Resilient

Chapter Two

I lay on Stone's bed as I watch him play Call of Duty. "So what do you want to do today?" He asks, not looking away from the game.

"Nap," I reply.

"Absolutely not. You do that all the time," he retorts.

"That's because I like to nap," I respond.

"C'mon," he says ending the game and standing up. "We're gonna go to the mall."

I don't even bother to protest because there's no winning with Stone. I throw the covers off of me and stand up. "What are we gonna do there?" I ask.

"Get free samples, shop, normal mallrat shit," he replies with a grin.

I chuckle. "Okay Stoney," I say with a smirk.

We climb in his van and head off to the mall. Once Stone parks the van, not very good I might add, we walk inside. We grab a few free samples when Olive walks over to us.

"Hey," she says.

"Sup Olive," Stone says.

"Hi," I add. "Sorry for not making it to your trial." I bite my lip awkwardly as he gives me a small smile.

"It's fine. I understand why. You're affidavit was just as good," she says. "It's a shame Joey turned out to be a bad guy," she adds.

"He's really not," I defend.

"He is. She's just too nice," Stone butts in. I glare at him.

"Well that's not the Gia I know. The Gia I know was kind of a bitch," she says.

"Yeah well that Gia is dead," I deadpan.

"Whatever you say Taylor Swift," Olive retorts and walks away.

"Who knew there could be a world where you and Olive Turner talk, but not you and JJ," Stone says.

"I couldn't have seen that one coming," I say with a wry chuckle.

We walk into a music store and of course there's a poster of him. Our hometown hero.

"His music isn't even good," Stone says. I know he's lying to make me feel better.

"You and I both know that's a lie," I say.

Stone rolls his eyes. "Okay a couple songs are good."

"Did you know him?" A young brunette asks us.

"No," I say. It's not totally a lie. I thought I knew Joey, but the Joey I knew wouldn't have done what he did. So, I guess I never really knew the real Joey Carter at all.

"In another life," Stone responds.

"Hey you were in his band OceanEyes," she says to Stone.

Stone chuckles. "Like I said, another life,"

"Yeah well him and Jenna Kay Wiley's new duet is amazing, so if you ever see him again, can you tell him Amber Jane is his biggest fan?" She asks.

"Sure," Stone says. Him and I both know either of us ever seeing Joey again is a long shot.

"They really do make the cutest couple," she adds looking at the poster of them. It's like a dagger to the heart to hear that he was able to move on so quickly. So easily, and yet here I am, still dying a little inside each day.

"Yeah well we gotta go," Stone says.

"Can I get your autographs first?" She asks.

"Okay sure," I say and we both sign our names in this little book she has.