My Ex's New Girlfriend (gxg)

Part 13

Deciding that I was going to try and avoid Katie didn't seem to be working.

When I woke up the next morning, hungover, I thought about how close we were sitting next to each other while we spoke, and how she looked into my eyes the whole time.

So what, Cameron? You liked how she was looking at you.

That's all.

I sat up in my bed, completely unsure of what to do.

All I could really do in that moment was get the hell up and brush my teeth, so I did exactly that.

About 20 minutes later, I heard a light knock on my door.

"Are you awake?"

It was Tyler.

"Yes," I said back, "A bit hungover, but awake. You can come in."

The door opened a moment later.

"Erika is coming over soon," Tyler said, leaning against my door, "We're going out to breakfast, want to come with?"

"Are you sure? I don't want to intrude."

Tyler chuckled and said, "She told me to tell you to come with us. You're not intruding."

"Alright, I'll come with. Let me get ready and at least try to look like a human."

I lazily got out of bed again, threw on a pink hoodie and a pair of boyfriend jeans, pulled my hair up in a high ponytail, and got ready to leave with my brother and Erika, who was going to pick us up.

I knew that when we were seated at breakfast, Erika was going to want to know all of the gossip about what was happening at work and with Katie.

"Has she still been nice to you?" Erika asked me, taking a sip of her iced oat milk latte. She was sitting across from me, next to Tyler.

I nodded, "She has been, which in of itself has been a problem."

"Do you not want to talk to her at all?"

"I do want to talk to her. I like talking to her a lot, actually. It's just a constant reminder of Tristan whenever I am around her, and what she is and what I am not."

"Cam...I wish you wouldn't compare yourself to her," Tyler said.

"It's really difficult not to. She's pretty much the whole package. She's got looks and personality."

"So do you," Erika said to me, "Please remember that."

"Also," Tyler added, "No one is perfect. I'm sure she has her flaws."

"Thank you," I said to them, "I really do appreciate it. I told her a couple of weeks ago that I couldn't talk to her as much as I had before, and I could tell that it upset her. Last night though...she came over to me and I didn't tell her to go away. We started talking. It's tough, because when she's around...I don't exactly want her to leave."

"Do you know what I think you should do?" Erika said to me.

"What's that?"

"I think you need to take this day by day, until you don't work there anymore and don't have to deal with it. You're looking at MSW programs, right?"

I nodded, "I am. I won't have to work at the restaurant when I'm in one."

"Bide your time until that happens. If you want to talk to Katie, talk to her. If you don't, then don't. Try to not beat yourself up over it. Protect your peace."

"You're so wise," I said to Erika, with a smile.

Though that might be easier said than done...