Fall Girl

Kev

FIVE MONTHS AGO

I have been keeping myself pretty busy since I returned to Glisten. There was a lot of work due, and I had barely a moment to focus on anything other than work in the office. I've been shuttling constantly from my apartment to the office and trying to keep things as usual regarding our business ventures. Dad texted me about dinner at eight when I was at work, and I just texted back "Okay".

When I went home, very tired and not seeing any other cars in the parking lot, I went inside. I was taken aback to see Margot and Blake in the living room, talking to Dad. This would be the very first opportunity to catch up with Blake since I had been back. I sat next to Dad but still felt uncomfortable in her presence. 

Dad asked, "Do you and Margot hang out after work?"

I blew my nose. "No, I don't have time for anything like that."

Dad in his insistent tone. "Come on, you are young, you should enjoy your life. I am telling you, son, it's the best time to rock and roll in life."

Blake giggled. "I second Dane. Until you are single enjoy the life at fullest because the moment you get married life changes."

I flicked between Blake and Dad, then shook my head. "I don't think marriage is my cup of tea. I am not against it but it's not for me."

Blake nodded and pointed a finger at me. "I can feel you man because before I bumped into Thea, I used to say exactly the same."

Dad agreed with Blake.

I laughed. "Why do I feel like you both are ganging up on me?"

Dad shook his head. "It's nothing like that I sometimes encourage Margot to take some time off to visit her college friends, even though her team is her college friends."

I looked at Margot and raised my brow. "Wait, all your teammates are friends from college?"

Margot was not prepared for a question raised from my side. She cleared her throat. "No, Carter joined three months ago."

After dinner, Margot turned to Blake, "I don't feel like driving. Could you drop me home? I'll ask Mr. Ryan to bring my car in the morning."

Before Blake could respond, Dad intervened, "Kev can give you a ride. He lives right opposite your penthouse."

The look Margot gave me I sensed she had just learned where I lived for the first time. Initially hesitant, she eventually agreed to come with me. The silence in the car was awkward, so I broke it by asking, "Do you mind if I play some music?"

Margot instinctively squared her shoulders and turned her head the other way. 

I sighed, "You know, the sky isn't going to fall if we talk."

She gave me a questioning look before responding, "Are you sure you want to talk to a slut... wait, let me think... I don't think so."

There was a pin drop silence, but if there's one thing, I've learned about living in Glisten, it's that nothing is going to be simple for me here. As soon as I walked in the door, I checked the time and then called Renna. After confessing my feelings for Margot, Renna responded, "There is nothing in this world that can't be fixed by talking to each other. However, there has been a ten-year gap, so there must be a lot of things you need to catch up on."

I replied, "I don't even know whether I should be happy by getting to know that she also didn't move on like me or whether I should be unhappy that we squandered 10 years of our life."

Renna responded, "Don't burden yourself. Take a break from the stress of 10 years and start by taking small steps, one at a time. First, you and Margot need to find a way to acknowledge each others presence."