SHATTERED/Andy Fowler

Chapter 6: Engagement Party

I wake up next to Rye sound asleep in my bed. Since things have happened between us like with the whole finding peace thing, he basically relieved everyone else from night duty of watching me. 

I haven't felt this happy since Andy, and I am not letting this one go. Today is going to be a crazy day though, because tonight is Aphrodite and Harvey's engagement party. 

Yes, engagement party, Harvey proposed last year, and they are getting married next year. Which means I will probably be seeing Andy and his new girl tonight, but this time I can atleast say I will be smiling, and it actually be a real genuine one. 

Andy's control over me slipped away when I started finding the acceptance that he wasn't mine anymore, and that he loved another.

Sometimes, I sit up at night thinking about all the things he is saying to her. Did he make them up, romantically off the tongue, or did he use the same ones he told me while making them up at the moment? Does he love her in the way I loved him? Does she love him like I do? 

Why wasn't I good enough for him? That's usually a really big often wondered question. But today I realized it's not that I wasn't good enough for him, I was too much for him. He couldn't handle me the way Rye can.

I'm breaking down, gonna start from scratch.

Gonna shake it off like an etch a sketch

"Rye-pie, baby it's time to get up. We have lunch with my adopted parents today, and I still have my dress appointment. We must hurry." I say grabbing my outfit from the closet. I quickly slip on my dress, and heels then doing my hair and light makeup. 

Before I am done, Rye is already sexily dressed smiling down at me smirking.

"Hurry babe." He says mocking me from earlier. I glare at him as I run a brush through my hair, and touching up my complete look.

Once done, we rush out of the door, towards Ashton and Jacquelle's home. My parents are already there, and so are the others. 

"Baby calm down. We'll make it. Just relax okay?" Rye says his hand landing on my thigh, dangerously close to an area.

My breath halts in my throat, but I pretend I'm okay. We reach our destination so we jump out of the car quickly rushing to the door. I see that Harvey's car isn't here. I smirk and we walk inside. 

"You made it before Harvey and Aphrodite did." Ashton says. I chuckle but hug him. Rye and I step into the ballroom of their house where the party is taking place. Standing from the stairs I see Him. 

His eyes look up from his girlfriend, and meet mine. Her gaze trails from him to me, jealousy filling her eyes. I smirk at them both, as Rye wraps an arm protectively around my waist and taking our lips into a beautiful sync. 

Once he pulls away a smile sets on both of our faces as if life was the best thing right now, and right now, I couldn't be happier. 

My lips are saying goodbye
My eyes are finally dryI'm not the way that I used to be
I took the record off repeat
You killed me, but I survived
And now I'm coming aliveI'll never be that girl again, no oh oh
I'll never be that girl again, no oh oh
My innocence is wearing thin

But my heart is growing strong
So call me, call me, call me
Miss movin' on, oh oh oh
Miss movin' on, oh oh oh, yeah 

I look across the room at all the positive vibes flowing through, when my eyes lock once again with Andy's. His gaze seems to have never left me. His girlfriend is wherever, and that's when I saw it. 

He winks at me. The same wink he used, when he was telling me that there would be fun later. The same wink that was full of need, and desire. I shake my head no, then advert my eyes to Rye who is talking it up with Harvey next to me. 

"Babe, babe, babe, can you take a picture of Harvey and I?" Rye asks. I chuckle but take my phone out, while they pose for me. I take a picture of the two as they bro hug afterwards. I chuckle, seeing this makes my heart melt. 

I love seeing Rye and my best friends Fiance so happy. "You look stunning in that dress." Harvey says giving me a hug. 

"I couldn't agree more." I hear Andy say stepping up to us. I look at Rye then at Andy.

A hand lands on my lower back making me tense up. "Hey Harv. Congratulations man, I'm so proud of you." Andy says to Harvey. 

"Wow Athena don't you just look absolutely Goddess status. Mmm baby." Andy says. That's when it hits me.

"Yeah she's mine too bro." Rye says pulling me closer to him. 

"Andy you're drunk already. Please go sit down, drink some water, and I will come talk to you." I tell him.

"You would?" He asks.

"Yes. Now go." I sternly respond. He nods, grabs a glass of water, then makes his way over to the table in the furthest corner. Rye's hand falls to my butt gripping it as he kisses my forehead and talks to Harv. 

Soon I decide that I will go speak with Andy like I said I would. "I'm going to speak with Andy now. I'll be back." I say to Rye. He nods.

"Okay baby." He replies kissing my nose. I giggle, and turn around walking towards Andy. I'm going to regret this. I pull out a chair, sitting across from him. 

"I have no clue what I'm going to say, but I said I'd come speak with you so here I am." I say crossing my legs together.

"So you and Rye an item now?" He asks, hurt hinted in his tone.

"Yeah, that just kind of happened." 

"How long?" 

"He just asked me to be his girlfriend a few days back, but we've been getting pretty cozy for the past 6 months." I reply honestly.

"Do you love him?" 

"I might." I reply.

"But not the way you love me." He says. 

"Loved Andy. Past tense." 

"No, it's very clear you still love me, and that's good. It gives me some type of hope." 

"Hope for what? You will always have a special place in my heart, but I can't ever come back to you. No matter how badly I'd love to." 

"Hope that I can have my girl again. I love you so much Athena, I thought I needed her, I thought that I didn't need you. I was wrong. So beyond wrong, and it feels ugly being with her. I don't get the love I got from you. Athena please give me another chance." He begs. I sigh. 

"You know I can't do that. I'm with Rye now, and he helped me find my inner peace with you being gone, with you not being mine anymore. You no longer have the control over me, you used to and I miss you, but I need to be with someone I know won't hurt me. You fucked me up so bad, Andy." 

"I did it because I was already fucked up." 

"Whatever reason it was, it killed what we used to have. I'm still here for you as a friend though, but I will not leave the person who helped me get through so much, for the person who caused me to go through so much, I used to tell myself I would take you back any day, but you never came running through my door, on a white horse like I wanted, so Rye picked up the pieces, leaving some hope for me. I found peace in him. Something I should have found in you like you should have found it in..Me."

I get up to walk back towards Rye when Andy grabs my arm. I look at him tears falling from his eyes. 

"Give me a chance to atleast be your friend." 

"Fine." I say pulling my arm away, and walking back towards Rye.

Andrew Robert Fowler, you sir have still made me manage to feel those butterflies, and I can't deny that.