Finding Your Person

Chapter 22

We walked into Brady's room and tried our best to lay Jay down as softly as we could. I looked at the clock and it was thirty minutes after twelve.
"We made it past midnight at our first college party," I said, smiling.
"Well, some of us did," Gabby said, looking at Jay who was passed out on Brady's bed. I heavily breathed air out of my nose, laughing, gently looking at Jay. I heard my phone go off.  Looking down at the message, I saw Garrett's name appear on my phone. I felt the ease of my mood tense up and my heart began to race. It was like in the moments I was most happy, finally moving on and escaping the thoughts of him and us, he somehow crept his way back in. I know it had only been a week since we broke up, but it was a week without talking to someone I had talked to every day for over two years. A part of me had been waiting and dying for this moment, because I missed him. However, the rational part of me was annoyed with the part of me wanting to hear from him.
As I was reading the message, I felt my body immediately find comfort in the words he wrote. The sigh of relief I felt, knowing that I had been right all along. Regardless of the feelings and emotions I once had felt for him, he wasn't the one for me.
"Are you okay, Mag?" Gabby asked as I sat there quietly staring into my phone.
"Yeah...." I paused, still trying to gather and evaluate my thoughts on the whole situation. "Garrett just texted me," I said, looking up at Scotty and Gabby from my phone.
"What?" Scotty yelled.
"What did he say?" Gabby asked.
"He said, 'I hope you have fun tonight. Really nice how you never wanted to party when we were together, cool.'" After reading, Scotty quickly grabbed my phone wanting to see the message for herself.
"I can't believe him. He doesn't talk to you all week, and now he sees you having fun and wants to ruin it. Mag, please try and not worry about him," Scotty said, trying to give me comfort, but honestly, I didn't need it. It was pretty clear, after this message, how much Garrett truly cared about me. First you cheat on me, followed by not speaking to me, and now trying to ruin my happiness out of petty reasons.
"In all honesty, I don't care," I said as both my best friends looked at me, completely confused. Which is to be expected since about six days ago I was having a mental breakdown about the whole situation.
"What do you mean?" Scotty asked, tossing my phone back to me.
"Clearly, he's not the one for me. I don't want to explain it right now. I don't want to spend another second on the topic of him. I'm not giving him the satisfaction of messing with my night. I have way too many good things going on right now, like watching my best friend flirt." I smiled, looking at Gabby. Her eyebrows furrowed on her face like she didn't know what I was talking about.
"I saw you getting pretty cozy next to Harry." Scotty looked at Gabby adding gasoline to the fire.
"Yeah, he was cute, Gab, and he seemed to really like you," I added. Gabby, without saying a word, just flopped on the air mattress Brady had set up for me. It looked like it was a twin size mattress and barely able to fit two people, let alone three. Scotty cuddled up next to Gabby.
"Come on, Gab, he was funny and sweet," Scotty said as she rested her head on the pillow.
"He was nice and he asked for my number, but I don't know." Gabby shrugged her shoulders.
"Why not?" I asked curious as to why she didn't seem interested.
"Well, he's really sweet and funny, but..."
"But what?" I looked at her waiting for an answer.
"He's in college and we are juniors in high school. Maybe if I was a senior like Scotty. Not to mention I barely know the kid."
"I get what you are saying about the age and the grade difference, however don't not talk to him because you are afraid of what it could turn into." I sat on the edge of Brady's bed next to Jay's feet.
"What is that suppose to mean?" Gabby responded defensively as if I insulted her.
"I just mean it's okay to take a chance and let someone other than Scotty and me in."
"You're one to talk." She shot back at me.
"Okay?" I was confused as to why she felt the need to become aggravated with me.
"You're going to say that to me when you barely let anyone in."
"What are you talking about?" My head was shaking in disbelief at her comment.
"Scotty please back me up on this." She turned to Scotty who was knocked out unconscious.
"Fine, I'll tell you myself. You act like your so open with everyone, but you aren't even honest with yourself. You knew deep down that you and Garrett weren't right, but yet you strung him along because you were too afraid to admit it to yourself."
"Wow. I got cheated on and I'm the bad guy in that relationship? Were you not here like thirty seconds ago in disbelief at what he texted me?"
"No. That's not what I meant and I know." Her voice grew quieter.
"So, what did you mean?" My arms went crossed as I waited for an explanation.
"You and he were constantly fighting. I don't think either one of you were truly happy."
"You're doing great." My sarcasm couldn't be any more blatant.
"Mag, I just mean you're bad at telling people how you feel or what you want, because I think the truth is you don't know what you want. That's my point, none of us do. We are so young, and how are we supposed to know what we want."
"You're right, but some of us do." I looked at Jay who was sound asleep as well as Scotty, who didn't even flinch at all during this semi loud conversation.
"Yeah, you're right about that." She glanced next to her at Scotty.
"But if we don't know what it is we want, we aren't going to find it by not looking or at least being open to the idea of whatever it is."
"Can you promise me one thing," Scotty said looking over at me.
"Yes of course."
"Don't get back with Garrett."
"Why would I get back with him?" I said shocked as to why she would even ask that.
"I don't know, I just feel like a lot of people now a days just so badly want to be with people that they'll do whatever they can to make it work. Even if it's clear they shouldn't be together, they think being with anyone is better than being alone. I can tell you personally I'm pretty happy on my own. I just want you to know that you deserve more than that. Love yourself more and know that you are worth more than any stupid mediocre relationship."
"Thanks Gab. I love you." The moment I said that I heard a knock on the door.
"Come in," I called out in a hushed voice to try not to disturb Scotty and Jay, as if Gabby and my previous conversation didn't sound like bagging pots and pans, which had no effect on the two sleeping beauties. I watched as Brady and Liam slowly and quietly crept into the room.
I turned to Gabby who was looking right at me.
"Maybe you should take your own advice." Gabby whispered over to me. Before I could open my mouth, Brady jumped on the other side of his bed that hadn't been reserved by one of Jay's limbs.
"I need to go to sleep now," Brady said, closing his eyes.
"Are there any couches open downstairs for me to sleep on?" I asked him.
"You're sleeping on the blow up mattress." His eyes were still closed.
"I don't think that's happening," I said, standing up from where I was sitting on the bed.
"Why not?" Brady's eyes then opened as he looked at Scotty who was fast asleep and Gabby who was already comfy and situated.
"Crap. You're not sleeping out on the couch. The party won't be over for at least another three hours."
"She can sleep in my room." My head turned to Liam who was standing at the doorway.
"Yeah, that's fine I guess. As long as it's okay with you?" Brady looked at me. What was I supposed to say at this moment? It's not like I had the option of saying no now.
"That's fine," I said. I don't know why I was so nervous. I've slept in the same room as Liam many, many times. I've even slept on the same couch, but something about being secluded in a room by myself with him made me feel anxious.
Before I made my way out, I looked back at Gabby who was giving me a tiny grin. I knew it had everything to do with Liam, but this wasn't a big deal. It was just Liam Hendrix.