The Bet (Book 1 in The Deception Series)

Chapter 46: talks and rekindling

Garrett

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"We Hug Now"- Sydney Rose

I groan as I run my fingers through my hair. It was 2 in the fucking morning and I had a game but I was here sitting at the edge of the pool, my feet freezing in the cold water, stressing over the same girl. Again. I should just drown myself in the pool at this point. Because everytime I get closer to her I end up fucking it up.

I hear the back door open but I don't bother turning to see who it was. I hear footsteps before Connie sits down next to me, slipping his feet into the cold water.

"Are you going to keep avoiding me?" He asks.

"That was the plan."

He sighs, "Talk to me."

I shake my head, "I don't know where to begin."

"I know you're upset about what I did. But I really had to go."

I look at him, "You left me, Connie. You left me there with him. You were supposed to be there for me. But you weren't."
"I didn't have a choice. I couldn't stay in that house any longer." He explains, "Garrett, the reason I left wasn't exactly because of him, it was because I was afraid that if I stayed then I wouldn't be able to live for the two of you." He confesses.

"What about me? How was I supposed to live without you?" I ask him, my voice breaking.

He looked at me with tears in his eyes, "I wanted to take you with me but you know I couldn't."

"You got everything you wanted, Con. While I suffered, I was trapped in that fucking house for years. I still am. I only go back for her and when I do, it's always the same with him." I explain.

"I'm sorry." He whispers.

"I needed you. I needed you and you just left. You promised me you wouldn't leave me." I remind him as tears run down my face.

"I know."

I sigh as I run my hand through my hair, "You didn't even call or text."

"If I did, I'd come running back." He tells me.

I scoff, "Yeah, well, you still would've left again."

"Don't hate me, Garrett. Please, I know it was wrong. It still haunts me till this day. I can't sleep some nights because I'm so scared that one day I'll wake up to a call telling me I lost you or Mom." He explains.

I look at the tears running down his face, "Then why didn't you call? Why didn't you call to check on us?"

"Because I wouldn't be able to hear your voice without breaking down." He says as he looks at the pool water.

My heart breaks as I look at my brother. All I could think about was all those years back when it was just the two of us against the world. All we had was each other, we had no one else in our lives.

"I don't hate you. I could never hate you." I tell him.

He looks at me, his eyes filled with hope, "Really?"

I nod, "We're in this together. I don't want us to turn against each other now. Not when he's still in our lives."
He smiles, "You don't know how much it means to hear you say that."

I smile, "I'm glad you're here."

"Me too." He says before pulling me into a strong embrace.

I hold him tightly, afraid to let go. I wanted back all those years when he wasn't here. I wanted to never be apart from him again. My heart ached for him. For us. We pull away and I smile as I wipe my tears.We both sit in silence as we look at the pool water, I continue to kick the water gently, watching it move around a little.