✔︎ | Part of Me (Trilogy)

21 | for the best

21 | for the best

I'm proud of you, Aviana

"Where are you off too?" Mom asks from the kitchen when I rush past it with my purse.

"Lunch with Nicole," I back up, smiling happily.

Mom's face lights up seeing me this way. "Who's Nicole?"

"A new friend," I tell her, swinging my purse. "I'll only be gone for an hour or two. Were you planning something for today?"

She shrugs. "Jem wants to go to the beach with some friends," she tells me, coming over to give me a small hug. "Do you know about her mom?" I nod sadly. "Axel doesn't want Jem to see her yet. He still has hope. Or maybe he just needs to come to terms with her being gone so he can be strong for Jem. But he wants to wait a little, so we're going to go to the beach today. You can come, but I invited your brother and his girlfriend," she smiles guiltily, "and Axel too."

I kiss her cheek. "It's okay. I'll see. Axel and I are fine. I was just being dramatic."

Mom shakes her head. "Your dad and I broke up a few times before we got together for real, baby girl, and you have every right to be heartbroken over a boy. I get it. And after seeing how Axel was there for you," she sighs, brushing a hair from my face, "your overly protective parents may have been wrong. I think we crossed the line. I'm sorry."

I hug her again. "It's okay. I'll figure it out."

She nods. "Go have fun. I'll see you later."

"See you," I smile, and walk uptown to meet Nicole at Damien's Diner for lunch.

She's already sitting at a booth with a glass of soda and menus, and waves me over. "I'm feeling a salad, what about you?" she asks.

I slide in in front of her, picking up the other menu. "Wasn't Willa coming?"

She passes me an envelope. "She sent a card," she explains, "she's touring a university today. She totally forgot in the midst of everything."

I nod. "Okay. That's sweet of her." I tuck the card into my bag.

"Yeah, I want to talk to you anyway," Nicole smiles. I'm about to ask her what about when a waiter approaches and takes our orders. Nicole gets herself a caesar salad and a small sandwich. I get a soup and an iced tea, giving the waiter our menus.

"Something specific?" I ask her when he leaves.

"Hmm?"

"You want to talk to me?"

She nods, reaching across the table. "I'm so sorry."

"Sorry?" I ask, confused. "What did you do?"

She opens her mouth, and hesitates, looking at me guiltily as she bites down on her red-stained lip. "Axel and I," she starts, and my cheeks instantly blush, and I feel hot. She knows that I like him. She smiles lightly, seeing my reaction. "I didn't know, Aviana. I mean I knew him before you did but we were never serious. I didn't think he was really interested in being serious with anyone. So I was completely oblivious that you two would like each other."