-Better

09- m e m o r i e s

A/N: WARNING: contains very cliche moments and references to sex. Also, a special treat for the people who normally read my author's notes, this is going to be the last part of this book where Jade and Leo are 17, and a lot is going to go down in the next chapter... So stay tuned.

Barcelona, Spain- 17 years old

When they got back home, Jade had invited Leo back inside the house for a while, secretly trying to make their day together last a bit longer than just the breakfast they had just had. Her family was awake by then, so Alonso and Martín were both splayed out across the couch, arguing over something that was on the tv.

The first one to notice them come in was her mom who was in the kitchen at the time. After a few seconds, Martín noticed, and then Alonso. They blinked a couple times with wide eyes, before looking at each other and back to us. They must be shocked that Leo was here. After all, we all thought we would never see him again.

Leo smiled at both of them as they came running over to give him hugs and question him about everything. Jade wasn't the only one who enjoyed Lionel's company when they were younger. He would sometimes hang out with the twins rather than her.

"Alright, alright! Everyone off of Leo!" Jade had yelled and clapped her hands loudly after they had spent a bit too much time with their arms wrapped around him. Sometimes, she thought they loved him more than her.

When they separated themselves from her best friend, she smiled sarcastically and grabbed his hand, pulling him away to her room. She shut the door and turned to him again. As soon as they were behind closed doors, there was a certain awkward tension in the air. Jade thought it was because of the time two years ago that both of them avoided mentioning, but couldn't ever forget.

Leo thought it was because of the way he left. He didn't say goodbye, didn't tell her where he was going, he didn't even tell her he got signed to a football club. She was bound to have some anger built up inside from two years ago.

"Ok," Jade sighs after a while of them staring at each other, "There's definitely something we're not addressing. We've never been this awkward with each other." And it was certainly true. Leo wasn't even the least bit awkward when Jade had gotten her period for the first time while at his house and had stained his bedsheets.

"Yeah, you're right," he mumbles, glancing downward quickly, "I'm sorry I left you without any trace to see how I was doing or even a goodbye. I'm sorry I didn't tell you some things that I should've told you because we were best friends. I'm sorry you had to find out because of a tv and not me. I regret it all the time and I wish I could take it back but I can't. I'm sorry," his voice trails down to a whisper by the end.

He didn't even notice he was crying until he tasted the saltiness of his tears on his lips. He carefully wipes his face and stares up at Jade, trying to gauge her reaction.

The look on her face was of pure shock. Her eyes were wide, along with her mouth, and her eyebrows were at their maximum height. He couldn't help but admire her, even with her face in such a position. Even with them both in such a situation.

Jade didn't know what to say. Her mouth kept opening and closing, somewhat like a fish, as she decided on what words to speak. She didn't know he would have this much feeling about this— about her.

"I know," was the only understandable thing she could say after she finally squeezed out a few unidentifiable phrases.

"You know?"

"Yeah. I know how hard it must've been for you to make life-changing decisions like that, especially at 15. You still kept in touch with my mother so she could tell me if you weren't ok. You tried to help me make friends by trying to make me not be so stuck on you and you only. But you were my best friend, Leo, and there were times I needed you and you weren't there. It's kind of bittersweet right now..." Jade lets out. All of the things currently on her mind made her completely and totally forget about what she was previously going to say.

Jade laid down next to Leo on the bed before he sat back and wrapped his arm behind her shoulders and draped the other over her stomach. Jade remembered the coiling feeling in her chest and stomach so fondly, she was overly excited when she felt it again.

As Jade nuzzled her face into his neck, she remembered how it felt to have his long hair tickling her nose and how safe it made her feel. She remembered how good his hair always smelled, even when he didn't really do anything to it, and she couldn't help but inhale deeply.

"Did you just smell my hair?" Leo asks after a while, and she blushes.

"It always smells so good." She giggled and mumbled into his neck, and after that, no other words were said between either of them.

She felt so at home like this, and she couldn't believe how much she had missed this feeling. Those moments just like this that they had previously shared. She couldn't believe how much she cared about him, so much she would never be able to fully explain it to him.

As her eyes closed, she thought about everything that has happened to her in two years. A lot has changed, possibly everything, but somehow, things managed to level themselves back out as she found herself back in the arms of her former best friend after the longest two years of her life.

Maybe this is how it was supposed to happen.