Resilient

Chapter Ten

We pull into my driveway and I get out of the van. I begin to walk towards my house when I hear a noise coming from the old clubhouse towards the back. I look at Stone with a raised eyebrow.

"Do you hear that?" I ask him.

"Yeah," he says. "You stay here, and I'll go make sure everything is okay."

"Noble of you, but I'm not letting you potentially get murdered," I say following after him.

He just chuckles under his breath as we walk towards the clubhouse. We get to the door and sneakily peak in the window. I see the familiar mop of brown curls that belong to Joey Carter sitting in a chair reading something.

"You want me to handle this?" Stone asks me with a sigh.

"I got it," I say.

I walk into the clubhouse quietly and close the door. When it closes shut, Joey looks up at me.

"Breaking and entering, and singing. Who knew you were so multitalented Joey," I quip.

"I'm sorry," he says.

"What are you doing here?" I ask.

"We never read our confessions," he says.

"That's what you're worried about?" I scoff.

"Georgia I, I know I hurt you. I regret it everyday. It was the dumbest decision I've ever made," he says.

I sigh and sit in the chair next to him. "Go on," I say.

"You deserve so much more. You're beautiful and funny and smart. I hate myself for what I did to you. I was a jerk, and you deserve better than me," he says.

"Then why don't you just be better Joey?" I ask.

He gives me a sad look. "I forgive you, and I still love you a hell of a lot, but you really hurt me," I say.

"I know, and I'm so sorry. I've missed you so much Georgie. I screwed it all up and I'm so sorry," he says.

"I know you are. There's no hard feelings Joey," I tell him.

"Do you think I could ever win you back?" He asks me.

"I don't know," I say. "I agreed to go on a date with Stone, but I know we can definitely be friends."

He nods his head. "I love you Georgia, and I'll do whatever it takes. I just want you in my life again. I would love it if we ended up back together one day, but I understand that, that might not be possible," he says.

"I missed you too Joey," I say.

"Everything okay in here?" Stone asks walking in.

"Yeah, I think you two should talk though," I say.

"Oh Georgia I don't know," Joey stammers.

"I guess it won't hurt," Stone says.

"Well," I say getting up. "I'll leave y'all to it," I say.

I walk out of the clubhouse and up the the house. I walk inside, and see my mom sitting in the recliner.

"Hi sweetie," she says. "How's Wendy?"

"She's doing good," I say.

"They're going to keep Ellie up there for a few weeks, just to keep an eye on her," she says.

"That's good, I'm glad she's going to be okay," I say and sit down on the couch. "Did you know Joey was here?" I ask.

"Joey's here?" My mom asks.

"Yeah him and Stone are out in the clubhouse talking," I say.

"I'm sorry sweetie, I just woke up from a nap. Do I need to go handle this?" My mom asks.

"No, we're friends. I'm trying to get him and Stone back to a good place," I say.

"I hope they can work things out. They were friends or a very long time," my mom says.

"Yeah. I mean if me and Joey can be okay, I figured they could," I say.

"Not everyone has a big heart like you Georgie," she reminds me.

"I know, but they were best friends. I always felt bad about how it all turned out," I say.

"You can't blame yourself, for the choices other people make darling," she says.

I nod my head. She's right. I didn't force Joey and Stone to stop talking to one another. They chose to do that on their own.

"This year has been such a crazy year," I say with a small laugh.

"You're telling me," my mom says. "I'm a grandmother."

We both laugh. There's a knock on the door, and both boys walk inside. "Hi Mrs. Collins," Joey says.

"Joey, it's still Kansas," my mom says giving him a smile. She really is an angel. He smiles back at her.

"So are two friends again?" I ask.

"Yes, Ms. Stubborn," Stone says. I smile at him.

"Now we just have to get everyone else to him," I say.

"You know trying to get Wendy to forgive is going to be like trying to turn the Pope into and atheist right?" Stone asks making us all laugh.

"Yeah Wendy's going to hate this," Joey says.

"She'll come around," I say with a smile. He smiles back at me.

"I think everyone else will be relatively easy to talk to, besides Colt," Stone says.

"Yeah he's a tough one. Good luck y'all," my mom says as he walks back upstairs.

"Everyone else is at their house, do you wanna go try and talk to them?" I ask Joey.

"If you guys don't mind," he says.

"Sure," Stone says. The three of us walk out to the van, and head back over to Wendy and Colt's.

We pull into the driveway and Joey lets out a sigh. "It'll be tough, but I'll be okay," I assure him.

"I mean yeah," Stone says. "The three of us are good now."

"Thanks guys," he says. "This means a lot, and again I'm sorry to both of you.

"All is forgiven," I say with a smile.

"Don't mean it dude," Stone says.

"Alright, lets go face what's about to be a very angry crowd," I say.

Joey lets out a nervous laugh. "Dear God, I hope it goes well," he says as we all get out of the van and walk towards the house.