The Beauty in Time

3

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"You realize you're screwing yourself, right?"

I glance up from my salad and at Tory. "What?" I laugh out of confusion.

Tory smiles at me and glances at Jamie to make sure she's listening too before looking back at me. "With this whole New Years thing." Tory clarifies. "You're screwing yourself."

I laugh a little more but try to keep it down since we're still having our lunch break in the library. "What? No, I'm not." I argue weakly, waving my hand in the air dismissively.

"You are." Jamie quickly takes her chance to argue with me and take Tory's side. I shake my head at the both of them, looking down at my salad.

Tory nods with a smug smile. "You're screwing yourself over."

"I'm saving myself." I argue, raising a brow. "Hey, aren't you guys the ones who told me to take a break from dating for a while?" I smile, returning the smugness.

Jamie and Tory share looks. "We only said that because you were going crazy with two weeklong relationships." Jamie reasons. I frown at that, she continues. "It's July, Elle." She declares. "It's been ten months since," She pauses and glances at Tory.

I frown still. "So?" I mumble. "It's not December." I shake my head, dismissing the conversation completely. I don't really want to hear it in this very moment.

Tory sighs. "Let's be real here." They begin on a hum. "You're missing out on hot dates that could actually go somewhere because of a New Years resolution." They declare, stating the obvious like we don't all know already.

Jamie nods. "I gave up on my New Years resolution two weeks after making it." She shamelessly admits.

Tory nods. "I gave up on mine a day later." They smile like they're proud of it. Jamie and I stare at them, both of us wondering how that's possible. Tory smiles. "Coffee." They shrug.

"Ohhh," Jamie and I hum in unison, nodding along with each other. I've been down the coffee addiction road. It's not pretty.

Tory sighs. "But see? Get my point?" They question. They smile at me and shrug without much of a concern. "Resolutions are made to be broken."

I frown at that. "No, they're not." I argue. "They're supposed to make you better. You're not supposed to quit them—Just because you quit yours doesn't mean I'm quitting mine." I decide on a firm nod, standing up and collecting my things.

They both perk up as they watch me collect everything. "Elle, where are you going?" Jamie asks me, her frown deep and regretful.

"Home." I mumble, tucking the two books I plan on borrowing into my little backpack. "Tell Jerald I'm taking a personal day." I order, looking between them as I press the lid back on my container for my salad.

"Wait, Elle. Come on. I'm sorry." Tory frowns, taking their argument back already.

I shake my head and offer them both a tight smile. "It's fine. Really, it's not even important." I dismiss. I toss my bag over my shoulder and sigh. "I have to go visit the center today, remember?" I ask, starting to back up from the table.

"I thought you were going at two?" Jamie calls after me before I can really get too far.

"It's almost two." I shrug her off and don't turn around to finish the conversation properly. Our conversation was pretty much done anyway.

I'm not upset over it though, I swear. Tory kind of had a point, everyone quits their New Years resolution. That just doesn't mean I have to just because the temptations are well, tempting. It just would've been nice if they supported me the entire time I'm trying to do this, but it's fine.