Hitchhiker by Stacy Borel

that I felt needed to be asked. “Were you with someone?”
    “What?”
    “You wouldn’t have stayed in town the whole night unless you were with someone. So, were you?”
    A menacing laugh came from his chest. “Does it fucking matter?”
    I threw my blanket back, ready to stand up and yell. “Of course, it matters. Why the hell wouldn’t it matter?”
    “For starters,” he held his fingers up, ticking them off one by one. “I don’t owe you any explanation. I’m an adult and can do whatever I want. I wasn’t aware that I had a curfew. And I am single.”
    All of his reasons might have been accurate, but that last one kicked me in the gut. “I know all of that, but why would you do that? Was me keeping the fact that I owned this house that big a deal? Was it so horrible that you felt the need to go be with someone else?”
    He threw his hands up in the air. “Unbelievable. I spend a couple of nights in your room, and you think we’re together.”
    “I never said that.” Although, part of me felt entitled to him.
    “Then what is it? Whether I was with someone else or not, we aren’t a couple, Chandler. I don’t have any obligation to you.”
    I stood up from the couch and rounded it to stand right in front of him. My chest was heaving, and I bit down on my tongue to prevent tears from springing to my eyes. “You’re right, we aren’t a couple. No need to be a dick and remind me of that.”
    “Then quit acting like I’m yours. All it’s going to do is piss me off.”
    “Noted.” I had nothing else to say, and frankly, I just wanted the whole conversation to end so I could go back to my room.
    I turned to leave and he replied to my back, “Awesome, now you’re going to go pout. What the fuck ever, Chandler.”
    I looked over my shoulder at him. “Get over yourself. I’m not pouting; I’m going to go take a bath.”
    “Right.” He knew I was lying.
    With that, I left. I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of knowing that he was getting to me. I walked into my room and shut the door. Now that I was in here though, I felt sick to my stomach. How could he? We’d had so many conversations. Conversations that we shared things only intimate couples would share. Why would he just go jump in bed with someone who meant nothing? And what was even more, why did I feel so betrayed? He was absolutely right; we weren’t together. He had no obligation to me; I was just simply used to having him there. I liked feeling him next to me. He made me feel warm, safe, and protected. In such a short amount of time, I’d started to rely on him to make me feel something more than hollow. And I knew that wasn’t fair to him.
    Deciding I needed to relax, I drew myself a bath. I sat and soaked for as long as the water stayed warm. When I got out, I curled up on my bed and shut my eyes. It didn’t take long for exhaustion to suck me under.
    “So, is he ‘the one’?” Sydney air quoted, asking me about Seth.
    We were at a college party, and I was using the bathroom for the millionth time. I shouldn’t have been drinking so much.
    “I really think so. I think I knew it from the moment I met him, Syd. He loves me, and I know he will take care of me.”
    She shook her head. Wild red ringlets swung through the air. “Okay, that sounds cute and all, but are you sure he’s the one you want to spend the rest of your life with? I mean, that’s a huge commitment. That means one man for the rest of your life. You ready to give up all that dick you could be sleeping with?”
    I swatted at her while I sat on the toilet. Why did girls feel the need to bring a friend with them to pee again? Worst idea ever. “First of all, there are no other options for getting more dick, as you are calling it. Second, being taken care of is nice. Seth loves me, and that’s enough.” The moment I said it aloud, it didn’t sit well with me.
    “You’re so full of shit, Chandler. Guys have been after you since we were kids, but