Changing My Ways For You

Chapter 4

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Chapter Four

Grace’s POV

My finger hovered over the green ‘talk’ button on my cell phone. I knew this call had to be made, but at the same time, I was afraid. I was nervous that they wouldn’t want to talk to me, and then I’d have to face the pain of rejection. But I really needed someone to talk to, and they’d be the perfect person for that. They’d know just what to say, and would tell me what I needed to hear.

Before I could change my mind, I pressed talk. It rang a few times before I finally heard the voice I was waiting for.

“Hello?”

“Hey,” I said. “It’s me.”

Austin’s POV

I walked down the cold streets and into the woods to where I knew Noland would be. He and I always went to the same place whenever we were upset. We had found it about five years back when we were out on an adventure in the woods. It was a little pond surrounded my trees on all sides, making it seem separate from the rest of the world. The pond froze over in the winter, and we had been up here quite a few times to practice our skating.

Finally, I emerged into the clearing and found Noland sitting in the snow near the edge of ice. He looked thoughtful but also sad. I felt like shit seeing him there like that.

He didn’t notice I was there until I sat down beside him, and even then he didn’t look over at me.

“So,” I started, but didn’t say anything else.

He just sat there not moving, saying nothing. I wouldn’t even have been able to tell if he was breathing or not if it weren’t for the little puffs of white coming from his nostrils.

“Look, man,” I began again. “I’m really sorry for snapping at you like that. I was upset, and I let my emotions get the best of me. I shoudn’t’ve taken it out on you, and I realize that now.”

Noland didn’t respond in any way, just kept on sitting there. The two of us sat in silence for a good ten minutes.  After that, I got up to leave.

“Well I just wanted you to know that I’m sorry, and now you know, so I guess I’ll be on my way then,” I said as I turned to go. If he wasn’t going to talk to me, I wasn’t about to sit there all night freezing my ass off.

“Wait,” Noland said. I breathed out a sigh of relief, and I knelt back down next to him.

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry, too.” I looked at him, confused. What did he have to be sorry for? “I shouldn’t have said that about Grace. I know how much you love her. It’s just that you’re my best friend. I have to make sure she’s good enough for you.” He smiled at me. I snorted.

“Yeah, good one.” I paused. “More like if I’m good enough for her.”

Neither of us said anything for a few minutes. Noland broke the silence first.

“I can tell you really like her,” he said, and I nodded my agreement. “If you have the balls to show her that you truly care for her, and don’t just screw around with her, then she’ll love you right back. But if you mess up even once, you’re done. Even I can tell she’s not the type to forgive and forget. So if you really want to be with her, get your shit together and prove it.”

I was silent. I wasn’t expecting him to say that. I was more prepared for him yelling at me for letting a girl get in the way so much. I was relieved that he understood my position, even if he had never experienced it yet.