All In For Fitz

Chapter Eighteen

Even though I wasn't fully ready to admit it to myself, I think I was finally getting to a more comfortable place in my life. Meaning, learning to live in a world that my brother did not.

I felt up to participating in sorority events, answering questions in class, going to coffee shops with my friends, plus I even went out with my friends on Saturday night.

It wasn't a club or anything but we did grab dinner and go walk around Times Square with the tourist. We got to take cute pictures, people watch and then we went bowling.

I had such a fun night, it kind of reminded me why I went to college in the first place. I wanted to have fun, be wild, and make memories that I could refer to as my crazy college days twenty years from now.

"Good morning." Alena greeted me as I plopped down on the couch, "Did you have fun last night?"

"You know, I actually did." I confirmed, "It was nice to not sit in the house on a Saturday night for once."

Alena grinned, "See! I told you that you would have fun."

I looked down at my phone, "You did."

"Since it's Sunday I'm assuming that you and Fitz will be going out." Alena had a smug smile on her face as she drank her tea

I looked at her and nodded, "We're just going to hang at his place. He's making us lunch."

"How has he been doing? I don't know what I'd be like if you passed away." Alena asked me

I took a deep breath, "He's taking it day by day. Speaking of him, I should probably go get ready. Ii didn't realize that it was already one."

I got off the couch and went back into my room to change.

Parker and I were truly and genuinely just friends. It was a hard concept for other people to believe. My mom would ask me if it was just code for what we were doing my junior year of high school.

Sometimes I wished it was but it just wasn't like that anymore.

We were both working through a huge loss in both of our lives and I think we needed each other more as friends right now than romantic partners.

And that was ok.

I knocked on his door and he immediately opened it.

He looked confused, "Where's the key I gave you?"

"I didn't wanna intrude," I answered his question as I walked in

"Ellie, we've been through so much shit I think it's impossible for you to intrude on me." Parker closed the door as we walked to the kitchen, "I mean you've seen me naked, cry, be angry, you've seen all of Parker Fitzgerald."

I let out a small laugh, "Well when you put it like that, it's different. What did you cook?"

"Homemade burrito bowls." he showed me proudly, "I have the steak, guac, corn, beans, tomatoes, and even the cauliflower rice that you like."

I told him on Friday night that I was craving Chiptole and look at what he did.

"Parker, you really outdid yourself." I smiled at him, "You know what I found yesterday?"

"What?" he asked me all excited

I pulled the collar of my sweater down and showed him the Tiffany's necklace he got me when it was our first Christmas together.

He touched the heart-shaped necklace and held it in between his fingers.

"Damn." he got out, "It's really been almost four years."