Living With 4 Guys

• 6 •

For the Better or For the Worst

Jason's P.O.V.

I've finally finished my four mile run for the day and I can't wait to get back to the apartment and make a huge ass sandwich. I swear to god if Connor (one of my roommates) ate all of the bread, that I literally bought TREE days ago, I will kill him. Don't doubt it.

Since I'm pretty much finished with my run and almost back to the apartment I'm kinda just going at a nice jog-like pace at this point. I reach in my pocket to grab my phone to change the song and all of the sudden I find myself running into a stranger, hearing them crash into the sidewalk in front of me.

I feel horrible because I look down and realize it was a girl, probably only 5'5-5'6 at most and I am 6'1 so I know the hit was much harder for her.

She almost looks up while saying a quiet "sorry" but she all the sudden seems ten times more focused on looking for her phone. Just for a second I think to myself that her voice sounds so familiar, but I ignore the thought because there are more important things happening at the moment.

Since I am the jerk who knocked her and her phone down I bend down next to her to try and help her find it. Just as I do she looks up because she's confused as to what I am doing and I see her face.

No. Fucking. Way.

"Hallie?" I say in complete disbelief.

Now I know what you're thinking. Wow, this asshole didn't realize his own high school sweetheart. To be fair, that was a LONG time ago. We dated my junior and senior year and I'm going into my junior year of college this time. That's actually kinda ironic lol. Anyways! I obviously didn't see the person I ran into and she was bent down looking for her phone. Her hair was completely covering her face and when we were dating she had her natural hair color still. She used to have sandy brown, wavy hair but now it's a very dark brown. I'm still not used to it. I mean I know she dyed it from instagram but I didn't realize it was this dark in person.

It actually looks pretty good, not gonna lie.

Shut up Jason.

"Wow, so after two years I'm an it now?" Hallie says angrily flashing me back to reality.

Wait what? I mean I get it I was kinda in a trance because how often do you run into your ex in the middle of New York but... wait. Oh shit. Did I really say that out loud about her hair? Fuck. Me.

"Shit no, of course not. Uh... you looks pretty good" *clearing me throat* "I mean YOU. You look really good" I reach my hand behind my head trying to scratch it off maybe.

I really don't get it. Even the first time I met her she just always has this thing that sets me so far of my game. I guess she just has that effect on me. And right now she looks pretty damn good too which doesn't help anything. She's wearing a simple, black tube top that defiantly shows off the curves I remember back in high school, and some baggy, but not too "baggy", camo cargo pants.

I reach my hand to help her up because she's finally found her phone. She takes it with caution but let's me help her even though I know for a fact she hates receiving help from anyone. Always an independent girl, that one.

"Thanks" she whispers shortly.

"So, uh. How, how have you been?"

"I'm alright. I think I was better before ya know, the whole collision thing" she gestures her hand pointing back and fourth between us.

"Right. Sorry about that. What are you doing on this side of town?" I ask. I feel like I am really the only one trying to make an attempt to have a less awkward situation, but I guess I also kinda put us here in the first place so...

"This isn't that far from NYU. I was just uh, well..."

Why does she look constipated right now?

"Visiting a friend from, uh CAMP. Sorry, yea camp. She lives around here so we met for dinner" she finally got out after holding her breath the entire time to get that sentence out.

And I thought I was the one making this awkward.

"Oh, that makes sense. I'm guessing you're heading back now. To your dorm and all."

"Yep" really popping the "p". "At least trying to anyways" she awkwardly laughs off.

"Couldn't flag down a cab, huh?"

"What? No, of course I can, I just prefer to walk" she finishes quietly.

Sure ya do.

"Come on. I know you better than that. My guess is you definitely tried, it just didn't work out" I laugh at the end.

"Well it is what it is. I'll learn it some day but for now I guess I'm sticking with walking" she says defensively.

"You know it's gonna get dark out, by the time you get back you're not gonna be in the safest situation. You should really get a ca—"

"No. It's fine, I can handle myself, thanks." she cuts me off.

See what I'm talking about. "Independent woman" at her finest, stubborn as ALWAYS.

"Okay sorry. Well uh, it was good seeing y— Shit."

"What?" She asking looking confused.

"It's just, you're phone. It's completely cracked" I say looking at her phone and feeling horrible because it's definitely my fault.

"Oh fuck" she looks down at it. She does to see how bad it is and a piece of it cuts her finger.

"Are you okay?!"

"Yeah, it's fine really. I'll just find a bathroom and wash it off." She tried to pull the piece out her it won't budge.

"No listen. This is all my fault to begin with, the last thing I can do it try and clean it for you. Actually my apartment building is just around the corner so you can wash it up then. And we can talk about getting you a new screen too."

I guess it's just written in my past but I can't help feeling the need to take care of her. I mean I did it for two years but I didn't realize that feeling was still there. Now that she's in the city too, I really didn't like the idea of her walking home at night. I know I haven't seen her in years but my protectiveness kinda just washed over me again like it never left.

"Seriously Jason, I'm okay. You don't have to do that" she tries to reason.

Come on, she knows me better than that. It can't be that long since we've seen each other to forget the type of person I am, right?

"You know I won't take no for an answer." I say sternly trying to put on my "serious" face.

I see that she's accepting defeat as she sighs and finally gives in. "Sure" she says trying to convince herself that this is a good idea.

"Great! Come on. Here take this for now" I hand her a napkin from my pocket. "This can at least cover your finger until we get there."

This is gonna be interesting.