Not Set In Stone

Chapter 11

"Okay, so you can pick the story tonight, just look through the collection of fairy tales and I'm going to see if Mal and Evie want to join us for at least one," I told Carlos handing him my book as he completely calmed down from his little emotional breakdown. He was to the point that you couldn't even tell that he was just crying. "I'll be right back," I told him as Audrey still hadn't returned from god knows where.

I left my room walking down the hallway and as I was walking I saw Jay walking in the other direction. The both of us made eye contact as he quicken his pace and I was about to turn the corner to avoid him. "Rider wait," he called out and I turned the bend. He grabbed onto my arm gently as I stopped, turning around to face him.

"Jay please, just please leave me alone. You already ruined my day enough," I complained practically whining to him as he held onto my arm.

"Look, I just want to talk. Give me five minutes of your time and then you'll never have to speak to ever again, if you choose so," he stated letting go of my arm and I just crossed my arms waiting for his pathetic excuses to come rolling in.

"Go ahead," I sighed leaning against the wall as I rolled my eyes. What could he possibly say to me, to make me feel sorry for him? Nothing, that's what.

"Ria, what can I say, I was a huge ass to you. There's no denying that. I'm not going to explain why I did what I did with some sappy love crap. Honestly, I thought you were really hot and Mal gave me an opportunity and I took it. A real jerk of a move, I know. I'm villain as you said. I'm sorry for what I did and I just didn't realize what effects that it had on you to after. I'm not going to cry to you about how sorry I am either. I'm genuinely sorry and I want you to know that. Whatever Mal and Evie told you about me at lunch was crap. Why do they need to know I'm sorry? Only you deserve to know that," he rambled and I was really wanted this whole incident to be behind me. "I screwed up, I've screwed up all my life. You're just the first person that's actually made me regret something and that meant something. Wow, that was really sappy. Look Ria, stay mad at me, I don't care but for some odd reason, I feel better for getting that out there. So there it is, bye," he said about to walked off as my inner thought were fighting with each other.

Don't do it Ria, he literally made you insane with those cookies. Come on Ria, like you said, you give people second chances. Ria, I swear to god if you forgive that thief. Ria you know you have to be the bigger person, that's who you are. Don't! Yes! No!

God, I thought was brain was going to exploded. I had to do something and fast. "Jay! Wait," I called out making my decision final. Please don't make me regret this. He turned around with a look of innocence on his face, not a smirk like I expect from him. He wasn't expecting this, slowly my choice was becoming the right one.

"Okay listen up, I'm not going to apologize to you for anything I did to you. You're just lucky I didn't smack you with a frying pan like Evie told me I should. You need to get that you're not Flynn Rider and I'm definitely not Rapunzel through your head. Also, I'm most likely never going to date you, at least not now, so please quit with the non stop flirting. If you don't, I will smack you with the frying pan. I don't need stolen gifts, so I'm instructing you to return my necklace to its rightful owner. If you think I'm being bossy or rude right now, it's because I'm mad and it's going to take more than a simple apology to make it up to me," I told him as he nodded.

"I forgave Carlos and I want to forgive you too, don't make me regret it. Let's just forget this whole thing ever happened. Start fresh, as friends, sound good?" I asked him and he nodded again. "Okay, now give me a hug," I told him as I pulled him in for a hug and I knew that was something all of them needed.

Knowing how badly Carlos broke down, I could only imagine how the others felt. The pressure to be nothing but bad and be unloved. That really had to hurt and I don't think I'd be able to live like that without having a meltdown breakdown every day.