to live for the hope of it all.

Chapter 4

August 22nd, 2023

"Oh, i'm sorry, sorry that you love me
Changed my mind up like it's origami..."

Bailey

Brady: I'm sorry for what I said. Can we talk?

Brady: Bailey don't be like this. I already said I was sorry.

Brady: K whatever, call me when you're done bitching.

"You're joking. He actually said that?" Wren scoffed through my phone speaker, reading a screenshot of the messages I sent her.

"He did," I said, tying my last shoe before standing to go to my bathroom to finish my hair, taking my phone with me. Propping my phone up against the mirror, I do a quick spin so Wren can see what I'm wearing.

"I told you the top matches those jeans. Just put your hair half up and half down and you'll be good to go. You're not thinking about calling him are you?" She asks, not bothering to hide the disapprovement from her voice.

"I'm not. It's already been a week and despite his texts, I already feel more free. Did you know I read 3 books this week? I even got to play the piano with Grandpa Matt. I like having time to do the things I enjoy again without him commenting on them with something," I finish, putting half my hair up and doing a last scan in the mirror. "Is this good?"

"It's perfect. And good, you're so much more than just his ragdoll, I am so glad you dumped him."

"Me and you both, Harlow," Grandpa Matt says, appearing in the doorway of my bedroom. "Are you ready, Bay?"

"Sorry, I was catching Wren up on what Brady texted me last night. Yes, I'm ready," I tell him.

Grabbing my phone from the counter, I follow after my grandfather. He and I had been watching reruns of Survivor last night when Brady started texting me, and there is nothing I don't tell that man. He had been livid after hearing what went down between me and Brady and what he accused me of, before he destroyed my flowers.

Grandpa Matt and Wren had never been fans of Brady, but they did their best to respect my decision in staying with him for as long as I did.

But now that I ended it, they aren't holding anything back.

"Hey Oliver!" Wren shouts through the phone at my grandpa. My grandpa chuckles at her enthusiasm.

My best friend and grandfather discovered each other's middle names within seconds of meeting each other. Wren has this thing after a while when she meets a new person, she loves knowing their full names. My grandfather hadn't questioned it, instead he found it endearing.

I don't even know if they remember each other's full names anymore, it's been Harlow and Oliver for years now, and I love it.

"Harlow," he greets, "Piece of shit that Peterson kid is, Bailey tell you what he did to her flowers? He's lucky I wasn't home to teach him a lesson." My best friend laughs on her end.

"I wish you had been, I wish I wasn't still on vacation so I could've been there and had his ass in the grass after that shit he pulled," she fired back.

"Yes, yes we all don't like Brady anymore. Are we gonna keep talking about the asshole or go to dinner?" I laugh.

"Bye Harlow! See you when you get back!" He answers before walking downstairs with me following behind him.

"Bye Oliver! Bye Bay, love you."

"Love you." I say, hanging up as I close the front door behind me and lock it.