Chapter 15

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The day passed relatively fast after that, and I breathed it all in. Sitting around his living room, enjoying a classic Hawaiian pizza while texting Ben, and getting replies that made me laugh.

Mitch read from the diary, flipping the sheets slowly, drinking it all in. I assumed he'd decided to take a slower route and actually read, rather than skimming past the pages now that there was a little more time. He did stand, a little agitated at times, looking like he was searching for something, but coming back empty-handed.

"Okay, hang on..." Mitch said while biting into a slice of pizza, and I looked up. "Yeah?"

"Didn't you say you like Ben?" Mitch asked with a grin, and I blushed. "Uh. Well. He's a good friend..."

"Jerome is a good friend..." Mitch said with a wink, and I cringed a little. "Please, just... no."

"Wow, you're as bad as Jerome. Just go for it!" Mitch encouraged, and I shook my head. "No logic in it now. I'll give myself a few more years. I wouldn't want to ruin the friendship. Plus, I just... am comfortable at a distance." I replied, and Mitch looked at me with a nod. "Not as bad as your dad or I then on the logic scale." He said with a light laugh. "Do you miss him?" I asked, and Mitch chewed thoughtfully. "I do, so much. He was my best friend for so many years, and I love him, as odd as I feel admitting it to you of all people. He's a brilliant man, and I understand what he went through sixteen years ago."

"So you wouldn't hold it against him?" I replied, and Mitch shook his head. "I got over it a long time ago. I just wish I could show him it's okay, but I didn't know how. I guess that's why I kept running from him, like it's stated about ArcadiaCon in the diary." Ah. "He definitely cares a lot about you."

"Yeah, well, we were friends for so long, so I guess I understand that." He reasoned, but I shook my head. "It undoubtedly goes far deeper than that."

"I wouldn't be so sure." Mitch replied nervously, and I raised my eyebrow disbelievingly. "Come on, he wrote you a DIARY for these years, stating his love! The volumes that speaks is amazingly high. He may have loved slash supported Mom, but you were quite obviously on his mind more!" I argued, and Mitch shrugged. "Maybe, but that's no reason to get my hopes up."

"Sounds like they filled with helium before I even got here. Just saying." Mitch shot me a look, and I finished my last bite of food in response, chewing slowly.

Taking the plate over to the kitchen, I gazed past his refrigerator, and found a small image of Dad and Mitch in a heart-shaped frame. It was like getting stabbed when I saw that.

I pulled it out of the frame slowly, and turned it to find the date. 16th July 2015. They were dressed casually, grinning at the camera. There were flashes of red and blue behind them, an orange ball, and I drew the conclusion they were at some kind of basketball game. We just didn't really know what sort, or where it was. The only other thing I could see was a guy with glasses and blonde hair, standing to the side. Either way, they looked like they were enjoying it, dressed in summer clothing and with happy grins plastered on their faces. Their arms were around each other, and the closeness of their bodies, plus their angles, made a small tremor in me as I saw it. Had they started caring at this point?

My fingers trembled as I returned the image back, and went to the bedroom. The hours between then and sleeping were filled with the days events. Just twelve hours ago, I'd been at home, and now I was in an unfamiliar city, relying on a newfound friend, who had also been my dad's best friend.

I woke the day after to see grey skies. That wasn't really all that great for my dad's arrival, but okay. Mitch had relayed his address, I'd gathered my things and made them neater, now all we had to deal with was the waiting game.

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