Cross My Heart

Friendship Is Easy Like Butter on Bread

This chapter is dedicated to the amazing @PauDickson. Sometimes it's just nice to rant out about my writer's block or just bounce ideas off of you. You're amazing with your advice and support. I appreciate you so much! Thank you!!

**P.S. guys, please do check out her story, Three Flowers In A Garden!

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JEREMY

The community supervisor had directed me towards the playroom with a rather nasty tone of voice, like it wasn't a minor infraction I had committed but something bigger. But, I made sure to give her an extra sugary smile before heading here. Kill them with kindness, right? 

As I entered the playroom, I immediately noticed plastic covering littering the floor. It reminded me of how plastic bags float aimlessly on the highway before they calmly settle on the surface of an ocean. 

Large opened boxes sat next to their respective instruction manuals, the pages dogeared. Remaining legs of half put-together chairs and tables were scattered on the floor next to boxes of nails; a hammer and drill sitting on a stool nearby. It seemed like whoever started these projects was scatter-brained, trying to do too many things at once. 

Muffled music coming from a closed room caught my attention and I walked towards the closed door, avoiding the wreckage around me and kicking aside anything that blocked my way. I opened the door and walked in, looking around. 

The floor of the room was covered in plastic, a few partial shoe prints left here and there. Multiple cans of pain were scattered around the room. Paint rollers and paint brushes still wet from paint rested on a stack of newspapers near a wall that was half painted. And in the middle of it all was Beckett, fast asleep. 

Her head rested on a black backpack, arms folded over her chest and legs crossed at the ankles. She had on worn out denim overalls, a few paint stains tainting her clothes. She looked so peaceful. For a second, I almost wished she wouldn't wake up. It would give me some more time to think over what I wanted to say. 

Honestly, this past month had been mental torture. I would walk towards her in the hallway determined to tell her the truth, then chicken out at the last moment and hide before she saw me. Even as I stood before her now, I had no idea what to say. I mean, I know what I had to say but I didn't know how to say it. Every scenario I had practiced always ended the same way, with a furious Beckett. I guess I had avoided her all this time because I didn't want to see the same anger in her eyes that I had seen in her eyes that night at the party. It was almost as if she hadn't been angry but disappointed. Disappointed at the fact that I turned out to be exactly who she thought I was. And for some reason, that feeling of letting her down had gnawed at my insides and given me many sleepless nights this past month. Getting this apology over with would give my mind some relief. 

Making up my mind, I walked towards her as quietly as possible, careful not to wake her, and kneeled by her side. Surely she wouldn't be too mad, right? I mean, I'm Jeremy Drake. Girls literally melt at my words. They consider it an honor if I even glance their way. Beckett would be moved just by the fact that I went out of my way to apologize. 

Right? 

Lost in my thoughts, I didn't notice that I had moved subconsciously and alarmingly close to her, my eyes going wide when her eyes suddenly flashed opened. In a hurry to put some distance between us, I shuffled backwards, my hand catching my foot and propelling me backwards on my ass. 

Beckett swiftly rose to stand up and I followed suit. 

"What the hell are you doing?"

"I...you were...I was sleeping...I mean you were sleeping...I was just-"