HOLY FUCKING SHIT! HE DID NOT!

Either I'm already asleep and dreaming, or Aden found a way to make Fondue record him saying my name. I sputter upright and switch my lamp back on. How the hell did I activate the recording anyway? I poke around impatiently until I jab the heart.

"McKay."

Holy shit, I can't believe him. I start laughing by myself. Fondue says my name in his voice. My throat starts clogging up and my eyes water.

Just a few days ago, I was going crazy because I was losing touch with everything that was him. And now, I can look at his beautiful face from my bed, I can fall asleep to his delicious lemony aroma like the night at the carnival and I can fucking hear him say my motherfucking name whenever I want to.

I mean, sure, I have old voice-notes of his where he did say my name. But, the gorgeous intent behind the recording in Fondue is leaving me speechless.

Now, what? He's doing an encore now. Who knows how long that could take? I have school tomorrow. I can't be falling asleep in class because we're revising material in biology for the test after tomorrow.

Me: I don't even know how to thank you for your gifts. All three of them: the teddy bear (IN BABY BLUE!!!), the cologne (Yes, I want to) and your voice saying my name.

I smile as I think of something else to say before I go to sleep.

Me: P.S. I named the teddy bear Fondue.

I put away my phone and dream of blue singing teddy bears.

When I wake, I laugh at the meme of a truck delivering a humungous stack of cheese emoticons. Only Aden can make me convulse right at six in the morning. I scroll on to see what else he wrote.

Aiden: You look like a princess

Me: Pft! You're the one with the royal sounding name, Prince Arrington :)

Aiden: Princess Pollyanna <3

I sing in the shower and spend the rest of the morning chirping around. Danatha can only snort at my mood. Just to spite her, I insist we use one of the picnic tables outside to have lunch today.

"I feel positively rosy today." I twirl a flower I picked off the ground on the way.

"You know, everyone thinks you got some good Zeke dick yesterday."

I scrunch up my face at Danatha's comment. She really had to say that during lunch. It doesn't help that today we're having hotdogs. I put mine down and scowl as Sybil giggles and Tonya doesn't even bother to tone down her loud laughter.

"No one needed that visual."

"In your defence, Aden's gift was incredibly sweet." says Sybil.

I am radiant at the memory of hearing the recording for the first time in the dark of my room.

"He owed it to you at this point." dismisses Tonya.

That's when I see London approaching us from behind Tonya and Danatha.

"Uh..." Sybil opens her mouth, clearly surprised.

Tonya follows our gazes and I note her intake of breath when she sees London. A tentative smile crosses her features.

"Hey."

"But who exactly do you think you are?!" she bellows, stunning all of us into silence. "Speak!"

"I-"

"KEEP YOUR... STUFF!"

London struggles not to cuss since she's never been a fan. She chucks a heart shaped box onto the table, splattering our food and startling all of us.

"Hold on." I stand up, but I'm halted immediately.

"SIT DOWN, MCKAY! THIS DOESN'T CONCERN YOU."

I lower myself, for the first time feeling legitimately scared. I got a peek of Tonya's face when I was viewing her from a higher angle. Her face was pale, and her eyes were watering. My poor friend.

"YOU DON'T GET TO DO THIS ANYMORE! WE ARE NOT TOGETHER! STOP DOING THIS TO ME!

"I am trying to not react! I am trying to not punish you, BUT YOU JUST DON'T QUIT! YOU NEED TO STOP!

"I don't want you anymore." She continues in tears, shaking her head.
"This isn't acceptable, and I won't have it. You're hurting me relentlessly and I can't take it. You need to back off. I know you get off on hurting me - boy, do I know - but, I won't let you."

Tonya's voice is thick with emotion when she speaks.

"I only wanted you to have a good Valentine's day."

"THEN STAY AWAY FROM ME!" London erupts. "If you want me to have a good Valentine's day; if you want any of my days to be good, then leave me alone."

Tonya stands up prompting London to shove her back down.

"DON'T YOU DARE! DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH ME! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU WITH EVERYTHING THAT I AM!" she jolts Tonya repeatedly until she stops speaking. All that's left in the air is London's laboured breath and Tonya's quiet fury.

Finally, London decides to leave, storming off into school. I stand there in disbelief.

"Tonya," I call impulsively.

"Don't you fucking say my name, you cunt!"

I feel the wind being knocked out of me. Not this again. Please, anything but this.

"She only started screaming because of you. I could have talked her down."

Surely, I'm not the only one hearing how delusional she sounds. I want to respond to her, but Danatha holds my hand to caution me.

"I don't know what I did to deserve you as a friend. Stay in your lane next time. Just because we all need to intervene in your failure of a relationship all the time, doesn't mean you can stick your big ass nose in our business, alright?

"Trust me, no one's looking for relationship advice from the girl who has a phantom boyfriend." She starts walking off. "And if you think even for a second that Aden is not cheating on you, you're even more stupid than I thought!"

"I'm sorry," mouths Sybil as she pulls herself up to run after Tonya.

I sit in shock. What the fuck did she say to me? Danatha's arms come around me. I quake in her grip, helpless.

"Don't listen to her. You know how she is. This'll pass, it always does."

I shake my head. I have tears streaming down my cheeks and it's all her fault.

"She wanted to hurt you, Kay. Don't let her."

I simmer with anger. How dare she do this again? London is right; she is relentless. I get up, throw my backpack over my shoulder and shove my phone into my jean pocket.

"No. She's going to need a poster the size of Texas to make up for this shit!" I spit.

I hate her. I do. She probably deserves London's wrath. She probably did something despicable to her. That's what Tonya is - pure toxicity.

I head off, deciding to cut class and wiping the tears off my cheeks. That bitch doesn't deserve them.

When I arrive at home, I get in the shower as soon as possible, not bothering to wake Olive since I'm not in the mood to keep her company.

The evening encroaches and I'm still sitting in my towel. I can't stop spinning Tonya's words in my mind, like it's a tumble dryer. When I finally get dressed, I see a lot of missed calls from Danatha, but I scroll up to Aden's missed call and call him back only to be astonished when he does pick up.

"Aden."

I thought I'd call to be able to say that I did try to speak to him. This wasn't my goal.

"Hi baby. Sorry, give me a minute. I'm about to move elsewhere to-"

"No, don't bother. I'm not feeling well, so I'm going to turn in, okay?"

"Oh, okay." He agrees reluctantly. I silently pray that he doesn't ask me what's wrong, but that's exactly what he does.

"I'll tell you tomorrow."

He doesn't deserve this. I still haven't thanked him properly for his sweet gestures yesterday, yet here I am, dismissing him. But then again, we don't always get what we deserve, in fact, we most often don't. I'm living proof of that; especially after today.

"Right, until then."

I hang up and climb into bed, briefly considering pushing Fondue onto the floor, but unable to bring myself to do it. Even if I don't want to confide in Aden, I do still crave the comfort of his distinct aroma. Fondue is back in his rightful place when I fall asleep.

The next day, class seems to be too long, and I write the biology test knowing I'm grossly underprepared. After all, I did pay attention during the revision session yesterday, but I never even so much as touched a book last night. And yet, I'm not even present enough to regret that decision.

Danatha is back to telling me it's not my fault and that nothing of what Tonya said is true during lunch. I can't bring myself to believe her words though because, of course, it was all true.

I do have a phantom boyfriend. My friends did have to help me not over a week ago with my relationship woes.

Worst of all is the doubt that I didn't allow myself all these months. It's crawling back into my veins. Aden is surrounded by gorgeous women every day. I'm sure most of them wouldn't mind a little bit of him. Just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes.

I miss him so much and I feel the onset of insanity when I imagine that any other woman could be receiving what I've been craving for the better part of the year.

How am I so attached to him already? I really need to check myself. Even if he is coming on tour, it doesn't prove that he wants to see me. All it proves is that he has serious contractual obligations.