Resilient

Chapter Eleven

We walk into the house and everyone gives us shocked looks. "Did hell freeze over?" Eileen asks.

"I don't know, did it Satan?" Carmen asks, directing it at Joey.

"C'mon guys," Stone says.

"At least hear what he has to say," I add.

"I guess," Tommy says as Andy just glares at Joey.

"Alright well we'll leave y'all to it," I say.

I drag Stone out to the back patio, so we can spy on them, but act like we're giving them privacy.

"How long do you think he has before Carmen starts yelling at him in Spanish?" Stone asks.

I peek through the glass door and see that she's already yelling at him. "I would say now," I tell him with a laugh.

"Poor bastard," Stone says laugh.

"Oh now Andy's yelling at him," I say.

"Oh fuck, he never yells," Stone says and looks through the glass door.

"Tommy is trying to calm everyone down," I say.

"Lena is rolling her eyes," Stone says.

"What are you two doing?" Colt asks from behind us making us jump.

"Shit, you scared me," I say putting my hand on my chest.

"Uh," Stone says and looks at me.

"Joey is in there talking to everyone," I say.

"He's in my house. Y'all let him in my house," Colt says.

"We're friends again Colt," I say.

"Please don't hulk smash us," Stone says.

He sighs. "You know Wendy will hate this, right?" He says.

"Yeah, we already talked about that," I say.

He rubs the back of his neck. "Y'all are literally going to be the death of me," he says.

He walks inside and we follow after him. "Oh hey Colt," Joey says nervously.

Colt walks over to him and punches him in the face. "That's for breaking my little sister's heart, you jackass," he says. "But hey."

Everyone is stunned. Joey rubs his cheek. "I deserved that," Joey says.

"Colt, what the hell?" I say.

"I'm good now," he says. "It's all good man," he says to Joey.

"No hard feelings," Joey replies.

I'm still standing there looking like that Pikachu meme. Stone and everyone is laughing their asses off.

"I think we can all be okay now," Andy says.

"I agree," Carmen says still laughing.

"So it's settled then," Tommy says.

"Still gotta talk to Wen," Lena reminds him.

"Oh she's going to rip into you man," Andy says laughing.

"I'd rather just get punched in the face again," Joey jokes.

"No one is punching anyone," I say looking at Colt. He gives me a smirk.

"Again, anyway," Stone adds making everyone laugh.

I walk into the bedroom me and Stone are sharing and Joey leans against the door with a small smile.

"What is it nerd?" I ask.

"Everything feels like it's right where it's suppose to be. I felt so lost, for so long Georgie. I finally feel found again," he admits.

"I know what you mean," I say.

He gives me a sad smile. "I'm so sorry. For everything," he says.

"I've already forgive you, long before you even came back home," I admit to him.

"How could you forgive me?" He asks.

"We're all human. We all make mistakes. I know you're not a bad guy. You can't blame yourself for how you felt. Also, when you love someone, in any capacity, you have to accept the fact that sometimes they're gonna do things you don't like. I'm not saying things like cheating and abuse are acceptable cause they're absolutely not, but love is about forgiveness," I tell him.

"That's beautiful," he says.

"Yeah, I've uh come to a lot of realizations lately," I tell him.

"You've always been smart Georgie," he says with a smile.

"And you've always been a big nerd," I joke back.

Stone squeezes past Joey and flops onto the bed. "So where are you staying JJ?" Stone asks.

"You think Wendy will let me sleep on the couch?" He asks.

"Maybe you should have a backup plan," I tease.

"Can I stay at your house then?" He asks.

"Sure," I agree.

"Hopefully she doesn't kill me," he says with a chuckle.

"I wouldn't bet on that," Stone says.

Joey laughs as he walks out of the room.

"You're gonna let him stay with you?" He asks.

"He's a friend," I say.

"Well we'll all stay over then, it'll be like old times," he says with a smile as he pats the spot next to him.

I lay down and look over at him. "Mhm, you're a good person Stone Keller," I say sleepily.

"Ah it's nothing Georgette," he says.

"No, you really are," I say.

I'm just about to fall asleep when I hear someone shrieking through a phone speaker. "What?" I ask jolting awake. Stone must have dozed off as well cause he looks just as startled as I do.

"Why is he in my house?!" Wendy yells.

"Wen, Wen, Wen, calm down you're gonna break a stitch," I say.

"Why did invite that vampire into my house?" She asks.

"Because were all friends again," I say. "Vampire?" I question.

"He sucked away your happiness. I can't forgive him," she says.

"Wendy, if I can forgive and Stone and the boys can forgive him, you can find it in your heart to forgive him," I say.

She sighs. "You really forgive him?" She asks.

"I do Wendy," I tell her.

"Well," she sighs. "I'll work on it okay. He really hurt you Gia. I don't like when the people I love get hurt. You know that."

"I know Wendy, but you loved Joey once, and he's hurting too," I say.

"It's hard not to love the dork," she grumbles. "I'll work on forgiving him. I'm mad as hell still, but I'm kind of relieved if that makes sense," she says.

"That we're all friends again?" I ask.

"Yeah, that whole thing just wasn't right. It wasn't Joey. It felt like he was an evil doppelgänger or something," she says.

"Well he's promising to do better now, so that, whatever it was, is over," I say.

"As long you're happy," she says.

"Being friends again does make me very happy," I say.

"Okay, I'll see you when I get home," she says.

"See ya then, Wen," I say.