The Colorful Path

Chapter Ten: Green; Taboo Growth

I hit send in hopes she didn't block my number. Jess is right, I won't know if the door between Beth and I is cracked open unless I knock on it. I really need Beth right now. Out of everything Jess and I talked about, she didn't even care about anything with Beth. Maybe it wasn't important to her compared to anything else I told her, but I would be lying to say that Beth wasn't the biggest worry on my mind.

Out of everything that has happened, Beth is the only thing that has been able to keep me going. She hasn't even been in my life because I pushed her away, but here I am begging for her to let me back in. I don't deserve her forgiveness, but I really would like it.

I begin to walk out into the night to see the city in a different way than I have before. I walk through the dimly lit streets of the city and just embrace the beauty of it. I really did want to fall in love here. Not even with Samuel, just with the west coast itself, but because of Samuel I haven't been able to explore. The first night of me going out into the city on my own is me running away from him. Not at all I ever wanted our lives to be when we moved here.

My phone then goes off and I scared to see who it is or what it is. It could be Samuel already looking for me or Beth telling me to go screw myself, both would be very upsetting right now. I take a deep breath and pull out my phone.

Beth: I've been waiting for this text from you.

Beth: Where are you?

Me: Walking.

Beth: At night? Are you insane!?

Beth: I'll come get you, what street are you on?

Me: Corner of Wallis and St. Frank

Beth: I'll be there in five minutes.

Jess is right, if Beth was truly my friend before, she would be my friend now. Jess is always right. I stand on the corner by the stop sign waiting for Beth to arrive. It isn't long at all until she pulls up to me.

"Get in, tissue."

A smile appears on my face to hear her voice again. I hop into her passenger seat and she begins to drive. I begin to feel the small tension between us in the car as she has the volume on her radio down low.

Even through the tension I can't stop staring at her. Her hair has grown out just a little bit, and I can see her natural blonde hair in her roots, something I didn't know before. She isn't wearing any make up and I don't think I have ever seen a more natural beautiful face until now. She just looks so calm and focused as she drives with only one hand on the wheel center at the twelve o'clock position. Being right next to her is just making me so happy.

"Are you going to stare at me all night or are you going to tell me why you've texted me two months after telling me to leave you alone?"

I become flustered as she speaks to me. "I just wanted to start and say that I am sorry about everything."

I can see Beth's eyes slightly looking at me without moving her head from facing the road.

"You did nothing wrong that night. I got drunk and I let myself get out of control with you. Everything that happened is not your fault, it is mine."

"I am going to stop you right there." She pauses. "That night was that night and there is no one to blame. No one is at fault for that night. We both were a part of it and I may only be able to speak for myself, but I like to think we both enjoyed it. Don't apologize for that."

"I am also sorry for pushing you away. I don't know what to think of that night as, but I know that you were my friend and I shouldn't have pushed you away because of it or said any of the things I said that day to you."