The Perfect Storm 2

Chapter 197

"Are you happy with what you got?" Stephanie asks as we walk out of the pink and black-themed store and toward a small coffee shop.

"Mhm." I press my lips together, hoping she won't ask to see the clothing.

"Me too, ugh, the lines were crazy but, I went with pink anyway, Elijah needs to deal with whatever I buy, getting me to wear something like this is reward enough." She says and I feel slightly disgusted which for some reason makes me laugh and then Stephanie joins.

I've always been taught to have everything private and everything related to sex needs to stay only between me and the person I'm with but now I'm buying lingerie, which even after trying on, I'm not sure I'm doing right. And I'm buying it with my best friend who isn't shy about revealing anything about her private life with her boyfriend.

"I'll have the hazelnut frappu . . ." Stephanie trails off to the woman at the counter and I pop out of my thinking. I didn't realize we were already inside the shop.

I look down into my bag as Stephanie continues to order our girl's night drinks for us. I still need to convince myself to do this, to buy it was one thing but to dress like this for Miles is another.

He opened up to me by adding color into his life and I need to open up to him with the things he likes. I know he'd love to see me like this, wearing all black, all complex, all just for him.

"Madison?" Stephanie looks at me and again, I pop into reality and only now realize that this whole time she was saying something to me.

"Are you coming?" She repeats and I recognize that I heard the same question half a minute ago.

"Yeah." I smile at her and we find a table to sit down at. I feel my phone buzz and right before I sit down, I glance at the screen. Now that Jace isn't keeping me updated or even speaking to me, my mother has to text me by herself.

Mom: "I'm feeling better, thank you and Miles for helping me. It will always mean the world to me, Madison and you have my blessing with him. I wanted to tell you before you left but I thought now was a better time, after I started feeling better."

My eyes tear up and I want to burst into tears.

"Are you okay?" Stephanie asks and I nod but then I shake my head.

"What's wrong." She asks, coming closer to me, and trying to help me as much as I can.

"My mom gave me her blessing with Miles," I say but as soon as the words leave my mouth, I realize that only means something to me. Miles will never want to use the blessing and when I look up at Stephanie I can see she's thinking the exact same.

"Miles—" She begins but I already know. I've learned the hard truth so often, so many times over and over again. Stephanie stops and it's like we can read each other's thoughts.

OUR DORM ROOM IS just like we left it. The hazelnut frappuccino that Stephanie got the both of us tastes good but not as good as the caramel frappuccino Miles and I like. I spot Stephanie blue shorts on her bed and my mind instantly goes to Jacob. Why did he want to reach me? I take a deep breath and sit down on Stephanie's bed like she's gesturing for me to do.

"Ae you and Miles back together for good this time?" Stephanie asks me and I nod.

"I hope so." I smile at her. I place a strand of hair behind my ear and as I do, we hear a knock at the door.

Stephanie and I look at each other with a raised eyebrow. She stands up but I keep my eyes on the window instead but then I hear a familiar voice.

"Hey."

"I thought I told you not to come." I turn around to Stephanie scolding Elijah who gives me a small and awkward smile.

"It's okay," I say all of a sudden and Stephanie turns around to me, giving me a face I can't read and clearly hiding it from Elijah, and when I show her the confusion all over me, she opens to door more to reveal Cody there too.

Cody smiles at me and I smile back, trying my best to be polite even though I don't know how I feel about him being here. He tried to kiss me, he took me home, visited me at the hospital and he's been nice about everything but I know he wants more from me than just a friend even though I'm with Miles. And I want Miles, I don't want Cody or anyone else, it will always be Miles for me; always. Cody watches me as Elijah and Stephanie discuss how much they miss each other.

"But you have to go, it's girls' night," Stephanie explains one last time harshly and Cody frowns.

"Can I see you later then?" Cody asks and I shake my head.

"I'm sorry," I tell him and in the middle of our conversation Stephanie waves and shuts the door on them.

"Stephanie." I giggle and she laughs.

"They deserved it and none of us need to experience you ejecting Cody." She leans her head and I nod.

"Why won't that guy let it go, anyway?" She frowns and I shrug.

"Anyway." Stephanie begins dramatically and rolls her eyes and then smiles. I smile back and she grabs her nail polish kit.

"What was your life like . . . before WSU?" I ask her and she looks up at me suddenly.

"It was different." She starts by saying. I grab the nail file and start to file my nails just as Stephanie is picking out a color for herself.

"I grew up in a very basic family with a few siblings, a mom, and a dad. We didn't live very far from Miles during high school and so we spent almost every day together."

"How did you two meet?" I ask the question despite the difficulty.

"With him asking me to help him cheat, believe it or not." She laughs, and I can almost see the memories in her eyes flashing back to her.

"Yeah, I was his tutor for a while . . . in a way, but then one night we just sort of became friends. I'm not even sure why, but we just connected in many ways and we started to care for each other. In a friendly way." Stephanie adds as I listen to every syllable.

"But then, everything felt like it was going wrong and he moved away with Valentina for two years." She presses her lips.

"And when he came back, to the house across the street, he didn't look the same. He was taller, stronger, and had tattoos and his personality had completely shifted. He didn't even pay attention to me anymore and we walked right past each other in the high school hallways." Stephanie explains and all I can offer her is a sympathetic smile.