Pushing Forward (Sequel to An Unlikely Duo)

Chapter 27: Decisions Decisions

"Morning sunshine" Paige handed me a mug of coffee when I emerged from my tent the next morning.

"Please tell me last night was all one messed up dream" I groaned as Paige and I walked down toward the lake.

The sun was up and a light fog floated over the water. The air around me was filled with the scent of pine trees and coffee.

"Hate to burst your bubble, but it all definitely happened" Paige and I sat down on a log by the edge of the lake.

"What am I supposed to do Paige? I don't even know what any of this means" I sipped my coffee and thought over what happened the night before.

Jake said he hated me for making him love me. What did that even mean? Did he still love me? Did I want him to still love me? If he did what would I do?

It'd be nice if someone gave me the answers to these questions because I was completely lost.

"Well given what happened this morning I think you know what it means" Paige gave me a pointed look.

"Wait what happened this morning?" I had no idea what she was talking about.

"Jake and Mary left last night? They took a cab home" Paige told me.

"What?" my heart dropped into my stomach. After everything he said, Jake still left with Mary? Well there was my answer. He didn't love me, but that realization answered the question about how I felt.

"They left last night and Jake called Tyler this morning" Paige took a sip of her coffee calmly while my heart was racing.

"Well what did he say?" I motioned with my hands for her to explain. This was not the time for suspense.

"He and Mary broke up. Was that not obvious?" Paige was the one who looked confused now.

"Why would that be obvious?"

"He basically told you he still loves you last night" Paige slapped me lightly on the back of the head.

"Loved Paige. Lov-ed. I have no idea where his feelings are right now" I insisted.

"Well lucky for you I was able to bribe Tyler for information using his weakness for donuts" Paige smirked.

"Well please share this coveted information you so intelligently obtained" I motioned for her to continue.

"Pushy aren't we" Paige stepped on my foot to stop me from nervously tapping it on the ground, "well when they got back Mary apparently wanted to try and work things out or expected some big apology, but Jake didn't even seem to consider it. He told her he wasn't sure if Kayla Ryans was the right girl for him, but he knew for sure Mary wasn't that girl. He said it in a nicer way and let her know he was sorry it didn't work out, but they're definitely over" Paige shrugged.

He wasn't sure if Kayla Ryans was the right girl for him? Well that was not helpful at all. What was I supposed to do with that information? Make an inspirational poster saying "yippee he almost wants me?"

I heard a noise behind me. When I turned around I saw Scott and Tyler loading up the truck.

Scott. I was standing here wondering if Jake still had feelings for me when my current boyfriend was twenty feet away. What was I thinking? I was not that girl. I had to talk to Scott. It was only fair that I didn't leave him in the dark about what was going on in my head and what was going on or wasn't going on with Jake.

"So where do I go from here?" I bumped shoulders with Paige.

"I think you're in the same boat as Jake. You don't know if he's the guy for you or if there's even a chance that you two could happen again, but I guess you have to ask yourself, is Scott the guy for you?" Paige followed my line of sight to where Stephen had joined Scott in hauling one of the coolers into the trunk.

Paige was so lucky. She found the person she loved and knew without a doubt that he was the guy for her. She was one of those rare lucky ones; the person she loved, loved her back.

"Talk to Scott. Explain it all to him, see where he stands, then make a decision. After the scene he saw last night, he's going to want an explanation" Paige patted me knee reassuringly before standing up and pulling me up with her.

I finished my coffee before returning to what was left of our group.

We loaded everything back into the car and everyone climbed in, but before I followed them I took a minute to look around. Everything was so calm and simple here. Despite the drama from home that invaded our little safe haven last night, it was nothing compared to what I would go home to face.

I had decisions on my plate. What would happen with my relationship with my dad, if anything at all? What would happen with Jake, if anything at all?

I took one last look around and a breathe of clean air before climbing into the car and shutting myself inside.

Tyler dropped Angela, Jeremy, Scott, and I off at my house. Ang and Jer took all the luggage inside while I walked Scott to his car.

"I'm sorry about last night. I never expected that mess to happen. This weekend was supposed to be a getaway from all the drama, but I guess it has a way of sneaking up on people" my words were rushed as I tried to figure out how to handle this. A two hour car ride home and I still had no idea what to say.

I tried to rehearse it in my head countless different ways, but there was no easy way to say 'hey I'm sorry I recounted my breakup with my ex in front of you, the same ex that I may or may not still have feelings for'. Could I flee to a deserted island and send a message in a bottle? That would be easier than having to face Scott right now.

"Kayla it's more than just drama. I found out about your messy past with Jake this weekend, but it's where you stand with him in the present that matters" Scott leaned against his car casually, but I could tell in his eyes this wasn't easy for him either.

"I don't know. I don't have feelings for him I swear I-"

"We both know that's not true. If my parents fought like that maybe they'd still be together. They just stopped caring about each other. People don't fight like that if they don't care anymore" Scott looked down the street avoiding eye contact with me.

"Maybe some part of me still cares about Jake, but that doesn't mean I don't care about you. You and I make more sense. Everything fits and works. Things with us aren't messy like they are... were with Jake" I ran my hands through my hair trying to figure out where I was going with this. I was just babbling with no direction.

"You're saying it's easy with us. You describe us like a machine, not like a relationship. You and I wouldn't fight like you and Jake did because you don't feel the same way about me as you do about him" Scott finally looked at me when he asked that question that I suddenly knew the answer to, "you still love him don't you?"

"Yeah. I think I do. I don't know why I still love him after everything we've been through, but yes I'm still hung up on Jake Mitchells. You're probably the better guy and you and I make more sense. We have the same interests, same career paths, same ideas about where our lives are going. You and I make more sense, but no matter how hard I tried to deny it I think a small part of me has always loved Jake. I'm sorry for how this happened and I'm sorry this couldn't work. I never meant to hurt you" I didn't know what else to say.

"I'm sorry this couldn't work either, but you can't help the people you love Kayla. I hope Jake realizes what a lucky guy he is" Scott pulled me into a hug before climbing into his car, "goodbye Kayla".

"Bye Scott" I waved goodbye to a great guy that I couldn't bring myself to love because I could never completely let go of another guy that drove me crazy in the worst and best ways.

I just hoped that guy could find it in him to still love me back despite it all. Despite my fear of relationships. Despite my fear of losing people. Despite my fear of letting myself depend on people. Despite the fear that took hold of me when I realized once again Jake Mitchells had the power to break my heart.

--- Well then how do we feel about this?  The two couples are no longer together, but can the Unlikely Duo pull through and finally fix it all?

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