The Bet (Book 1 in The Deception Series)

Chapter 39: interventions and ice cream

Taylor

~~~~~~

"because i liked a boy" - Sabrina Carpenter

"We are staging an intervention." Lily announces on Friday afternoon as she storms into my room with a tub of cookie dough ice cream.

I sigh as I sit up in bed and look at her, "I don't want an intervention. I just want to rot in bed and die."

"No. You will not do that yourself." She explains as she jumps in bed next to me.

I grab my pillow and hug it against my chest as I look at her open the ice cream tub.

"I just want to be alone, Lily."

"Well, too bad. We're both going to break ups right now. And I've decided that I will not cry over boys anymore. They're useless and a waste of time, honestly." She explains as she takes her spoon and takes a bite of the ice cream.

I take the spoon from her and scoop some ice cream into my mouth, "Has he tried to talk to you?" I ask her.

"Who? Jake?"

I nod as I take another spoon of ice cream into my mouth.

"Yeah, but I've been ignoring him. He's a waste of time and space like his best friend." She explains as she takes the spoon from me and scoops it into the tub.

"I'm sorry that you guys broke up. I know how much you loved him." I tell her.

She shrugs, "Well, men are liars. What were we expecting?"

I nod as I watch her eat the ice cream we were sharing. I wish I could be as strong as her, but I couldn't. I was nothing like her. I wish I could be but it wasn't possible for me.

"I love you, Lily." I say.

She looks at me and smiles, "I love you too, babe."
I pulled her into a hug and held her tightly, never wanting to let her go. I didn't deserve a friend like her. She was everything that I wanted to be. She was always by my side when I didn't have anyone.

We pull away and look at each other, both of our eyes filled with tears. We start laughing as tears run down our face.

"We're such idiots." I laugh through my tears.

"I know. That's the last time we will date guys who are best friends." She laughs.

"And the last time we trust hockey guys. I mean, come on, what were we thinking?" I add.

She smiles and wipes her tears, "Everybody makes mistakes."

I smile back and nod, "Very stupid mistakes."

I dig back into the ice cream and stuff my mouth witht he delightful taste as she looks at me.

"I'm sorry he did that to you, Tay. I thought he was a good guy." She sighs.

"Don't apologize. He tricked both of us. We were just pawns in his stupid little game." I tell her.

"You don't deserve it though. He doesn't know what he lost with you. He'll never find another girl like you." She explains.

I smile, "Thanks, Lily."

"It's the truth." She shrugs.

Everyone needs a Lily in their life. Having a Lily is the only thing you really need in your life. I was glad I had mine.

~~~~~~~

"Thanks for coming tonight, I know it was last minute." Noah says as we sit at the bar and drink.

"Of course, Noah. I'm sorry he stood you up." I tell him.

He shrugs before taking a sip of his drink. He called me ranting about how his date stood up, so I came to the bar to comfort him. And he needed someone to drive him home too, so I was here to do that.

"I mean he seemed so interested, I really thought he liked me." He rants.

I gave him a sad look because I knew exactly how that felt. To feel completely used like a toy.

"I feel you." I say as I think about me and Garrett.

"Whatever, I'm gonna have fun, without him." He says as he gets up and walks over to the dance floor.

I laugh as I watch him dance, happily and drunkenly. I wish I could do the same, but I didn't want to drink. I was afraid to get drunk because I knew I'd probably end up crying about the guy I was trying to forget.

"Can I get you a refill?" The bartender asks.

I turn to him and nod, "Soda."

He nods before taking me a cup and filling it up with soda. He places it back down in front of me and I smile at him.

"Oh my god, Taylor. That guy over there is checking you out." I hear Noah's voice.

I turn to him as he sits back down next to me. I follow his gaze and see a random ass guy smirking at me.

"No thanks." I tell Noah.

"What? Why?" he questions.

"Because, I'm not interested."

"Why? Because of Garrett Gray?" He slurs.

I don't say anything and just stare down at my cup. Hearing his name made me feel sick. I wish I could go back to my life before him, when I hated him.

"Seriously, Taylor? You knew Garrett was a player." He says.

I shrug before taking a sip of my soda, ignoring his snarky comment. I didn't need anyone to lecture me on anything. I already felt bad about myself, I didn't need anymore criticism.

"Come on." He says as he grabs my arm and pulls me off the bar stool.

"Noah, no." I say as he begins to pull me towards the guy.

"Just come on."

"Noah, stop." I beg.

He ignores me and keeps pulling me, "Noah, let go of me!" I yell.

He drops my hand and looks at me, I look around and see everyone frowning at me. I feel embarrassment rush through me before I run out of the bar in tears.

"Taylor!" Noah calls as he runs after me.

I stand outside in the cold night breeze as tears run down my face. I kept getting flashbacks of the night I ran out of Garrett's house in tears after I found out about the truth.

"Taylor, what the hell was that?" He snaps.

I look at him and feel anger build up, "What the fuck, Noah? I told you I didn't want to talk to anyone! I came here for you! Not for other men!" I yell as tears run down my face like a waterfall.

"I was trying to help you!"

"I don't need your help!" I shout.

"Are you sure about that?! Because it doesn't look that way to me!" He yells.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" I snap.

"Look at you, Taylor. You're seriously crying over Garrett fucking Gray? He's known for breaking girls' hearts! Grow up, Taylor."

I stared at him, he said the most heart wrenching sentence ever. He didn't understand anything I was feeling. He didn't know anything about what happened with me and Garrett.

"I was in love, Noah! I loved him! He wasn't just some guy I fucked! So forgive me, for falling madly in love with Garrett fucking Gray because I guess that means I need to grow the fuck up, right?!" I yell as I feel my heart ache in pain.

He stares at me in shock, "Taylor." He says with guilt.

"I'm going home, Noah. Book a cab, since you're so grown up." I snap before I turn around and walk away.