NINE, Cynthia

NINE, Cynthia.

"So you left him there? Just like that?"

"Yeah."

"Wow. You're a coldhearted bitch, Winchester." Cherry flipped her raven hair over her shoulder, leaning over her bright red surfboard, examining a fracture in the wood from a wipeout earlier that day. When I started dating Leo, I learned quickly that his friend were part of the relationship. I didn't mind, Cherry had definitely become my confidant.

"I didn't want to do it," I shot back defensively, taking a sip from my beer. I had explained the whole story in a little over and hour. Though Cherry and Leo were close, I needed an unbiased opinion, and I pretty much trusted her not to tell my secrets.

"But you did. That's fucking sad." Cherry barely looked away from her board, the cigarette dangling between her lips threatening to let its ash fall on the board. I've seen that happen to Cherry before; she gets so pissed you don't even understand.

"You're supposed to side with me," I mumbled, crossing my arms over my chest with a huff. Cherry just shrugged.

"I can't pretend to side with you, Cyn." She slid the board from her lap, leaning back in the rusting beach chair on Leo's deck. "You seem to be pushing him away because of selfishness and your lust for drama. You're breaking his heart for your own entertainment without even realizing."

I looked out into the early morning haze, watching Cherry's cigarette smoke twirl into the breeze while I thought about her last statement. I couldn't exactly say she was wrong. What I had done only twenty-two hours ago still hadn't settled with me. I was severely regretting it, but hadn't even gotten a chance to talk to Joe. He was out when I woke up, and no one knew where. Not even Alex.

The screen door to Leo's house swung open as Leo's lanky form sauntered out. He was wearing only his swimming trunks and a beanie, an outfit he favored which I found out quickly. He had once admitted to me that he absolutely hated shirts. As weird as I thought it was, I wasn't about to protest it. The boy was fine. He walked towards us, placing a kiss on the top of my head before resting against the railing.

"What're my two favorite girls talking about?" He asked, seeming completely oblivious to what was going on.

"Oh, you know, girl stuff," Cherry replied with a wink. I smiled gratefully, standing to wrap my arms around Leo's neck. This was relatively hard to do, considering the height difference, but I managed. He kissed me lazily, breaking it with a smile. I ran my fingers through the loose waves that peeked out from under his beanie. Looking into his eyes, I could only think of two things: how lucky I was, and how much of an undeserving bitch I was.

"Alright, I'm out. Peace guys." Cherry skipped down the stairs with a small wave, yanking open the door of her beat-up station wagon. She drove away quickly, leaving me with Leo and an impressive amount of guilt.

"Cherry is gone. We have the house to ourselves," Leo whispered playfully, his breath barely hitting my ear as he bent down to kiss my neck. I smiled under the feeling of his lips, but I couldn't shake the lurking feeling I had been trying to suppress since the fight with Joe.

"Mhm, that we do," I replied, scratching my nails alone the bare skin of his back. Truthfully, I would've rather been back at home in my shitting hammock. With Joe.

"I can't do this, Leo." I pushed him away. He didn't even look confused. He actually looked almost relieved.

"It took you long enough," he sighed, pushing passed me and collapsing into the worn beach chair.

"What do you mean?" I tried to sound confused, but my words really just sounded rehearsed.

"Nick told me everything like, the third day we were dating." That little brillo head! Fro bro would have hell to pay.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Leo lit a cigarette, taking a long drag. "I'm just glad you finally came to your senses. I mean, after hearing you talking to Cherry-"

"You heard that?" I cut him off. I didn't know if I was glad, or just more upset then when this started.

"I was standing right there. Of course I heard you. Why do you think Cherry bailed so fast?" That made sense.

"Are you angry?" I sounded like a ten year old who had just been caught playing with her mother's make-up. It was pathetic.

"Nope. I expected it," he replied honestly. He took another long drag, "plus, we were fun, but I'm pretty sure everyone knew it was just a summer fling." I seriously owed this dude my life. Most understanding now ex-boyfriend award goes to Griffin Leonardo, hands down.

"So I guess that's that then." I turned to walk off the porch, but was stopped by Leo pulling me into a hug. I hugged back full force, loving the feeling of being able to refer to him as a good friend.

"Just do one thing for me Cyn."

"Anything."

"Don't fuck it up with Joe." He pulled away, smiling down at me.

"It's too late for that," I shrugged. Leo just shook his head slowly, bringing the cigarette to his lips with a lazy chuckle.

"Nah, it's never too late. Fate, karma, all that sappy shit." He released me, walking back into his house. I watched the door slam shut, the sun raising high in the sky behind me. Standing in front of Leo's house all alone, I knew what I had to do.

--

The walk from Leo's house back to my own was too short for my liking. The sun was finally fully up when I reached from the front door and let myself in to the eerie house. The first floor was completely empty, as I expected. I walked the three flights of stairs slowly, trying to go unnoticed and be as quiet as possible.

The door to the loft was closed tight. It was probably the loudest door in the whole house; it was bound to wake up anyone on the other side.

I forced it open anyway, the loud creak winging throughout the house. The room itself? Completely empty, except for Julia, who was snoring lightly and curled into a tight ball in her hammock.

It looked like none of the boys stuff was there. The cots sat unmade, still set up in their carefree manner. A pair of arms encircling my waist made me shriek slightly and forced Julia to bolt up from her sleep.

"BITCHASS THUGS?"

"Calm down Julia, it's just me." Nick's voice passed through my ears softly from behind. I turned him his arms, my expression showing how confused I really was.

"Where is everyone?" Nick released me, studying his finger intently.

"Well, uh, this is what the loft looks like without Joe and Alex's stuff all over. Surprise?"

"What?" Julia sighed heavily at my response, jumping down form the hammock. She wrapped her arms around me in a tight embrace.

"They left this morning. Alex went home, and Joe wouldn't tell me where he was going. But he had a plan?" Nick nodded, showing the story was true.

"But why?" Nick stepped in this time.

"Do you want the real reason, or the one I'm instructed to tell you?"

"I guess," I hesitated momentarily, "the real one." Nick took in a long breath, stepping closer.

"He said staying here with you any longer would be like Chinese water torture."

"Way to be delicate, asshole," Julia scoffed.

I felt my knees go weak as I sat down on what used to be Joe's cot. It still had his smell. How had I managed to fuck up my whole life in one night? Maybe that was a little dramatic, but still.

"They'll still be here all the time, Cyn. It's not that big of a deal."

"No, it is Julia. I told Joe I couldn't be with him yesterday." Nick shot me a surprised look, his cheeks growing red.

"You did what? Cynthia, what the fuck?" I had never heard Nick so angry. I had never even seen Nick slightly angry. But right now, he was standing over my, running his hands through his curls over and over. His cheeks were growing redder by the minute, and he looked like he was about to burst. "He left Alex today. For you! He's fucking in love. WITH YOU!"

"Nick, that's enough." Julia's tone was menacing as she grabbed Nick by the wrist and directed him towards the door. "I think you should go and find Kevin right now." She pushed him forward lightly, her eyes being demanding enough where she didn't have to force him. He complied, walking out with his head hung low.

Nick's words stung like salt in a fresh paper cut. Tears stung my eyes as I leaned down on the cot, pulling the bright blue comforter over my body. The smell of Ed Hardy and pure Joeness filled my senses as I buried my head in the pillow. I felt Julia lay on top of me, the cot squeaking under both our weight.

"Nick was just being Nick. You know how he is when it comes to his brothers." I didn't bother to respond. I thought I'd be crying, but I didn't even have the energy. All I could do was sleep. Julia kept talking, while I slipped away to dream land in Joe's bed.