Chapter 134
**Sara**
I stretched lazily, pushing my empty plate away. Breakfast had been a simple affair - toast, eggs, and coffee - but it hit the spot. As I stood to clear the dishes, my phone started buzzing on the counter.
My heart skipped a beat. Tom?
I practically lunged for the phone, nearly knocking over my coffee mug.
But as I snatched up the phone, my excitement quickly fizzled. Matt's name flashed across the screen, accompanied by a photo of his stupidly handsome face.
"Oh, for fuck's sake," I muttered, jabbing the reject button with more force than necessary. The phone clattered back onto the counter, and I glared at it like it had personally offended me.
Why couldn't he take a hint? We were done. Over.
Yet here he was, still calling, showing up at my apartment with those puppy dog eyes and lame excuses. What did he think this was? Was it some cheesy rom-com where the cheating ex gets a second chance?
I snorted at the thought. Yeah, right. And pigs would sprout wings and start doing aerial acrobatics over the city.
But as I turned back to the dishes, a traitorous little voice in my mind whispered, "What if...?"
No, no, no. I'm not going there. Matt was in history—ancient history, like dinosaur bones and fossilized tree sap.
I scrubbed at a plate with unnecessary vigor, trying to drown out that annoying little voice. So what if he was still unfairly attractive? So what if we had history? So what if a tiny part of me missed the familiarity of our relationship?
He. Was. A. Cheater.
I trudged along the sidewalk, my bag slung over my shoulder, feeling like a zombie on its way to a brain buffet. The morning air was crisp, but my mind felt foggy. Last night's conversation with Tom kept replaying in my head, making it hard to focus on anything else.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, startling me from my Tom-induced haze. I fished it out, half-hoping it was him, half-dreading it might be.
It wasn't Tom. It was Matt. Again.
I groaned, loud enough to make a nearby pigeon give me a judgmental look. The message glowed on my screen like a neon sign of desperation:
Matt: Sara, can we meet for coffee? I really need to talk to you. Please.
What part of "we're done" did this guy not understand? Was I speaking in tongues? Did I need to hire a skywriter to spell it out for him?
My thumb hovered over the reply button for a moment. Then, I shoved the phone back into my pocket with a huff. Nope.
I picked up my pace as if I could outrun the ghosts of relationships past. The university loomed ahead, a beacon of... well, mainly stress and caffeine addiction, if I'm honest. But today, it felt like a sanctuary from my complicated love life.
I spotted a familiar figure lounging against a nearby tree as I approached the campus gates. Jessica. Her hair caught the morning sunlight, making her look like some kind of campus goddess. If goddesses wore crop tops, ripped jeans, and oversized denim jackets, that is.
"Jess?" I called out, quickening my pace. "What are you doing here? Waiting for someone?"
She pushed off the tree with a grin that spelled trouble. "Yeah, you, dummy. Who else would I be waiting for at this ungodly hour?"
"It's 9 AM, drama queen."
"Exactly. Ungodly."
We fell into step together, heading towards the main building. The campus was starting to buzz with activity, students shuffling to their classes like caffeinated zombies.
Jessica nudged me with her elbow. "So... did you and Professor Hottie have another 'study session' last night?"
"Jess! Keep your voice down, will you?" I hissed, glancing around nervously. "And no, we didn't. Unlike some people, I occasionally prioritize sleep over sex."
"Boring. What's the point of having a secret affair with your professor if you won't take advantage of it?"
"The point is passing my classes without a scandal; thank you very much," I muttered. "Anyway, what about you? What happened after you ditched me for Brad last night?"
"Oh, honey. Let's just say there was a lot of sex and not much sleep."
"Of course there was. Why did I even ask?"
"Because you live vicariously through my wild escapades," she teased, flipping her hair dramatically.
"Right, because my life is so dull and boring," I shot back, thinking of Tom.
As we walked, I couldn't help but wonder about the bartender from last night. "Hey, did you ever call that Blake guy?"
Jessica's face scrunched up in confusion. "Blake? Who the hell is Blake?"
I stared at her, incredulous. "The bartender? The one you were practically drooling over last night? Ring any bells?"
"Oh!" Her eyes widened in recognition. "Right, that Blake. Nah, I didn't call him."
"Seriously? I thought you were all over him."
She shrugged. "I was, but then Brad called and, well... priorities, you know?"
I shook my head, laughing. "You're unbelievable. So what, are you thinking of calling Blake today?"
"I'm thinking about having my first taste of Blake later. See if he mixes as well in the bedroom as he does behind the bar."
"Jesus, Jess," I hissed, glancing around to ensure no one overheard. "Do you ever think about anything besides sex?"
"Sometimes I think about food," she replied without missing a beat. "But usually, it's about sex. Like, you know, whipped cream, chocolate sauce..."
"Okay, okay! I get the picture. Vividly. Thanks for that mental image I'll never be able to unsee."
Jessica just grinned, clearly proud of her ability to scandalize me. I rolled my eyes but couldn't help smiling. That was Jess for you - unapologetically herself, with a libido that could power a small city.
"Oh," I said, remembering the earlier interruption to my morning. "Guess who called me again?"
"No way. Matt? Seriously?"
I nodded, fishing my phone out of my pocket. "Yep. Called and messaged. Look at this crap."
I thrust the phone at her, Matt's desperate plea still glowing on the screen. Jessica's eyes narrowed as she read it, her lips curling into a sneer.
"What a loser," she scoffed, handing the phone back. "You know what you need to do, right? Block his ass. And if he shows up at your apartment again, give him a warning. A very loud, very public warning. Preferably involving the words 'restraining order' and 'police.'"
"Isn't that a bit dramatic?"
"Sara, honey, the guy cheated on you, lied about it, and now won't leave you alone. I'd say a little drama is warranted."
She had a point. I glanced down at my phone, Matt's message still taunting me. "I don't know, Jess. It feels... mean."
"Mean?" Jessica stopped walking, grabbing my shoulders and spinning me to face her. "Sara Parker, you listen to me right now. That asshat broke your heart. He doesn't deserve your kindness or your guilt. He deserves a swift kick in the balls and a one-way ticket to Fuck Off Island."
"Fuck Off Island? Is that near the Isle of Man?"
"It's wherever cheating exes go to die lonely deaths surrounded by their regrets and unsent text messages," she replied with a straight face.
"You're ridiculous," I said, shaking my head.
"And you're too nice for your own good. Block. Him."
I sighed, looking down at my phone again. "Fine. I'll block him if he keeps calling. Happy?"
Jessica threw her hands up in exasperation. "It's a start, I guess. But I'm telling you, if I see that jackass anywhere near your apartment, I'm going full She-Hulk on his ass."
The mental image of Jessica, all 5'4" of her, turning green and smashing Matt into the pavement was too much. I burst out laughing, drawing curious looks from passing students.
"Oh god," I wheezed, trying to catch my breath. "Can you imagine? You'd probably rip your crop top."
"Honey, if it means defending your honor, I'd rip every stitch of clothing off my body."
I raised an eyebrow. "And how exactly would being naked help defend my honor?"
Jessica smirked. "Have you seen me naked? It's very distracting. Matt wouldn't know what hit him."
"Jesus, Jess," I groaned, my cheeks heating up. "Is there any situation you can't turn into a sexual scenario?"
"Nope," she replied cheerfully. "It's my superpower. Now come on, we're gonna be late for class. Unless..." She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "You want to skip and go for coffee instead? I could tell you all about my plans for Blake, the Bartender."
I laughed, shoving her playfully. "As tempting as that sounds, I think I'll pass. Some of us actually want to graduate, you know."
"Boring," she sing-songed but stepped beside me as we headed towards the lecture hall.
As we walked, I couldn't help but smile. Jessica might be a handful, but she was exactly the friend I needed. Someone to make me laugh, to remind me of my worth, and to threaten bodily harm to my ex. What more could a girl ask for?
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