The Science Of Second Chances//Book Two

Chapter 17~ Forgiveness

Teddy's P.O.V

Christmas had snuck up on me. It would sneak up on you too if you had been busy fussing over things like love.

Everything went back to normal after the party, I mad sure of it. I think John did too. He had been very careful around me lately. Actually a little too careful. It was like he was expecting someone to jump out and attack him whenever we were in the same room together. I had my suspicions but I didn't think much of it. At least it meant that we didn't have to talk about what happened. Though that didn't mean that I had stopped thinking about it.

My nightmares had faltered because I never actually slept now. There was a debate in my head that wouldn't let me sleep and that was whether or not I should give John a chance. There were many reasons why I should: John's nice, his lips are amazing, he's not Jim. But then there were other reasons why I shouldn't: My heart could be broken. Again. It might damage a stable, friendly relationship we have already if we went out then broke up. Then there was a teeny, tiny, minuscule part of me that was complaining about the fact that John's not Jim.

Now, I don't love Jim anymore but there will always be that small part in my heart that will always be devoted to him. I just can't let it grow. Which it won't.

Not only have I been kept awake by this but also the knowledge of Lestrade's marriage which was crumbling to the ground, something that he didn't even realize. I had tried to tell him but I choked. I hadn't seen Lestrade this happy in a long, long time. I didn't want to ruin it. So instead I reminded him of the bet we made ages ago about how, if Anderson turned up to the party in a costume with a tail, he had to give me ten pounds. He did with a laugh and I felt even worse. I put the money back into his wallet when he wasn't looking. Still didn't make me feel any less guilty.

The sky was a dark blue color when I came out of the supermarket, two bags of groceries hanging off each arm. I slowed down a little when I was walking past a motorbike, my eyes wandering over the beauty with envy. I had owned two motorbikes in my life; one while I was in America and another when I lived in Tokyo. The first I sold when I planned on leaving America and the second I crashed while chasing down a drug lord (who I still managed to catch.) I've never been totally motorbike mad but I do prefer them over cars. After seventeen years of traveling in flash limousines you get bored after awhile. 

It was as I was walking away from the motorbike that out of the corner of my eyes I saw someone walking. I looked away from the motorbike and locked my eyes on the person. They were in a hurry, their slim figure disappearing around the corner. I was in such a state of shock that I dropped the groceries. My feet were moving while my mind was frozen. I couldn't believe that in all places to see her again it would be a supermarket car park.

"Ree!" I cried, running down the pavement and around the corner where she had disappeared to. If she had heard me she didn't turn or stop to acknowledge me. Instead her pace increased until she turned another corner once again. I zig-zaged through the crowd of people trying to catch up.

"Ree!" I shouted again when I turned the corner and spotted her crossing the road. Her head swiveled around in my direction and her eyes caught mine. They widened in shock and she took off down a small alley way. 

I couldn't believe it was her. I sprinted across the road after her. For ten minutes I chased after her wondering why in the world she was running for me.

Maybe she's still angry at you, I thought, swallowing and hoping that wasn't the reason.

I turned the corner and suddenly realized that I couldn't find Irene anywhere. My heart felt like it had turned to coal and I could feel a lump forming in my throat.