beside you :: cel {sequel to a+}

eleven | reunions

hey friends check out the characters i just updated them :)

I cocked my head to the side.

"Dustin? What are you doing here? I didn't think--"

"Well," He smiled with his grey eyes. "I wanted to surprise you. So, here I am."

I let a smiled break out onto my lips as I ran into his arms. The same arms that held me when I lost my job, my shot at my dream. When I lost my happiness.

Nick coughed from behind us. I awkwardly pulled away from Dustin and faced turned to face Nick.

"Did Dustin put you up to this? Because I hate surprises--"

"This isn't--"

"Surprise!" Dustin cut Nick off, a smile erupting onto his lips.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the two of them share an uncomfortable glance. I raised a brow, crossing my arms over my chest.

"What are you two hiding? Because--"

"We're not hiding anything, Chloe." Nick snapped, turning on his heels and darting to his room.

"What's with him?" I wondering, tilting my head to the side.

Dustin peered in the direction that Nick had ventured off to, then glanced back down at me. "I'm not sure. But I do know that I missed you a whole fucking lot."

I grinned and let Dustin's soft lips collide with mine, a guilty feeling rushing through my veins. My mistake was starting to slowly eat away at me, I knew that if I didn't confess soon, I could kiss any chance of happiness with Dustin goodbye.

•

Kendall and Zack had picked Hawaii as their honeymoon destination. I had remembered Kendall always yanking on about how much she dreamed about going to Hawaii. It was annoying, but nonetheless, I was happy for her.

I felt guilt for how much a spoke badly about Kendall behind her back, but I blamed her for the fallout of our friendship. She was the one who named Kalani Mason's godmother after she promised that position to me.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that the friendship between Kendall and I was doomed to fail, anyway. We were polar opposites, and sometimes, that brings people closer together. But for Kendall and I, it only tore us apart.

Thanksgiving was only two days away, and I only had to work for one more day until I could unwind for a few days.

Evie had given Josh and I each our own copies of Beauty and the Beast, the movie. I had never seen the movie, so I looked forward to watching it with a big bowl of popcorn in my lap.

"What are you doing for Thanksgiving?" Josh asked with awkwardness laced in his voice.

Ever since we hooked up, things had been awkward around us without exception. It had been weeks since then, but the discomfort was unsettling, to say the least.

"As far as I know," I glanced down at my phone to check the time. "I'm going to your house."

Cole informed me that after I ventured off to New York, the Hylands and everyone else I was close with in high school usually got together for Thanksgiving, and that I was obligated to attend.