Starting Over

Chapter 39: I Forgive You

"So did you enjoy the wedding?" Chase asks approaching me.

"I did. There are truly in love." I say looking over at the bride and groom dancing to their first song.

"I'm in love." He says staring down at me. "But I guess they are too. You have to dance with me tonight."

"To what song?"

"Whatever song is on. Then we can call it our song." Chase Jackson the romantic.

"I don't know what if it's a bad song."

"Well then we have a good story to go with a bad song. What if it's Taylor Swift?"

"Don't be a Taylor Swift hater. Plus as much as I love my girl Taylor. I doubt they're gonna play break up songs here. By the way I have to go talk to Jake."

"Alright I'll go with you. I need to talk to Clarissa." Chase tells me and it hits me wrong Jake.

"Not that Jake." I say not making eye contact.

"I thought you hated the guy?"

"I do. I always will." I don't really know how to word it without Chase wanting to fight the creep. "He says if I don't talk to him, he's going to transfer to Chapel Hill."

"Taylor." Chase starts but i cut him off. "Chase. It's fine. Just let me go talk to him and get to the end of Jake Thomas. Trust me I don't want to talk to him but it's the only way. I'll be be fine and back before you know it."

"If he does anything call me."

"I will my Knight and Shining Armor."

I make my way outside and look over at Jake. He's watching me. I motion for him to meet me outside.

I make my way over to a dock. I take my sandals off and slip my feet in the water. My back is to the party and the music.

I hear his feet approaching and I'm sure he's in the frat boy shoes. I stand corrected when he sits down next to me, takes his shoes off, rolls his pants up, and dips his feet in the water.

"Your boyfriend gave me a pretty scary look." He says looking over at me.

"What do you want Jake? I'm here talk. That's what you want right."

"I want you to forgive me. To know that what you say that night wasn't like that. To know that I love you."

"Jake, you don't love me. I don't love you. I love Chase. Chase loves me. You know what's rude? That you brought Leah here and she thinks that you two are a couple. But here you are telling me that you love me. It's not right. We don't love each other Jake."

"Taylor I do love you. I always will. We were together since high school. I thought I was going to marry you. If you don't believe me that's fine. But there's one thing I need you to believe me on. That night I....we didn't do anything to Skylar that she didn't want to happen. It was consensual."

Skylar was the type of person to do those things, but what I saw. I just don't know. I just wish she would give me a sign.

"Taylor. You know I'm not that guy. I would never. Yes I cheated on you, but take advantage of a girl. A girl I cared about. Never." I feel a bug on my hand so I look down.

A ladybug.

She's giving me a sign.

"I believe you." I say and as soon as I say it the ladybug flies off my hand.

"Why do you just believe me know?"

"You wouldn't understand. It's a ladybug."

"Ladybugs visit me too. Every time I think about her and I'm sad." I watch as a tear falls down his cheek. "You know I really did love you. And I'm sorry for everything. Especially for cheating. It was a moment of weakness."

"I know. Your mom's death really took a toll on you. I should have been there for you." I feel tears start to fall from my eyes now. "I forgive you. For everything."

"I wasn't ever going to come to UNC." He admits.

"I know."

"Then why'd you come talk to me?" He questions

"I don't know. I guess because I needed too. For me to Start Over." I admit. "Do you think her mom will ever not blame me? Forgive me maybe?"

"I'll talk to her."

"No don't. It's fine."

"Taylor, we were all friends once. She has to forgive you. For both of y'alls healing process. And by the way I feel like I should say this why you're not mad at me or crying. Leah and me have a mutual understanding. She brought me here to make Chase jealous and I came to see you. Which her part didn't work because that man is in love with you."

"I'm in love with him too. I've come to realize that what we had was teenage memories. It wasn't love. We just carried it with us to college because we didn't want to lose the memories. And one day you are gonna meet this girl and think that Taylor girl from high school I can't believe I ever thought we were in love. Because that's what I think and that's how I know I met my soulmate. So thank you for the memories, but now I think it's time I let them go."

"I'll call you when I meet her and tell you. I can't believe I ever thought we were in love." He says and then looks behind us. "Now can I meet your soulmate? He has been staring, wait let me correct myself glaring over here for quite awhile."

I look behind us and wave Chase over. Once he makes his way over I introduce them. "Jake Thomas this is Chase Jackson basketball star for UNC and my boyfriend. Chase, Jake Thomas ex boyfriend, big time frat boy, and now my friend. So that means we are on civil friend terms." I clarify to Chase so he doesn't punch Jake.

"Taylor my dearest friend. I would like to talk to your boyfriend alone." Jake tells me.

"Okay. Be nice." I say looking at Chase. "You too." I tell Jake. Before making my way back to the reception.

_______
4/16/22
6:21pm
Not edited!

I have Nicole and Gabe's first chapter ready to be published as soon as I finish this book.

I also have the title somewhere in one of the chapters. If someone just wants to find the name of it. I might (most definitely will) upload the first chapter. I was gonna give you the description of the book but realized the name of the book is in it.