Shark Strike Survivor

Chapter 15

Moving day has finally arrived for me to move into my new loft style apartment. I have everything of mine packed, and ready to be taken to my ground level home. Dad, Jace, Mason, Lake, Lochlan, Axel, and Warren are helping me move. Dad's truck is already loaded with many boxes, and the remaining boxes will be loaded into Mason's truck when he arrives, and the remaining boxes are stacked outside in front of dad's truck.

"Are you sure you won't rethink your no-contact with Lyric?" dad quietly asks as I scan over my room to make sure I did not forget anything; not that I cannot get whatever might be left here, I can get it at a future date.

"Nope. Not until he understands and accepts that he cannot control my romantic relationships," I firmly tell him, and dad softly agrees with my words. "I hate doing this to him, but he needs to understand that he cannot, and will not control this aspect of my life. I do not get why he thinks this is acceptable from him toward me."

"I wish I could answer this for you, son, but I cannot," dad says with a hint of anger in his tone at my oldest brother (I think). "Hopefully he pulls his head out of his ass sooner rather than later."

When Jace and Mason arrive, we load the remaining boxes into Mason's truck. Lake and Lochlan ride with Jace, dad drives alone since there is no room in his truck, and I ride with Mason to the apartment complex.

"Hey, how are you?" I ask Mason once I am settled into the passenger seat as he drives toward town.

"Hey, I am good, how about you?" he replies, and I tell him that I am good, too, and give him a tiny smile.

We make small talk the entire ride, and it was extremely comfortable. This realization makes me really think that he and I are better off as friends, and nothing more, but I will wait until the end of the agreed upon nine months. Upon arriving at the apartment, the six of us unload the vehicles into the apartment, and I am surprised when everyone stays to help me unpack the boxes, and place away the items where they belong.

"Thank you for helping me today," I say to them with a tired, yet grateful smile. "How about I order us delivery to show my thanks?"

"Sure son, that sounds good," dad agrees with his own tiny, tired smile, and a lazy nod of his head.

"What are we having?" I question them, finding nearby restaurants that will deliver to my home, and tell them their choices.

We agree upon Thai, and once I have everyone's order, I open up the Thai restaurants app to place the order, pay, and tell them; "Done. The food should be here in thirty minutes."

Giving them a lazy grin while clicking off my phone when I finished my task.

"Larken, may I talk with you in private for a minute, please?" Mason requests in a nervous tone as he stands from the dark gray colored couch which came with the apartment as it came furnished.

"Sure," I agree, wondering what he wants to speak to me about that he cannot tell me in front of everyone else as I stand.

Following him into the kitchen, and lean my backside against the counter as I wait for him to start speaking which he does about a minute later; "After today, I feel we should remain friends, and not try to have a romantic relationship."

"I think you are right," I agree, I am slightly shocked at his statement. "What made you come to this decision?"

He seems shy as he answers softly; "I realized that we are better at being friends than romantic partners. I do not think we would work as romantically."

Giving him a small encouraging smile; "I understand what you are saying, and fully agree with you."

His shoulders visibly relax at my words; "Really? When did you realize this, and your are not mad?"

"On our drive here, I realized that we are better off as friends, and not romantic partners," I tell him honestly. "No, I am not mad, I promise. The ride here was the most relaxed I have been with you as friends, and not worrying about a possible romance between us."

He slowly nods with a relieved smile; "Yeah, I agree with you. From this day forward, we will be just friends, and not try for a romantic relationship?"

Softly humming in reply before suggesting that we rejoin everyone back in the living room. When the room food arrives, Jace and I leave the living room to grab the food from the delivery driver, and tip the young lady, and shut the door after she turns to leave back to her car. We carry the food to the kitchen, we set everyone on the counter.

"Dinner is here!" I call as Jace and I grab down enough glass cups for everyone to have something to drink (i.e. soda, juice, milk or water) that I bought this morning when dad and I went groceries for his home.

Everyone joins us to grab their container, chopsticks, and whatever they pour themselves to drink. When we have our food and drink, we sit back in the living room to eat and continue talking.

"Hey, I never did ask where Chandler is?" Lake curiously asks before taking a bite.

"He had a family obligation that he could not skip," I tell him with a smile, and he nods in understanding.

"Is Chandler single?" Lochlan asks while leaning into Warren's free side as they eat. "How old is he again? Warren's sister is single, and around your age."

Chuckling at him, I answer; "He is single, yes, but I am not sure if he is looking to date anyone at the moment."

"Can you find out for me, and let me know?" If he is, I would like to set the two of them up," Lochlan sweetly requests.

"I will ask him, but do not get your hopes up, okay?" I warn him seriously, and he nods in understanding.

I have a small spark of jealousy in the pit of my stomach at the thought of Chandler dating someone other than me. I cannot hold him back from dating anyone who is not me. I will ask Chandler about this, and explain to him why I am asking him this question.