Trying Not To Love (COMPLETED)

Chapter 20 ✅

Chapter Twenty- Becoming something

The run today morning wasn't quiet like it had been every other morning before I fell and injured my knees. Those mornings, Easton and I fell in a silent routine which we both shared but never acknowledged each other's presence.

Today morning was a lot different and maybe the best morning run I'd ever had. I didn't know what had gotten into him. Maybe the fact we weren't enemies anymore or that we had opened the can of scars in front of each other the other night-- which had made him acknowledge my existence and maybe like me a little too.

He tried to mess with me and then we ended up racing to the house, laughing and teasing each other.

Obviously he won. Who got giant legs?

Not me.

The wounds on my knees were almost healed and the pain had disappeared. I was able to get back in my comfortable jeans and not cry whenever I had to bend.

I made my hair in a side braid and let the loose strands dance around my face. Grabbing my bag off the floor beside my bed, I strolled downstairs to the dinning room, find Jamey eating his breakfast with book glued to his hand while Tabby rapidly texting on her phone.

Seeing Jamey all well and fine, brought relief to my bones.

Apparently Alden had worn headphones and didn't hear me. And Easton was just walking upstairs when he had. I was just glad he was there.

Linda walked into the dinning room and greeted me. Linda and I had grown close too. She's like the missing elder figure in my life for now.

"How's your knees?" She chirped with way too much smiling in the morning.

I sat beside Jamey and nodded at her. "Great, I guess."

"Awesome." She handed me my plate and walked back in the kitchen.

Just then Alden and Easton walked in side by side and my mouth fell open. I stared at them, waiting to see who'd punch who first but, it never happened.

As if the other didn't exist for the other, they took their seats on the table-- Alden beside Tabby while Easton towards the other end of the table.

"Good to see all of you together for once." Linda came with two more plates and handed them each.

No one replied just awkwardly nodded at her. She chuckled and again walked back in.

Silence around us was deafening, I drank the entire glass of orange juice in one sip and sighed. Maybe too loud because they all-- except Jamey snapped their eyes on me.

I rolled my eyes and took a bite of my fruit salad and then one from my cream cheese bagel.

"So, I was thinking maybe we could go shopping today?" Tabby asked, taking a bite of her cereal. Her eyes still on her phone's screen. I swear she'd only put that thing aside while sleeping-- or maybe then also not.

I knitted my brows, chewing, and asked, "Why? You short on clothes already?"

She rolled her eyes and smiled. "You forgot about the BCF? How wonderful!"

Now I was even more confused.

"Betting Charity Function?" She explained as if it was dead on fact not an abbreviation made up by her.

"Oh," I glanced around and saw Alden watching us and Easton too engrossed in his phone.

"Yeah... when is it again?"

She looked up from her phone and smiled. "Like in a month!"

I almost face palmed myself. A month. It was soo far away. "Seriously Tabby? We'll talk about this later."