per·sua·sion

17.

I know this chapter is another short one. I'm trying to give povs their own chapters. I promise the next one will be much longer.

Hero

Why won't she answer me? I understand she's upset, but today is my last day here, and I want to spend it with her, not fighting with her. I want to hear her laugh, that laugh I love so much with that smile and those dimples.

People talk about my dimples, but they're nothing compared to hers. Hers are especially beautiful because they only show when she's at her happiest. I look at my phone with the pictures of us I took yesterday. I am going to miss her.

I try calling her again, and it goes straight to voicemail. It's now 4. Fuck it; I'm just going to go over there. The worst she can do is tell me to leave when I get there, Kristen answers.

"She's not here, but you can come in and wait" I give her a confused look.

"Where is she?"

"She's with Alex" she looks down at her phone and then back at me.

"Alex?? You just let her go off with some guy???" my voice raises slightly.

"Calm down there, London. One, she's an adult, two, I wasn't here and three, Alex can take care of her. He's known her for two years; she's perfectly safe. Are you coming in?"

She moves out of the doorway and then continues, "I thought you were spending the night?" she asks, looking back at me as I close the door. She heads into the kitchen as I follow her, sitting on one of the stools at the bar top.

"Yeah, I kind of messed that up," I rub my neck quickly, changing the subject, "about this Alex guy...." I try not to sound so obvious, but I fail.

"They're just friends, Hero," she reassures me.

As soon as she says that, my phone goes off. I grab it from my pocket, hoping it's Jess; it is but not in the way I was expecting. She's updated her Instagram story.

I tap it, and a picture of Alex comes up with the caption, "having lunch with this guy at Panera 🙂" I stand up, heading towards the door.

"Hero, I wouldn't," Kristen says.

"You said they're just friends, right?" I stop looking at her.

"Yeah"

"Then it shouldn't be a problem," I say, closing the door behind me.

The whole time I'm driving there, I keep thinking I've seen this Alex guy somewhere, but I can't figure out where. I arrive and take a deep breath while getting out of the car, then make my way in.

"So, are you doing the con this year?" I hear Jess's voice say as I approach the table.