All Things Considered [🗸]

28. square one

unrelated to this chapter but yes, ximena + esteban are That Bi Couple 😌 

***

"TALK TO HIM, DUMBASS."

Adair says this, eyebrows knitted together as they look down at me alongside Kieran. 

Toweling myself down, I kneel down over the bleachers, ignoring their expectant expressions. It's been over a week since Dion and I have talked. Almost every day of this week, I've been at the swimming center.

Even on days when I don't actually have practice, I've come to the center to swim. I do my best thinking when I'm swimming, and lately, I've needed to do a shitload of thinking.

The wedding's in a month, and due to the fight with Dion, I might not have a date to the wedding. I can't bring myself to care, seeing as I would deserve it. The primary thought residing in my mind is the fact that Dion is out there, upset with me.

Ignoring Adair's statement, I pull a t-shirt overhead once I'm dry, keeping my swim shorts on for the sake of it. 

Once I'd told Adair and Kieran everything that occurred the day Dion and I got into a fight, they just sat with me for hours. I was a disaster that day, so they didn't say much, just sat down at either side of me in my room. 

However, the day after, both of them made sure to let me know that while they understood why I reacted the way I did, they firmly believed that it was a dumbass move and after a week or so of thinking, I needed to talk to Dion again; the right way.

They're right, of course. However, while in theory, it's easy to approach Dion and attempt to make up with him—in reality, it's difficult as fuck. I hurt him, and he hasn't talked to me since then. Approaching him feels daunting.

I rise to my feet, slinging my duffel bag over my shoulder as I make my way into the swimming center's parking lot alongside Adair and Kieran. We make our way toward Adair's car, me in the backseat, Adair in the driver's seat and Kieran in passenger's.

The car starts, and Adair turns on their signature rock, Kieran nodding from next to them. Adair hasn't followed up on their request for me to talk to Dion, and I briefly wonder if they've let it go. At least, temporarily.

As the car makes its way down the road, my mind flickers back to the day everything went downhill.

I replay everything I said. I didn't think that kissing was such a major deal. We never have to talk to each other again. And all I was thinking was that if Dion allows me to love him, I'll find a way to fuck it up.

I snap out of my thoughts, pursing my lips. The ride back to my place is taking far longer than it should. Adair pulls into the parking lot of an area that's most definitely not my neighborhood, and pulls into a parking slot.

My eyes flicker out the window, trying to get a good glimpse of where we are. When my eyes finally land on a familiar place, a string of curses flies through my mind.