His New Roommate

POV. Dakota        One month ago...     I entered the apartment after a rough shift at the firehouse. All I want is my girl and my bed. I toss my key on the kitchen table. From the corner of my eye i see them. Four suitcases packed and close to the door. I don't know what made me look back. It was just a fear that had built up in me. "CLAIR! CLAIR!" I shouted as I moved from the kitchen to the bathroom, from the bathroom to our room, and there she was. Writing me a note. "What's this!?" "You're home early. I thought I still had time. I didn't wanna do this in person." "TWO YEARS! You were going to explain throwing away TWO YEARS in a f*****g note!? I thought everything was fine. Everything has been fine! We don't fight, when spend time together, I don't understand this" I had been pacing by the door. I stopped and took a beat to gather my thoughts, "Why are you leaving?" I looked so deeply into her blue eyes. She shielded her face as she hung her head. She ran her hands through her short blonde hair and sighed. "I need to know Clair. Please tell me. I don't want to guess." I plead to her. "That was the problem!" She shouted, switching from sadness to anger. "You always thought everything was fine and I tried! I tried so hard to tell you that I wasn't, that WE weren't! But you either didn't hear me or you didn't care!" "WHEN?! When did you say anything to me like, "Hey, I'm feeling like I want to leave you." You acted like everything was fine!" I responded upset and confused. "No one says that to anyone ever!" she sighed, "It was a buildup. You were never here and when you were it's like you weren't. I was staying out all night because coming home made me so, unhappy. I was constantly worried that you were going to die, because kept picking up shifts. I just- I can't anymore. I don't want too. For my own sanity, I'm moving back to Delaware." she walked out of the bedroom we shared together. Put the key to the apartment we found together. Grabbed her suitcases and walked towards the door and opened it. She looked back at me standing our- the living room. Her blue eyes cutting straight through my heart and said, "Despite everything, I want you to know that I do love. I'm sorry." Her last words to me. As she left Devin came around the corner. He looked at her as she went past. He entered the apartment, "What the f**k happened?"     Present...     I was in the apartment sitting on the couch. Thinking about Clair and how she used to put her head in my lap when we watched the game. The way she always smelled like grapes and was just as sweet. I feel like that's all I have been doing since she left. Every night I play that day through my head. Hell, I replay the whole two years. Nights are when I miss her the most. Nights like tonight. She's all I can think about. Maybe if I had thought about her more, we'd still be together. "Boo!" Devin shouted behind me and I jumped. I was so deep in thought I didn't hear him come in. "Holy s**t! You're back early." "And you're sitting in the dark." He plopped on the couch next to me, "Put on some clothes that don't smell like sadness and cheese balls and lets go!" He said sounding more eager. "Okay...where?" I said suspiciously.  "Benny's." He uttered while wiggling his eyebrows. Regardless of my hesitation, I got dressed. I put on my favorite dark blue denim jeans and a black t-shirt. I liked it because it was short sleeved and I got to show my arm tattoo and muscles.     I didn't want to go out, but Devin wanted to. He hasn't told me why he said it was something important. Since he started dating Emma he hasn't really wanted to go out. I wonder why tonight is so different?  Nevertheless, I got dressed. I wasn't looking to take someone home tonight I just wanted to drink and chill like before. "So, Em is FINALLY giving you your balls back?" I laughed and he pushed me while we're walking to the bar. It wasn't that far from the apartment, so we used to go there a lot.     "Nah, she's still got em wrapped around her neck with some rhinestones on them." We burst out laughing as we approach the building. "What the f**k!" I said over loud dubstep music. Hipsters in neon clothes shoved past us as we stood there in shock. "What happened to Benny's?!" I utter under my breath, but the bouncer hears me.     "Yeah, he sold that months ago. This place really isn't that bad. Here." He moves the rope and let us skip the line we didn't even know we passed. The place is packed. Neon and strobe lights flashed through the room as people danced. There were stairs that led to a glass platform that was also crowed. There were tables, but they were all filled with people. There was a crowd around the bar trying to get drinks. Devin and I exchange looks. "Did you wanna leave?" he shouted over the loud music. "No, I need this." I responded. It was true. Things had been hard since Clair left. Even though Devin still lived there the apartment felt so empty. I felt empty. I didn't want to go back to the apartment. Not yet. "Look." he says spotting a vacant table. We quickly to it and sit down next to a bunch of empty glasses. Not long after a waitress comes. "What can I get you?" the bubbly blond says. "Two beers" I reply. "What kind?" she asks sensing our confusion, so she continues, "We have gluten-free, vegan, artisan blends, fruit infused, light-" Devin interrupts, "Whatever is on tap is fine." She nods and vanishes in the crowd at the bar. Better she fights through it than us. She it's not long before she return with two glasses. We drink for a while. "I'm gonna see if that girl wants to dance." I slurred slightly and he stops me before I can get up. "Man, I didn't bring you here just to drink. I got to tell you something." "What?!" "You know me, and Emma have been together for a while and I think it's time to take that next step. So, we're moving in together! I'm moving out, man!" I sober up a bit. He sounded so excited. He's my best friend and I want to be supportive, but I can't. I'm wanting to be selfish. I needed my friend to keep me from falling into a dark place. It was one thing to feel alone, but to actually be alone. My thoughts are interrupted as he places a hand on my shoulder, "We may not be living together anymore, but I'm still your best friend. I'm always gonna be there!" He grins and I could tell he was looking for my support. How could I not support him? He's always been there for me. "Mazel tov, brother!" I plastered a smile on my face as the night continued. He found girls for me to dance with, man I'm going to miss my wingman. Hours passed as we returned to the table for more drinks. The club beings to thin out. Devin starts telling some unfunny story about Emma. Across the room I see a beautiful girl. Her long dark hair touches her back and her brown eyes look straight through me. She's model thin, not Victoria Secrete model thin, healthy. I feel like she's looking right at me, but as quickly as she was there is as quickly as she was gone.  "Hello! What are you looking at?!"  "Nothing." I didn't tell him about her, because it happened so fast, I thought I might be hallucinating. Besides, it's LA, I'll probably never see her again and I had bigger problems like who the f**k is gonna pay all this rent?