

I was up at out of the house the next morning before Liam could even contemplate trying to smooth things over. Not that he would. If I'd learned anything from my checkered dating past, douchebags rarely admitted they were in the wrong. They usually just manipulated and gaslighted until you accepted that their actions had been of some fault of your own.

Trevor had always been good at that.

I got in my car and just drove for a long while, not exactly sure where I was headed. I just knew I needed to go. It was dark and cloudy, not the bright and sunny LA I'd lived in for the last week. Seemed fitting. The weather was a lot like my mood.

Somehow, as if I'd magically transported, I ended up at Venice Beach. The sun was trying to peek from behind the clouds, but wasn't having much luck, so I grabbed a hoodie from my trunk, bought myself an iced almond milk latte and headed to the sand.

I wasn't upset about Liam intending to sleep with someone else. That was... fine, more or less. I was upset about the fact that he couldn't even wait until I was out of earshot to plan it. I was mad that I thought we'd gotten somewhere. I was mad that I thought I was getting to know the real Liam Cohen. I was mad that I had thought...

That I'd actually thought he'd liked me. Stupid, naïve Allegra. Always reading too much into things.

I sat in the sand, knees tucked to my chest as I sipped my latte in silence. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what I WANTED. Part of me wondered if the smart thing would be to just cut my losses and head back to Michigan. At least there I could figure my shit out without thirst trappy movie stars interfering.

I'd finished my latte by the time my phone rang out. I didn't even really pay attention to the screen as I tugged it out of my pocket and answered.

"Hello?"

"Where are you?" Sadie's voice asked softly.

I wasn't mad at her. I knew she had no idea about my brother's stupid plan, but it wasn't like it was easy to ignore my brother but not the girlfriend he lived with.

"The beach," I answered simply.

"What beach?" she asked.

"Venice. Why?"

"Joey and I just stopped by with a breakfast peace offering and you weren't there."

"Has he apologized to Liam because I don't really want to hear it until he has," I stated a bit smugly.

I could hear Joey in the background about to spout off, but Sadie silenced him. "Liam's not home either."

Great. He was already out on his little date apparently. Nothing like a ten am booty call to get the day started.

"Is he with you?" Sadie asked, her voice even softer than before.

"No."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Sadie."

"You don't sound fine."

I sighed, frustrated. "Is there a reason you called or..."

"You and your brother need to talk."

"I'm not sure I'm ready to talk to him, Sade. Friday was pretty fucked up."

"I know it was, Allegra, I do. But he's sorry."

"Is he or is he sorry because you want him to be?"

"Allegra."

"No, Sadie," I began, immediately fighting back tears from my traitorous eyes. "Joey fucked up. Big time. This isn't just something he can bring me coffee and everything's fine. He really fucking hurt me and he really fucking hurt the person that is supposed to be his best friend."