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Wait! He's Real? Chapter 23

Chapter 23- Adjusting

I was feeling a little better, knowing that Jace was somewhat happy. I was getting stronger everyday. I was beginning to move on. To know that I almost had love, twice, was still painful. The boys that had changed my life and flipped it upside down had no idea that they had.

I still saw Garrett all the time. We were still hesitant as friends, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. He wanted to help me win Jace back, but I told him that I was backing off for good. I wanted Jace to be able to find his own happiness and if it wasn’t with me, it would be alright.

Being with Garrett was easy, too easy. He had just been too perfect. Being friends with Garrett was even easier. I didn’t have to look good for him anymore and he didn’t care, either. I felt like I could tell him anything and I think he felt the same. He was replacing Jace as my best guy friend. He was filling the void.

Maybe this was Garrett’s plan all along? Break-up with me to become the new Jace, now that he was gone….No, I don’t think that could be it at all. Garrett is too genuine and kind to do that sort of thing.

Garrett, the girls, and I were all sitting in my backyard. Lucy and I were reading, Gemma and Rae were tanning, and Garrett was showing off on the trampoline. We had some music playing and were just taking it easy on this beautiful Saturday. I couldn’t concentrate on my book very well as my thoughts were still racing about my crazy life. I pretended to be engrossed in my book because I could tell the girls were still on edge and very wary of my sour moods.

I wasn’t reading anything in my book anymore and was absent-mindedly turning the page we heard the roar of an engine. Our heads all shot up because it definitely sounded like a motorcycle engine. I looked over at the girls who were all nervously grimacing at me or at the door. I relaxed a little when the doorbell rang. Jace never rang the doorbell. He always just walked right in. He had practically lived there after all. Even though we went our separate ways, there’s really no sense in going back to formalities.

I walked through the air-conditioned house and tossed my book casually on the couch, taking my time to get to the door. I turned the lock and gripped the latch, pulled and opened the door with a smile on my face.

The smile faded quickly and turned slightly downward as I saw him standing there. He was looking so very dashing in his favorite shirt and brown leather jacket. I knew it was his favorite because he only wore it on very special occasions. I wondered what made now so special? He probably had a date or something… I recognized it from when we went to our first Maroon 5 concert together. They were our favorite.  I can hardly listen to them anymore for the fear of crying from the songs beginning to end.

He looked up at me with those pleading eyes that I hadn’t seen since the school parking lot on our first day back at school.

“I’m here for my mom’s cake plate…” he said awkwardly.

“Oh, right. Come in,” I coughed. He brushed past me as I stepped back from the doorway. I caught a whiff of his scent that I knew so well. I collected myself and moved to follow him back into the kitchen. He stood there and waited for me to retrieve it for him.