Salty Kisses

Chapter FOUR

Chapter FOUR

Still hungry, I decide to eat a salad and call it a night. I put my drenched clothes in the washing machine and put on a black t-shirt and tight mini shorts. So much for comfort.

Whatever I do or try to do, I keep thinking about that kiss. I add more dressing to my salad, get a beer from my fridge but I can't shake it off.

My phone starts ringing and I check to see who it is. Peyton. It's late and unlike him to call me at this time of the day.

"Hello," I say, hesitant.

"Hey. It's Pey." Loud noises coming from the background. I wonder where he is. A party or some kind of event, I bet. Pey has a wide circle of friends and a lot of opportunities to special events around town.

"I know. Everything okay?" I ask.

He sighs. "I miss you and I want you to come back home." His voice comes out as a slur.

"Peyton, have you been drinking?" If he wasn't drunk I would spend more time talking to him but now, it's pointless.

"Maybe but it doesn't change anything. It's my chance now and I don't want to miss it. I love you and I want to see you. I need to see you." He begs. "Please, Asp."

"I can't be with anyone right now, Pey. I need a break and I need to know what I want to do next."

"Aspen, please. I can't let you go without fighting for you like I should have when you met Jay." His voice is breaking and I don't want him to cry over me. Hurting him isn't an option. He's my friend. I don't know what to say without breaking his heart or lying.

Someone is knocking at my door again. Shit!

"Look, Peyton, call me when you are sober."

"Aspen."

I hang up and rush to the door. There are good chances that it is London. I expect to see him. Or Wat.

Turning the doorknob, I see him. New clothes on, hair pulled back and more pizza and beers in his hands.

"I come here in peace." He gives me the best puppy eyes begging for forgiveness. How can I say no to that?"

"You said you were sorry before and that was okay."

"Sometimes I act like an idiot and don't mean to." It's okay. We all do, I think, at some point in our life.

We stare at each other again and we don't say anything. It's funny because I feel like I've known him all my life or in a previous life. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you. You look tired."

I rub my eyes with my hands trying to remove the tiredness from my eyes. "Yeah well, I worked all day, came home when I was invited to a party, got thrown in a pool, came back home, got a love declaration from a drunk friend in NYC. I guess I can say that it was a long day."

"You missed the part where you met a nice man at the party."

"You threw me in the pool," I say louder than I intended to.

"So what? It was fun." He gives a foolish smile that makes me laugh. "Are you going to let me in or will you kick me out?"

"Come in," I say opening the door wider.

"So you're living here by yourself." He asks looking at the main floor.

"Yeah."

"Impressive."

I frown. "Why is that?"

"You're young and you own this place."

Chuckling, I lead the way toward the kitchen. "It's not mine. My parents own it. I'm staying here until I get my life together."