Heartbreak

Chapter Thirteen: Just Like High School

(Thackery)

Sometimes I wish I was more extroverted in certain situations. That I could be like everyone else who is comfortable in any surroundings involving gatherings and get-togethers. I wish I wasn't so shy and awkward as I always am especially right now.

"Thackery and Jasper are here," Isabelle introduces us forcing me more into my shell than out.

There are about six or seven people sitting and standing around the pool. One of them happened to be Dominick next to Wyatt I remember from high school. It doesn't take long for Wyatt's smile to widen at the sight of me.

"Thackery, I haven't seen you since I don't know the first time Isabelle decided to invite you to her party," Wyatt says making everyone laugh along with him.

"Wyatt, please stop." Isabelle retorts upset by her guest's behavior well I tense up. I'm starting to think I made a mistake coming here, to begin with, because, as much as I want to get out more, these aren't the type of people I see myself becoming friends with especially Wyatt.

"Hey, I'm just stating the facts." He continues to laugh while Dominick next to him looks unamused by what's going on.

"Well, don't. You're being rude." Isabelle tells him.

He smirks, "Well, it is nice seeing you. I'm glad you could make it." He says in a sarcastic tone as his hand inches closer to Dominick's who looks like he rather be anywhere than beside Wyatt.

"Yeah," I reply wanting the attention on me to drift away as I fade into the background.

"You didn't have to be an ass," Dominick whispers to Wyatt avoiding eye contact with me.

I ignore their conversation as I give a weak attempt of a smile when Jasper asks if I'm okay. I don't need to eavesdrop into a conversation that will just make me want to leave even more. I haven't seen Wyatt since freshman year. I didn't see him at Isabelle's wedding if he was there, but I wasn't paying attention too much by keeping to myself. But of course, from my memory of Wyatt, he enjoyed making fun of me just like Drew. Never taking it to resort in hurting me but he said things that have stuck with me.

On the other hand, the last time I talked to Dominick he was there when I needed him. He gave me advice I desperately needed. He let me talk to him until I got everything off my chest and told me it's okay not to be okay. Yet today he's sitting next to Wyatt who finds it funny to make me the center of attention for all the wrong reasons. Part of me is glad Dominick is at least sticking up for me, but the other part wants to know why he would want to be more than friends with Wyatt from the looks of it who is an absolute jerk.

"Thackery, this is my sister Emily." Jasper finally says introducing me to his sister I've never met who must have just arrived. "I didn't know you were coming?"

"I wasn't but I was able to get today off." She replies to Jasper's utter surprise.

She's shorter than both Jasper and I probably 5'1 or 5'2 with long brown hair and green eyes. She's wearing a dress and walking up behind her stopping to stand beside her is her boyfriend I assume.

"Um hi," I reply nervously like always to meet someone new but glad to get my mind off Wyatt embarrassing me in front of everyone as soon as I arrived.

"I'm going to talk to Tyler." Her boyfriend says before leaving just the three of us together again.

"Okay." She replies before giving all her attention back to me. "Jasper has told me a lot about you already but I've yet to meet you until today."

"Not a lot." He mumbles. "Just about how we know each other."

"And how he knew you would be at Isabelle's engagement party so he wanted to tag along."

"I didn't know." Jasper quickly says, "I was just hoping I'd be able to see you since you live in the same town."

"Oh," I say surprised to hear Jasper's real reason for showing up at the party and it not being a complete coincidence. He didn't just decide to tag along he had a feeling I might be there and wanted to see me. There's a part of me that is questioning Jasper's intentions from the beginning to show up but another part of me is happy that he did show up to the engagement party so I wasn't alone. Because in all honesty, I don't think I would have reached out for him to continue being friends if he wasn't putting in the effort to drive over every time we spend time together.

"So uh why don't we get something to eat?" Jasper suggests changing the subject.

"You can." She tells him, "I'm just getting to know Thackery and all you've done is all the talking."

"Well, it's like you're trying to embarrass me?" he says.

"I am your older sister." She states.

"Yeah, by a year. You never let me forget." He counters and I can't help but laugh.

"Thackery thinks it's funny." She looks over at me with a smile.

"I have brothers but it's kind of the same since I'm the youngest," I reply.

"Are any of them here?"

"No," I shake my head. "I was in the same year as Isabelle was."

"Fine, I'll let you two talk." A defeated Jasper says walking off towards Tyler.

"I get it. I was invited because my boyfriend Conner," she looks over in his direction, "is best friends with Tyler. And I'm assuming you invited my brother?"

"We're friends." I quickly answer as my mind replays the conversation between Jasper and me in the car before we got here.

"That's nice. He needs a good friend for once in his life."

"Why's that?" I ask genuinely curious.

"I didn't mean it a certain way just that it's nice for him to have someone that makes him happy." She says and I can't help but smile. "What?"

"It's just that he's more of a friend than I am. He does most of the talking while I just listen." I tell her which is the truth. Since the beginning of our friendship, Jasper has been the one to approach me and start a conversation with me.

"That's not always a bad thing and he doesn't seem to mind from the looks of it. He likes you I can tell and you like him too."

"I don't know." I shrug, "Maybe."

"Maybe is more than not at all." she smiles just as Jasper returns.