Love Hurts by Holly Hood

kitchen.
     
    He stood up in the skimpy one room apartment, scanning over the disheveled clothes and newspapers. This girl was not a clean freak that was for sure. He stepped over her, almost stepping on a black cat that seemed to show up out of nowhere.
     
    “ Do you know where my clothes are?” he asked, not expecting an answer. He lifted up papers and old takeout, scouring the place for something similar to whatever he had on last night. “Shit!”
     

     
    ***
     
    Delaney thanked the waitress for her coffee. She pulled several sugar packets from the holder on the table, shaking them irritably, tearing them open with a whole lot of resentment. She was angry and sad. She quite honestly felt crushed.
     
    She went to bed devastated by everything that happened last night. And she wasn’t quite sure what her next move was. She studied the large diamond on her delicate finger. Tears formed, but she wiped them as soon as they escaped, dropping her head in her palm.
     
    The diner door chimed. Rose scanned the customers, locating Delaney right away. She looked horrible and she was only looking at the back of her head. She gave a sincere smile, heading toward her once best friend, prepared to try and make her feel better.
     
    “ Hey,” Rose said, dropping her purse on the table and squeezing in next to Delaney.
     
    “ I had no idea you would still be here. But I’m glad you could make it,” Delaney told her, brightening up a little at the sight of her old friend.
     
    Rose smiled, touching Delaney’s hand to console her. It was written all over her face, she was unhappy. Her eyes were dark, her hair a mess. She looked like she had been crying for a week straight. “What’s wrong, Laney?” she asked, using the nickname she used when they were younger.
     
    Delaney sighed. “It’s Vance.” This caused Rose to perk right up. Delaney noticed the interest that Rose seemed to give the instant she spoke his name. As if she already suspected in secret that her relationship was doomed from the start. She ignored it. “We got into a big fight last night. I couldn’t take it anymore and I just lost it. And you know me, I never lose it.”
     
    Rose swallowed. “Are you okay?” She scanned her entire body for signs of any kind of injury. Knowing the first mark she saw on Delaney she was going to hate herself forever for not being a true friend and telling her about Sam.
     
    “ No, I’m not okay. He left and I haven’t been able to get a hold of him since. I’m really worried this is it for us.” She wiped the tears escaping her eyes as she stared at Rose for a reply of any kind that would make her feel better.
     
    “ What were you fighting about?” Rose scanned her eyes for any denial of the truth. “He didn’t hurt you did he?”
     
    Delaney shook her head, her hair falling in her eyes, she blew it away. “No. Vance would never hurt me. It’s probably going to sound a bit silly, but we were arguing about sex.” She hardly said the last bit of it loud enough for Rose to hear.
     
    Rose pursed her lips, her memories of the one romp she had with Sam flashing in her conscience. They had a fun time together. If anything he was raring to go. “I don’t understand.”
     
    “ We have never had sex. Vance says it’s complicated. And that he wants to wait. But last night he said he didn’t think he could give me what I wanted. And I just don’t understand what I am doing wrong.” Delaney sighed, staring off at the waitress.
     
    “ Maybe it’s the truth. Marriage is an important thing to some people,” Rose suggested. She knew that was a line of bull, but she was trying to repair her friends broken heart.
     
    Delaney shook her head. “I invited his brother over last night for dinner. I expected everything to go great. And for Vance to be really pleased that he got to spend some time with his brother. But it was the total opposite. He seemed annoyed and upset.”
     
    Rose nodded, listening closely to