I waited an hour before my patience ran out. How long did it take him to get dressed?

I went over to the kitchen to find Ella.

"Hey, could you do me a favor and ask Tobias to hurry up? We're going to be late."

"Late for what, if you don't mind me asking?"

"The lunch with his parents."

"I don't think that's today. Mr. Tobias has a meeting scheduled in a half hour."

I was hit with a wave of anger, and I stomped over to Tobias's office, throwing the door open without knocking.

"Can you stop?" I snapped the moment I walked in.

He looked up at me, a bored expression on his face. "Stop what?"

"Messing with me! Why did you tell me to get dressed for lunch if it's not even today?"

"I didn't."

"Your stupid blond bimbo did."

"Penelope?"

"Yes sir?" her stupid voice piped up from somewhere.

"Did you tell... um..." he stopped. "I'm sorry, what's your name again?"

I stared at him, open-mouthed. Was he serious?

I heard a chuckle from the back of the room.

"Talia," I muttered.

"Right. Did you tell Talia lunch was today?"

"No, sir. I told her it was tomorrow, just like you asked," she said innocently.

I whipped back and stared at her. That bitch.

"I'm sorry if you misunderstood me." She smirked.

I stormed out of the room, my blood boiling.

I slammed the door to my room, changing into a pair of leggings and a tank top and slipping on my running shoes.

I drove over to my kickboxing gym, and I immediately started to hit the punching bag as hard as I could when I got in.

I let out all my frustration, punching the heavy bag until my arms were sore.

I thought about all the things in my life that I hated right now. My fake marriage. Punch. My oppressive mother who got me in this position. Punch. Losing the love of my life. Punch.

The last thought made me stop. I had tried to stop thinking of Jason over the past few months, to no avail. It had been a few months since Jason died, and thinking about it still hurt just as bad.

I stood there for countless minutes, the sound of pounding and punching surrounding me. I felt tears streaming down my face and wiped them away hastily. Jason hated it when I cried.

I drove to the house slowly, pulling myself together. I sat in the driveway for a while, until I eventually fell asleep.

*

"Boo!"

I woke up in a panic, screaming. I looked around to see Cassie in front of my car, a goofy expression on her face.

"Cassie! You scared me!"

"That was the whole point. That's why I said boo, duh."

"Well, don't do that again," I said, getting out of my car and taking deep breaths to steady my beating heart.

"Can I ask why you're sleeping out here instead of in the warm coziness of a home?"

It's not my home, I wanted to say.

"I guess I was just tired and I fell asleep."

She looked at me disbelievingly but let it slide, taking my arm and dragging me into the house.

I was greeted by the amazing smell of food, and I immediately forgot about everything and went to the kitchen.

I was about to grab a plate and fill it up until Ella stopped me. "Wait, Miss Talia. You will be dining with Mr. Tobias and Ms. Cassie tonight. Why don't you go take a shower and get dressed?"

I sighed in disappointment. Yay, now my favorite part of the day was going to be ruined with some jerk's presence.

But I did what Ella said. I took a shower. I got dressed. Then I went downstairs hungrier than ever.

Cassie and Tobias, who were also good friends, were already seated on the dining table, and what I saw almost made my jaw drop.

Tobias was... smiling?

Was that an accident? I'm pretty sure he didn't even know how to smile. Or laugh. Or joke. Or anything associated with happiness.

I sat down next to Cassie to avoid sitting by Tobias, who was at the head of the table, but Ella had other plans for me.

"Miss Talia, if you don't mind sitting here," she said, pointing at the seat by Tobias. "That would be great. I already set your place."

I groaned audibly but got up and sat in my designated spot.

Dinner was served, but I had no appetite. That's what sitting this close to an asshole will do to you.

Cassie talked on and on and on, ignoring the awkwardness in the air, and tried multiple times to get Tobias and I to start a conversation, but failed.

After dessert was cleared, a delicious chocolate cake which I couldn't enjoy and Tobias didn't eat, Cassie was able to convince both me and Tobias to watch a movie with her.

"So what genre are we looking for?" Cassie asked.

"Whatever," Tobias grunted. "I don't care."

"I want a romance movie," I said loudly. He didn't care right?

"Oh goody! The Notebook it is!" Cassie said.

I saw Tobias's jaw tighten and I thought he was about to object but he looked back down to his phone instead.

The movie started and I found myself laughing and crying along with the characters.

I heard Cassie sniffling next to me, but when I glanced over at Tobias he was sitting with a bored expression on his face, constantly checking his phone.

By the end of the movie Cassie and I were bawling, snuggled into each other for comfort. Tobias, however, just got up and left.

Cassie stopped crying a few seconds after the movie ended, but for some reason I couldn't stop.

At least Allie and Noah had been together at the end. They were together; it was peaceful.

Something about the movie just broke something in me, and I couldn't stop crying. At first Cassie thought it was funny, but when she realized I was really crying she started getting worried.

"Talia are you okay? What's wrong?"

I tried to answer her, but my words got stuck in my throat and were replaced with a sob.

"What happened? Why are you crying?"

I stood up and ran to my room, locking the door, needing privacy for the pain I had reopened.

Cassie tried knocking, but I wouldn't answer, and after draining myself of all my tears, I fell fitfully asleep.