Back to you | ✔

03 | Chapter Three

B O N N I E

Thirty minutes later, we pull up to the curb outside my house. Scott turns the car off and sits in his seat, facing me. I fidget in my seat. No idea what he was about to say. Scott has never been a fan of Josh, especially with the way I spoke about him. Scott never met Josh, but I would always tell him stories from when we were kids, so in a way, he knows him pretty well.

It would always go the same way, starting off with a pleasant memory before I would spiral into a pit of sadness when I remembered how he left me. Being one of my best friends, Scott automatically hated Josh without even knowing him. It just came with the territory.

"Bonnie," he sighs, grabbing my attention, "what happened tonight isn't such a bad thing." Now I stare at him, confused. That isn't the way I saw this conversation going. He throws his hands up in defense, "maybe it'll do you some good to get back on the horse." I know he is only trying to help, but the last thing I want to do is go around kissing any guy, not even twelve hours after my heart was shattered into pieces.

"I know. I just don't think I'm ready for that, at least not yet." I admit, "Especially not with Josh, anyone but him." Scott chuckles and shakes his head so slightly I almost miss it. "I get it," he shrugs, "He was your neighbor growing up and the boy you had the biggest crush on-" I gawk at him, completely taken aback.

"I did not have a crush on him!" I exclaim, my voice cracking slightly, telling him how big of a lie that was. I could never admit it to my younger self, but he was right. I adored Josh, whether you'd call it a crush, I don't know. The way I saw it, Josh was what I thought every guy to be, and I loved living life that way. In my eyes, he was perfect. From his laughter to his smile, Josh was the epitome of every Disney prince. In short, I basically worshiped the ground he walked on.

"Seriously?" he looks at me, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion, but the knowing smirk spreads on his face. "All you did was go on and on about him when we were younger. It was so annoying." I scoff, shoving his arm and brushing off his false accusations, but unfortunately for me, he isn't done. "You still do it now. Talk about him quite frequently, that is."

I know he isn't lying, but that's beside the point. "Whatever, I didn't have a crush on him then, and I don't have a crush on him now," I state unconvincingly. "I wish he never came back to town," I admit, and it's true. Him being back here brings with it drama I want to avoid.

It's been years since Josh left, and I was only just starting to move on with my life, finally accepting his absence. Almost all thoughts of Josh had left my mind, but not anymore. Now that he is back, things around here are going to get a little crazy.

"Enough about me, let's talk about you," I smirk at him, and he chuckles, "so, spill! who was she?" I change the subject, much to Scott's displeasure. He rolls his eyes at me, but he can't hide the grin trying to breakthrough. "I don't even know her name," he admits with a chuckle. "She just came up to me and kissed me all over," he winks at me, and I pull back in disgust.

"Seriously? what had she been kissing when I interrupted?" I cover my mouth, pretending to vomit, and he laughs. "Well, she didn't get that far, but if you didn't come along, I don't think it would've taken much convincing."

"You're gross."

"You love me," he counters, and I sigh, "yep, unfortunately, I do."

•••

I wake the next morning to a loud, annoying rapping on my bedroom door.

"What time is it?" I grumble to myself, dragging my blanket down from covering my eyes. The sunlight shoots through my open curtains, temporarily blinding me as I reach around, trying to find my phone.