Your Stories: Danielle and Derek Pt. 4

I heard she broke up with him a week later, something about not being right together. Still I couldn't get over it.

At this point, you’re probably all wondering why I still have feelings for my ex, when it’s clear he is a poser toolbox. Well unfortunately that poser toolbox was my first love. And during our relationship he didn’t lead me on, put me down or try to conspire against me, not until the end. I guess I just couldn’t stop thinking that he would change back to the person he used to be; the nice, funny, friendly guy. Part of me knew he never would change back, but sometimes it’s just too hard to let go.

It wasn't until my brother, who is a couple years younger than me, went out to dinner with me a few weeks after the burnt rubber incident. We were talking about everything like we always do and he was telling me about how one of my close friends had dated the ex behind my back a few weeks back. I was shocked. That was a low blow. I confided to this particular friend everything he had done to me. She also worked at Cowboy Town, but it didn’t even seem like they interacted. My brother thought I knew because everyone was talking about it at Cowboy Town.

While still at the restaurant, I texted her, “Did you date the ex?” She immediately got mad at me for not being over him. She didn’t even deny that it happened. Instead, she took the defense and blamed me for making her feel guilty about it.

That sick feeling came back real fast and it was stronger than ever. She wasn’t the first friend the ex tried to steal, but he succeeded in the worst way with her. I felt betrayed. The more my brother and I talked about it, the more that sick feeling seeped away, and something amazing happened. I was over it. Over him. Just like that. After months of trying and failing to move on. Maybe I wasn’t completely over him, but I was miles past where I had been before. I wasn’t thinking about how I could get him back, I was thinking about how I could leave him behind.

About a week later one of my close friends and I went out for her 21st birthday. Her mom dropped us off at the bar so we could do her 21st right. We walked in and ordered a drink. This was a big modern bar that had karaoke, a dj and a dance floor; the perfect recipe for a memorable 21st. Before we even got our drinks a guy carrying a bucket of beers came up to our table. He plopped his bucket of beers down and told us his friends were late and that we looked like good company. I smell another creeper.

I immediately told him our names and that we were celebrating my friend’s 21st. He got excited and ordered us a round of shots. The first round of eight. I didn’t even know some of these shots existed. The lemon drop? The rumple minze shot? Around the second shot a few of his friends showed up and joined our table.

By the third round I was texting away on my phone. Whenever I have a drink or two I text. I was happily typing away to Don, Tony, and Derek and to my absolute horror they were at the ex's house.

Wtf. They were my friends. They didn't even talk to him besides at work. For some reason I was the angriest at Derek. I remember asking him ‘why?! I thought you liked me’.

Five shots later I texted the ex and told him to stop stealing my friends. My heart was breaking. I wish I would have said nothing because I’m sure he enjoyed knowing that he was hurting me.

Sensing my frustration, my friend grabbed my arm and pulled me up for a horrible karaoke rendition of ‘Waking up in Vegas’. Normally we can both sing, but boozed, not so much.

Todd was clearing trying to get in my pants and I bluntly told him I was only looking for friends. Poor boy never had a chance. He played along hoping I would change my mind. He looked over, enviously, at my friend and his friend getting mighty cozy.

Eight shots and two girly drinks later my friend was feeling it. I followed her to the ladies room and held her hair as we both tried not to fall in the toilet. Memorable 21st indeed.

The bill came. Or Todd’s bill, he’d been ordering round after round of shots so the waitress put all the shots on his tab. $180 of shots for the whole table. I think I high-fived her when Todd wasn’t looking.

Outside, Todd was desperately trying to get me to come home with him. But luckily my friend’s mom pulled up and all he had was his number in my phone and hopes that I would call him.

I never called. I still kind of feel bad about it. I mean he did spend $180 bucks on shots. But then, I did tell him a million times I was not looking for anything but a friend.

A few months later, I learned that Derek only went to the ex’s house because he wanted to know why the ex broke up with me. Derek's last gf was a horrible cheater and didn’t want to be hurt like that again.

When he asked the ex why he broke up with me and the ex told Derek that he was bored with me. He wanted to see if he could get someone better than me. Luckily, Derek thought he was a complete tool box, but said that even though he talked this way my pictures still adorned his walls. Creepy.

This might seem a little strange that Derek would go through such a length to learn more about me, but the way he worded it was so cute. “You just seemed so perfect I couldn’t imagine anyone not wanting to be with you. So I figured it must have been something horrible! But no, he’s just a jackass.”

I still wasn't sold on Derek. Now I was over the ex, I knew Derek liked me and I definitely felt something for him but I didn't know what. I was also still held back because I felt like I didn’t have anything to offer. I was boring remember?

It wasn't until the next weekend that things clicked into place. Derek invited me, Tony and Don to go watch him race his car at the race track. So we all made the hour drive and brought along Tony's gf Allie. People at Cowboy Town called her mini me because we looked like sisters.

We walked into the stadium as cars were spewing dirt around the track and hundreds of people were shouting and screaming. Through the crowd, I could see his gorgeous blond locks and that bright blue shirt I loved so much. He waved and smiled at us and started walking over.