An Angel Wears Hightops [A Sequel to The Devil Wears Girl Jeans]

An Angel Wears Hightops (Chapter 28)

Tristan's POV!!

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“Why is the cat wearing glasses?” I asked, throwing my jacket over the back of a chair as I sauntered into Quinn and Lacey's living room at sometime around two in the morning, soaked from the rain. The Carr's had insisted that I stay with them while I was in town, and had even given me a key so I could come and go as I pleased. That had pretty much just lead to me waking up in the middle of the night to go by beef jerky and Kool Aid, just because I could. It was fabulous.

“Because his insurance couldn't cover contacts.” he mumbled around the toothbrush that was crammed in his mouth as he regarded his cat with a look of mild amusement plastered across his tired face. His cat clawed at it's snout, successfully knocking the glasses onto the couch a moment later.

“Hmm. It was funny while it lasted.” Quinn remarked sleepily, before picking up his glasses and sliding them back onto his face, disappearing into the kitchen without another word. I swear, I didn't understand why Quinn did 90% of the things he did, but it was part of the reason why he was my best friend: he did things just for the sake of doing things, no reason necessary.

Sighing, I collapsed onto the couch, kicking off my shoes and struggling to reach my iPod in my back pocket. I fought with the wires for a few moments until they came untangled, and jammed the ear buds in my ears in hopes of getting to sleep. As soon as I hit play though, I knew I'd made a horrible mistake.

“And if only I could find the words, or muster up the nerve to tell her, I’ll never forget her, and she’ll always have a part of me.”

“NOPE!” I yelped, yanking out my headphones roughly half a second later, shaking my head as if I could dislodge the memories that had suddenly flooded my mind. A Part of Me by Neck Deep had always been Hartley's favourite song, and right now, she was the last thing I wanted to be thinking about. I'd messed up so badly, but it was too late and we both knew it.

“Thinking about Hartley?” a voice asked from beside me, and I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sight of Quinn lounging in the recliner, having apparently materialized out of thin air. He looked ridiculous, holding a tea cup and peering at me over the top of his glasses as if I were an amoeba and he was a scientist who happened to wear Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle pyjama bottoms and had bright pink hair.

One thing you need to know about me, is that I'm terrible at analogies.

“No, why would you say that? I already have a girlfriend.” I lied, leaning forward so that my elbows were resting on my knees, and my hair hung into my face, obscuring my facial expression.

Quinn looked at me with raised eyebrows, his glasses making him look like Dr. Phil with significantly less facial hair. He knew I was lying, and his eyebrow raise was his way of calling me out on it.

“Okay, fine. Her favourite song just came on my iPod and now I'm sitting here knowing she's asleep in her own bed wherever she is, dreaming about someone who isn't me and it just sucks because I've never stopped thinking about her, and Jules just kind of provides a distraction you know? I mean I love Jules and everything but she is decidedly not Hartley.”

“Indeed she is not. You'd do realize you're just dating the Arizonian version of Hartley though, right? Like there's literally nothing stopping you from moving back here and having the real deal instead of some substitute.”

I stared at him for a long time, realizing just how right he was. I mean, he was always right, but he was more right than usual this time. I could just leave Arizona, trade in my sunscreen for an umbrella, and trade in Jules for Hartley. I could finally have what I'd wanted for so long, because there were no obstacles in my way anymore. No Halden, no Seth, no one. Hartley and I could be together for real this time around.