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Chapter 21: Murals

Less than two weeks after we got back from the cruise, Jordan and Katherine were back at it again hot and heavy. I still hadn't seen Greyson and would only get a response from him every now and again. It's okay, some things aren't meant to be, Indie. I had told myself over and over again, but I held to a shred of hope that he would call me and ask to hang out. My world shattered when I was scrolling online in early June and saw that he had changed his settings to "in a relationship". I cried. A lot. I knew we wouldn't be anything more than friends (he'd made that clear over spring break), but it didn't stop it from hurting. It didn't stop me from throwing myself into other things to distract myself either.

I had made plans to babysit during the summer while I figured out what I wanted to do and how I would do it. I had also been asked to paint the youth room and middle school room at the church. I was to paint them different colors and paint murals and verses on all the walls. It was a huge job, but I needed the money. It was too late to apply or enroll in grad school, so I decided I would take the next year to just work and weigh my options and enjoy being free. I was spending more time with Mia and less time with Katherine, I assumed it was because of how close Mia and I had gotten during the trip mixed with how intense Katherine and Jordan were. Soon, Ava joined Mia and me, and the three of us were constantly partying together. I blamed it on "wanting to go through a wild phase" but I had been in a wild phase for two years. In reality, I just wanted to forget Greyson and the ache he'd left in my chest with his sudden disappearance. I needed to find myself without a "best friend" and to break myself from the emotions that tied me to him.

Ava pulled Mia and me along on all of her online dates. Soon, she only matched and messaged guys she knew would be a party or would have friends. We were a package deal. She still bothered me and her boy crazy antics made me want to roll my eyes, but at least this way, she was bringing more boys around, and that made it easier for me to distract myself from Greyson's absence.

Guy after guy came through. I never slept with them but we drank, flirted, made out, exchanged Snapchats, but too often, I never spoke to them again. Ava had told Katherine about what we were doing and had even invited her to party with us a few times. She rejected the offer every time. I knew she wouldn't pull herself away from Jordan, but I appreciated Ava's attempts.

Sometime in Mid-June, I was busy painting a mural on a small half wall in the Middle school room when Jordan walked in furiously.

"Hey, Jordy," I smiled back at him from atop my ladder.

"Hey."

"Are you okay?" I asked genuinely.

"No, I'm not okay," He shut the door to the room and I climbed down the ladder.

"What's going on?"

"You are such a bitch," he growled as he grew closer to me. I could practically see the heat radiating from him.

Oh God. I thought nervously.

"What are you talking about?" I kept my voice calm.

"What happens in Mexico stays in Mexico?" He snapped.

"Jordan, what are you talking about?"

"Don't lie to me," he scoffed.

"Wha-" he cut me off.

"You told MY girlfriend to go flirt with some jack ass guy? You TOLD her to?" He spat the words at me and I flinched as he got closer to my face.

"What makes you think you can do that, huh?" He asked.

"Jordan, I never told her to flirt with him. I told her she could make her own decisions." I defended myself as I sank back further from him.