Detour

29: The Truth

I winced at the sight on my feet. God, I should really get out of the water or I won't catch my phone lighting up with a call from Amsterdam.

Seriously Jess? You still thought of that in this situation?!

"Tsk." I let out a loud sigh before I lift myself off from the sand, biting my lip everytime my abrasion touches the saltwater. Holy shit it stings. I jumped off like a bunny with one leg and grabbed the towel I layed on the sand and wrap it around my waist.

I walk slowly, now exhaling from my mouth because I think i'm dying right now and I might as well act normal when i'm about to get crippled in front of Vince.

"I see you're out of the water huh." He smirked. "Bethany called you a while ago but you're nowhere to be found. Where did you go?" His brows raised and now he had the guts to ask me that when I never really asked him where he and Therese went after mom answered the question Vince threw at me the moment I stepped out of the doorway.

Fuck me if I sounded like a jealous wife. Noooo way.

I secretly let my other feet down and I swear I just died when my bruise came contact with the dry sand. But of course, I never let him see I was gritting my teeth because of the pain. "Just somewhere you don't wanna know." I smirked back and tried walking normally. I regret taking off my combat boots on our porch.

He walked beside me. He's now on his shorts and a new set of shirt to match his sneakers while i'm...well, dripping. "Oh, I like the places I don't wanna know Shay." He glanced at me and winked!

The fudge! I know I shouldn't be feeling this shit right now but I think one of the furnished walls in my heart crashed.

No. Get a grip Jess. This is just level one. You can't possibly think that once you accepted them back and the happenings, doesn't mean your entire system did too. It's normal to get struck by his charms again but just think of this: he'll crash your walls one by one with both of your memories driving you back but he won't be there for you where you want him to be. You know where he'll still end up and don't make your efforts going to Amsterdam in vain. Got it?

"Powers," I paused, licking my lip and shaking my head. "You're just as clueless as the other guys." I mischievously smiled, putting two meaningful things in one sentence. "You don't even know where I want to go at this moment."

I saw his brows furrowed. You don't even know why I left England. "And where would that be?" He glanced at me but I continued walking normally. You don't even know I stepped on one of the corals back there and cut my sole in the process. "In Amsterdam?"

My heart skipped a beat but that didn't made me stop from walking. I made no response.

"In your neighbor's room? Cole's room?"

I swear my insides tied themselves in the mention of his name. I stopped walking and so is he. I glanced at the cottage still far away from us and glanced back at Vince. One thing I wanted to do is run to the cottage to avoid these talks but another thing I wanted to do is slap myself and say, i'm so tired of running away. With all my guts, I faced him equally.

If he wasn't Vincent Powers who had Therese as his girlfriend and me as his best friend, I would think he likes me and he's jealous of Cole. But no, no fucking way in earth that would happen.

He's serious. He had that look when I told him i'm going to Amsterdam for two months. Wow, dejavu? "When will you ever tell me why did you have to leave England Jess?" And now we're back to that. "Did you want me to be with Therese so you can be with Cole?"

My breath hitched. "Who told you—"

"I want the truth! Bethany told me Cole is your friend in Amsterdam. Is it because of him? Why do you even have to make arrangements for me and Therese before you leave?" He clutched both of my shoulders. "Just tell me."

I was taken aback with his questions. What does it have to do with Cole right now? He and Therese are happy now, what more does he asked for?

I looked in his eyes. They're...desperate. "Why?" I scoffed. "Does it even matter now?" I looked away. I want to defend myself that he should be thankful I didn't went in their way but I just can't...hurt him. He's still my best friend. "I left because staying doesn't felt right anymore." I was about to say something but he interrupted me.

"What the fuck would that mean?" Of course he's angry. "Why do you have to leave? We're best friends! You can tell me what's wrong and Therese, she can also help you." Funny how he can mention her name that easy after I made them back together. "Jess, i'm your best friend—"

I can't contain everything anymore. I've had enough of the bullshit and lies. "Yes!" I snapped. I hated how the three of us being best friends. It doesn't felt right. "I'm grateful Vince. That I met you." Vince and I...we're the pieces matched together who had a little gap. And Therese, she's that perfect match. His perfect match. I'm just a replacement because the perfect match is still preparing herself for a comeback. After all this time, I can't believe I just realized what's hanging in my face for the last three years. Vince will find that perfect match of his of course, and leave me. That's a line. After their break up, Vince and I got closer and Therese went out of the picture for a year but that didn't mean I never treated her good even if she's his ex. I still want them to be together you know. Even if I have fallen in love with my best friend already.

"I want you to be with Therese, Vince. That's all I ever wanted." I continued.

"Why?"

I sighed. "Because..." There's no other time to say it Jess. You want everything to end already. Admit it. I lift my chin up. "I have fallen in love with you Vince." His grip loosen a bit. "I don't want to build any confusions now. I want you to know that. I want you to know that what I felt for you is wrong and the only thing for me to lose that feeling is to leave you with Therese." I smiled shortly, my voice breaking. "I want you to be happy and I wanted too. I'm not..." I sighed. "I'm—"

"Do you want me to leave you?" He looked straight into my eyes.

I shook my head. "No. I want to leave you, Vince." I bit my lip. "It doesn't felt right anymore. Staying in our so called friendship." I took his arm and grip it. "I became your best friend because Therese wasn't there Vince. And now she's back—"

"No—"

"I don't want to be that girl anymore—"

"You're not the reason why we broke up—"

"I'm the toxic in this friendship. In your relationship! Can't you see it? I just wanted us to be happy now. Is that too much to ask?"

We're left with silence, the waves crashing as the background. I don't know if it's my words he's intaking or his words he's preparing to say. The last thing I wanted to happen is for him to linger in my words about falling for him. Guys can be as proud as fuck sometimes.

I heard him sigh after he took away his hands from me. "You don't know how much I wanted you to be happy too Jess." I look up to him to only see him lost in his thoughts facing the sea. "Are you really happy? That Therese and I were back together?"

My heart was shot once again. Am I happy? Jess? I sighed too. "As long as you're happy, i'm happy too." I smiled at him.

"What if I wasn't happy about it?" He took my hand. His eyes became desperate again. It speaks something else I didn't know in the first place. "That I only went back to Therese because I wanted you to be happy with your decisions that day? That I also want you to be—"

"JESS! SOMEONE'S CALLING!"

Both heads turned to the running Therese. She's clutching my phone.

I saw Vince glanced at me before I took my hands away from him. I acted like we never really talked about life changing stuffs. "Really? Who?"

Her eyes drifted from Vince's face and to our separated hands, back to my face before she gave me my phone and went to Vince. "Cole."

My heartbeat boomed.

I glanced at Vince to only see them kissing each other's faces. I was confused on what Vince is trying to say earlier before Therese interrupted but does it even matter now? I confessed. I did my part.

Instead, I just pinned my eyes on my phone only to see I already missed the call. I clicked the call button and started heading to the cottage.

It's time to move.