Betrayed

The next couple days were spent completely bitching Cara out. Christiane went as far as to tell her if she didn’t apologize to Nathan and I, she would call Mike and tell him just how much she had actually cheated on him. Cara had gotten away with only letting him know about one incident when in actuality there had been a million. Mike stayed out of the whole debacle and ended up showing up every couple days to smoke with us.

The one rule Cara gave Mike was that he wasn’t allowed to drink after the stairs incident. Why he listened considering they weren’t even together anymore is beyond me, but he stuck true to it for a few days. During the few days he wasn’t allowed alcohol though he began smoking a lot more. It seemed he needed some substance to keep him going at all times.

I had been in Massachusetts for about a month now and my parents just kept letting me stay with my sister so my birthday party weekend turned into a month long vacation from my parents’ house. Cara and I were on rough footing now after the Friday night movie so I was seeing her less and less. Which also meant less Mike in most cases?

On Thursday the week after the movie date my sister decided to make up with her friend Cat. They had been fighting over something Cat had said to her boyfriend about Nathan, and my sister was protective of him, he was like another little brother. On this particular day she decided it had been long enough and Cat had learned her lesson. So Christiane, Aidan and I went to visit her at work. Cat and Nathan had been really good friends before the boyfriend situation and Cat was pretty sure Nathan was secretly in love with her. Every one else blew it off thinking it was crazy he was just her friend; Cat had a way of exaggerating a situation.

Cat worked at this little soft serve place that every kid in the town pretty much lived at during the summer. It was a staple in town and we had all skipped classes a time or two in June to go get ice cream. As we showed up Cat was ecstatic, she hadn’t had any friends in over a month and now everyone was finally on speaking terms again. We drove her back to her house after her shift was over. It was the ride I wouldn’t ever forget.

Cat slid into the backseat with Aidan as Christiane and I sat up front. We were all laughing and talking and Christiane decided to ask about Cats boyfriend, the guy who had started all of this drama in the first place. I sat quietly listening in.

“I found out he was cheating on me, again. It’s over with now. I’m so done with him. He was a waste of time.”

“Do you like anyone else right now?”

“No, not really.”

“Oh well we’ll find you someone!”

“Well I actually have feelings for someone.”

“Oh yeah. Who?” Christiane was very nosy, there was no way she could go without finding out who this mysterious guy Cat suddenly liked was.

“Nathan.”

At this point my jaw was hanging to the ground. I was in utter shock. I didn’t turn around and look at Cat I just let myself take it all in. My eyes watered and I realized what this meant. Nathan probably liked her too, she had always talked about it, and I would be forgotten about.

“I just realized I made the biggest mistake of my life letting him go. He was the best thing that had ever happened to me. I can’t believe I lost him over this.” Cat was pretty upset sounding but honestly I couldn’t comfort her, she was about to take the guy I was dating away from me.

“I understand you and him have feelings for each other Tiff. I’m not mad about it. I know you guys have been hanging out. I just can’t help my feelings and I can’t hide them any more. It’s not something I’m proud of but he’s my everything.”

“Um, yeah well I don’t think you have to worry about me and Nate. He and I tried it out and I’m pretty sure it isn’t going anywhere. He’s all yours Cat.” This was my defensive tool. I always hooked people up with guys I liked. It prevented them from rejecting me. At this point I wanted to make it look like I didn’t have feelings for Nate and I’m the one who handed him to Cat instead of Cat stealing him from me.

The rest of the ride was pretty quiet. I think my sister was as shocked as I was and she didn’t quite know how to respond to the declaration of love Cat just gave us all. As we dropped her off at her house, she and Christiane made plans to go out drinking, it was Thirsty Thursday. I wanted to tell Nathan before Cat had the chance, that way I was the one who broke it apart so I texted him.

“Hey you won’t believe the conversation I just had. It was the most awkward convo I have ever had in my entire life and it was ALL about you! Call me when you get out of work.” I waited a few minutes and got his reply of definitely I’ll call you when I get out. That day was spent thinking of all my possible options. I couldn’t come up with one other than bowing out gracefully.

At about nine o’clock I realized something. He wasn’t going to call me. Nothing, not even a text message, he had just ignored my request for him to call me and now I had this information about Cat I was going crazy. I figured Cat had cut him off right after work, told him everything and now they were cuddled up somewhere planning their wedding date. I did the only thing I could think of I called Cara and poured my heart out. She was working but said she’d come over as soon as she got out.

Her and mike came over together about an hour later. Mike had bought me a pack of cigarettes and dinner to make me feel better. Cara hugged me and they said Nathan wasn’t worth it. Mike had of course brought another little pick me up. A nicely rolled blunt that had my name on it. So we all smoked and just kind of chilled out on the couch not really paying much attention to the fact that my heart had been shattered. Cara and Mike started talking about they were no longer together. Out of the blue Mike looked over at me.

“What are you doing tomorrow night Fiona?”

“I don’t know. Nothing probably. Why?”

“Go on a date with me.” He was obviously kidding. He was sitting next to my cousin his ex girlfriend and his still live in room mate/bed partner. There was no way he was serious.

“Um, I’ll pass thanks though.” So the joke suddenly took on a different turn, he looked upset at me saying no.

“Come on Fiona please, one date. We can do WHATEVER you want. It will be fun promise.” Cara was sitting there laughing finding all of this amusing. I guessed Mike wanted to make me feel better after the Nathan rejection.

“You should go Fi, it will be fun.” Cara had started encouraging me. This would surely not go over too well. Finally I just left it alone.

It was getting late and Cara had passed out on the couch. Mike and I decided to go on the porch and smoke a cigarette. We were sitting talking about our date the next night and my sister got home. She had been out drinking with Cat.

“Hey guys! What’s up?”

“Fiona is going on a date with me tomorrow.”

“No I’m not. It’s a joke. You’re my cousin’s boyfriend!”

“No I’m not. We broke up. I don’t have a girlfriend, and you don’t have a boyfriend therefore we are going on a date tomorrow night!” I didn’t keep arguing it wouldn’t do anyone any good. So finally Mike woke up sleeping beauty on the couch and they headed to their house. I decided to head to bed.

“You’re going on a date with Mike tomorrow Tiffany. It will be fun and you need to get out of the house. It’s good for you.” So not only Mike and Cara but Christiane was all for this date too. I was going crazy. Why did they all want me going out with my cousin’s boyfriend? We still considered him that since they lived together still.

Cara called me the next morning and gave me quite the ear full.
“You have to go out with Mike tonight. He was wicked upset you said no last night. He thinks you don’t like him.”

“Cara isn’t this a little weird for you? He is your boyfriend.”

“No he’s not and it’s perfect! You get him out of my hair and I can go out as late as I want with Chris.” Chris her newest boy toy. It was sick how quick she went through guys.

“He’s really good in bed. I can vouch for that one!” She laughed it off. Finally I relented. Cara went to work and I texted Mike.

“Where you taking me tonight Big Boy?”