No More Waiting, She Chooses Love

"Not feeling well?" Dustin walked in, holding a bouquet, his face etched with concern.

Lying down at this moment seemed inappropriate. Grasping the bedrail, I attempted to sit up, but Dustin pressed gently against my shoulder. "Don't get up."

"I'm okay," I insisted, trying to sit up anyway.

Lying before Ernest was never awkward, making him quite different from other men to me.

Dustin's gaze fixed on my face. "What happened?"

How could I tell him the shock from my parents' situation had got to me?

It wasn't that I couldn't say it, but it was more that I didn't want to. For some reason, I'd been keeping my words to a minimum, avoiding wasting them on things I could easily brush off.

"Just a little faint from low blood sugar," I lied.

Dustin seemed skeptical, eyeing me closely before I quickly changed the subject, "What did you want to talk about?"

Dustin hesitated, then offered a placating falsehood, "Nothing much."

"Dustin," I called him more firmly, "Spit it out if you've got something to say. Beating around the bush is only going to make me worry more."

"Let's wait until you're feeling better," Dustin replied, ever the gentle soul.

Perhaps that was why I couldn't see him as more than a brotherly figure despite years of friendship.

I knew how to push his buttons, feigning urgency. "Not telling me makes me more anxious, which won't help my recovery."

Dustin looked somewhat helpless. "Fine, I'll tell you."

He paused for seconds. "Rad had a fall-out with my parents. You probably haven't heard."

"No, I haven't," I admitted truthfully.

I saw Conrad today, and he didn't mention it.

Dustin sighed softly. "My mom kicked Haley out of one of Rad's houses, which set Rad off. My dad hit him and talked of cutting him off, even threatening to kick him out of the company."

I was only aware of the first part. The rest was news to me.

When Jacqueline mentioned kicking Haley out of the house, I felt it would end badly, but she wouldn't listen to my advice.

"What are you trying to say by telling me all this?" I knew Dustin had a reason for bringing it up.

Dustin looked conflicted as if it was hard to explain.

I gave a knowing smile. "You want me to talk to your parents, right?"

"Felicia, I know it's not fair to drag you into this, but my parents listen to you, and..." Dustin stopped, but his implication was clear.

"And it's because of me, right?" I finished for him.

"Felicia, that's not what I meant," Dustin tried to clarify.

I scoffed mockingly, "The house was supposed to be Conrad's gift to me, but he let Haley stay there instead. That's also why Conrad and I broke up, something I've mentioned to you."

Dustin's eyes held a complex

expression as he looked at me, and I met his gaze without flinching. "But I've never brought this up with your parents. As to why they would know about it, I have no idea. But one

thing's for sure..."

I took a breath. "I didn't snitch. If I didn't want Haley living there, I would've kicked her out when I saw her in that house."

"Felicia, you've got it all wrong. I wasn't suspecting you. I just..." Dustin started.

I raised my hand to stop him. "Let me finish."Original from NôvelDrama.Org.

Dustin fell silent, and I continued,

"Jacqueline called me about it. I did

try to reason with her and told herit was all in the past, but she was adamant. As for how Herschel will handle Conrad, that's their family business."

Dustin's eyes flickered with surprise, perhaps not expecting such detachment from me.

After a few seconds, he nodded. "You're right. It isn't your burden to bear anymore."