The Good Boy and The Bitch

Who makes me the person I want to be?

She laughed and everyone moved away started to dance or get a drink. She pulled me close and whispered in my ear, “Dean told me to invite Jayden.”

I felt my eyes widen as I saw Jayden walk through the crowd towards me with a small frown. His eyes weren’t on me though; his eyes were trained on Dean. I swallowed loudly and felt my heart race as thousands of thought bombarded me.

I took a deep breath as Jayden stopped in front of Dean and I. I didn’t know how to feel about him being here. Here stood the guy who cheated on me after only a few days of dating, but here also stood the guy who I had to choose between him and my other ex that cheated on me.

I just needed better boyfriends, I thought. Jayden was still staring at Dean and Dean was doing the same. I guess I need to introduce the, well let the awkwardness begin.

“Hey Jay this is Dean, Dean this is Jayden,” I said waving my hand between them.

I saw Jayden’s eyes tighten at me calling him Jay. I remembered when he told me he likes it better when I called him Jayden, but cheating on me made that want to please him dwindle.

“Hello Jayden,” Dean said through a tight mouth.

“Nice to meet you,” Jayden said sticking his hand out to shake Dean’s.

Ava waved her hand at me and I shot her a look telling her to come to me. She grabbed Clint’s hand and dragged him towards us and plastered a face smile on her face.

“Hey Dean, nice to see you again,” Ava said giving him a small hug.

“Hey I’m Clint,” Clint said stepping up to Dean with his hand outstretched.

“Dean, nice to meet you,” Dean said shaking his hand.

He directed his attention to Ava and Clint and smiled, “I’m glad you two got to come. Ava is this your boyfriend?”

I wanted to roll my eyes, from what Ava had told me Dean and her brother, Grayson were crazy protective of her. She said Dean acted like her second brother, I guess he still felt the need to act that way.

“Yes,” Ava said smiling at Clint.

“You two know each other?” Clint asked.

“Yeah I was her brother’s best friend,” Dean said looking sad.

I put my hand on his arm in a comforting way and I notice Jayden stare at my hand. I looked at him and he shot me a forced smile.

“Think we could talk for a few minutes?” he asked hopefully.

“Maybe later, this is my birthday party.”

I saw Antonio standing on a makeshift stage and he caught my stare and started waving his hands at me. I shook my head and he started yelling, “Shelby! Get your tight ass up here!”

“No!” I yelled back laughing.

“Who’s that? I heard Jayden ask.

I ignored him and kept arguing with Antonio from across the room. “My brother,” Dean answered.

I rolled my eyes and gave up, “I’m going up there,” I said to anyone who cared.

I fought through the crowd of people, everyone smiled at me and told me ‘happy birthday’ some of the people I only recognized from school. I laughed when I walked past Bruce and he said he would give me the best present later and winked at me.

After finally making it to the stage Antonio grabbed my hand and helped me up there. He picked up a microphone and started talking into it, “Okay everyone here is the birthday girl.”