It's Complicated

Chapter Seventeen

The next week and a half go by much like they have every other day since I graduated high school. I get up, eat breakfast, go to work, then go riding. On my days off, I sleep in and then go riding. There are a couple days every week that I don't go out to visit my boy so that he has some much deserved time off. The only big thing that has changed is the fact that Isabelle and I have started texting, almost non-stop, all the time. When I make plans to go ride on my own, outside of lessons, I always check and see if Isabelle wants to join me, and about 95% of the time she always does. We're actually getting surprisingly close very quickly. This is a fact that both Dani and Adam like to bring up constantly, Adam more so, and more vocally, than Dani.

For right now, however, the both of them are keeping to themselves as the four of us sit in our booth at Mosley's. It's Saturday evening, a Saturday which I miraculously had off work. Adam did work though, and we are currently swapping riding stories from today with retail nightmares, as he calls them. Dani and Adam are beside each other, with Isabelle and I across from them, just like every time we've met up here since that first time. We finished our nachos and lattes, and latte refills, about half an hour ago, and are now just hanging out and gossiping.

"But enough about Hell." Adam says with a whine. "Let's talk about what we're doing tonight." We all give Adam a surprised look. Dani is the first to speak.

   "I'm always open to ideas, especially when I don't work tomorrow, but both you and Abby do." She points out, me nodding along in agreement. Adam gives me a pointed look.

   "Yes, we do. But we're closing tomorrow so we don't have to be there till 12:45 at the earliest. More than enough time to get some sleep. Besides, it's a Sunday afternoon shift. We all know those aren't busy." As much as I love sleep, I really can't argue with him on that one.

To my right, Isabelle nods. "I'm in. I don't usually have plans anyway." I was a little shocked to find out that Isabelle doesn't actually have a job of her own. Her parents pay for all her horse expenses, and she still lives at home rent free. When she wants some extra cash to spend, like going out for a night, she just picks up some bookkeeping shifts for her mom. I'm not entirely sure what her mom does, but it does leave Isabelle basically free to do whatever she wants, whenever she wants too. "You can see if Vic wants to come along." She now directs at Dani. Dani in turn looks thoughtful.

   "I'll text him and ask." As she's pulling out her phone, both Adam and Isabelle turn to me.

   "Well?" Adam persists. I chew on my bottom lip in indecision, noticing Isabelle look away in my peripheral vision.

   "I don't know guys." I stall, both hating and loving the idea of the four of us going out together. Six, if Ben and Vic can come too. "I don't have a lot of extra money floating around right now." Which is true, and a totally valid excuse. Adam scoffs and waves his hand.

   "I have more than enough to cover you, Ab, you know that." I feel my cheeks heat up guiltily. I hate it when Adam pays for everything for me. Something he is constantly doing too. It's a little embarrassing, but I love the fact that he's so willing to help me out. What did I do to deserve him?

"Come on. It'll be fun." I hear from beside me, making me turn toward Isabelle and meet her gaze. Her chocolate brown eyes are basically pleading and I can feel myself getting sucked in. Looking down at the table, cheeks flushed noticeably red, I finally heave a sigh and agree.

   "Okay, fine. But it's you who will have to put up with my hungover ass in the morning." I point at Adam, who is looking back with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. He grins triumphantly, reaching across the table to fist bump Isabelle, who just laughs. Something in my chest squeezes at the sound.