Nova
“You still do that, huh?” Owen asks, though I don’t think it’s actually a question.
I look up from the straw wrapper I’m ripping to pieces. “Yeah,” I admit.
“Remember that place we used to go to after school sometimes? They had the best milkshakes.”
“Yeah, I remember,” I say softly.
Owen keeps trying to drag me back to the past—but it’s as painful as my present.
“What can I get you guys to eat?” our waitress asks, smiling with her eyes lingering on Owen. If he was still my boyfriend, it’d bother me, but not now, and I honestly can’t blame her. He’s a good-looking guy with an easy smile and dimples. I’m surprised he hasn’t found someone yet, but it’s becoming glaringly obvious Jace has been right all along.
Owen is still hopelessly in love with me.
And I don’t get it.
He left me.
I understand his parents forced him, I do, but he could’ve gotten a message to me, something to let me know he still cared.
I feel like nothing I say makes him understand I’m not in love with him anymore. There’s some part of him that still thinks we can pick up where we left off.
That should be reason enough for me to leave and go back home, but I can’t.
Jace still hasn’t texted me and it’s been three days.
I finally turned my phone off so I couldn’t obsessively check it.
“I’ll take the cheeseburger,” I tell her, sliding my menu to the side.
“I’ll have the same.” Owen smiles, and those damn dimples pop out. I’m pretty sure the waitress swoons.
“It shouldn’t be too long.” She smiles at him and grabs the menus off the table.
“How are you liking the city so far?” he asks, taking a sip of his Coke.
“I don’t know,” I reply honestly. “I haven’t seen much of it.”
He chuckles. “I’m sorry, I haven’t been a very good host.”
I shake my head rapidly. “No, no, you’ve had to work.”
“We have the whole weekend starting tomorrow, so I promise to get you out and show you the must sees.”
“That sounds nice.” I tuck a piece of hair behind my ear.
“You have to see Times Square,” Owen raddles. “We should probably save that for night time. What about the Statue of Liberty? Do you want to see it?”
“Sure.” I nod. “I’d really love to see the MET.”
He grins. “I should’ve known. You always loved the field trips to museums.”
“I haven’t been to one in a long time.”
If I’m honest, the last time I was at a museum was probably with Owen. I hate thinking there’s something I’ve done with him that I haven’t done with Jace.
“Me either.” He slides his straw wrapper across the table to me, since mine is down to basically pieces of confetti. I pick it up and start ripping at it. “What about Central Park? You want to go?” he asks.