Weakness (Jay McGuiness Fanfic)

Chapter 9.

[Jay]

"Bird, you coming out today?" Nathan poked his head around the door.

"Nah, I want to lie in."

"Okay mate, take it easy."

He left me in peace with my thoughts.

It had been 2 months since I'd broken up with Samantha and it had taken me that long to unwind the web she'd made around me. She was emotionally manipulative and it took me far too long to notice that. She actually did me a favor by leaving me for another guy. Now I was putting my life back together.

I sprung up from bed and decided that I wanted to go out after all for a drink. It had been a while since I'd enjoyed time alone.

"A Guinness Stout please" I ordered as I relaxed on a bar stool. There was a huge TV in my line of vision playing music videos. As I started drinking, Memories by Maroon 5 came on.

"Cheers to the ones that we lost on the way 'cause the drinks bring back all the memories, and the memories bring back memories bring back you."

This bar reminded me of the one I'd met Hailey in. She came back into my mind and I felt myself reminiscing over all the good times we'd had. I'd let her down, and now everything was gone.

Maybe I should try to reconcile with her, I thought as I finished my beer. I didn't know if that was really a good idea. After all, it had been six months since we'd last spoken.

I've got to try, I decided, partially motivated by the drink.

"Nathan, do you know where Hailey works?"

"Yes, but what do you want that for? Are you trying to get back in contact?"

"Yes. I want to reconcile."

"I can give you her details, just let me find them."

He started searching on his phone while I played with my fingers. "Do you think she'll forgive me?"

"I honestly don't know Jay. It's worth a shot though."

I found out from Nathan that Hailey had moved and that she now worked in admin for a huge company. I bought flowers and decided to go there, as it was probably better that we spoke face to face.

"Excuse me, can you tell me where Hailey Lawrence is?"

"Just a second sir."

The woman called up a colleague and found out for me. "Go up to the sixth floor, her office is there."

"Thank you."

So she had her own office now. What else had changed since we parted? I began to feel more and more nervous as I approached the door, knocking quietly.

"Come in!"

She didn't look up at first as she was writing, but when she did she seemed surprised, instantly followed by a cold expression.

"How can I help you?"

"I came to apologize."

"Close the door."

I closed the door and sat down, putting the flowers on her desk.

"I'm really sorry for everything that happened Hailey. Samantha was a manipulative little bitch." Hailey just stared at me.

"We're not together anymore."

"Okay."

"I feel really bad about everything. I hate how it ended between us. I don't know if you can forgive me but I hope I can have one more chance to be your friend."

"I've forgiven you already Jay" she said dismissively, "I had to. For my sake. As for being friends again, I don't know if that's possible. I can't trust you. I don't know if I ever will again."

Those words hurt but I understood where she was coming from.

"I understand. Could we have lunch together to talk some more?"

"Sure, but don't waste my time."

I waited outside of the building for her. She came out laughing with her colleagues, obviously a part of them. "Let's go" she said when she saw me. She was choosing the place we'd eat at.

"So, how are things with you?" I ventured when we sat down.

"Really good. I got this job, I have a nice place and I'm dating a decent guy." She was dating? Things really had changed.

"What about you?"

"Things are alright. Samantha broke up with me two months ago and it took me forever to unwind the web of manipulation she'd created."

"I'm sure it will take a while."

"How's Harry?"

"He's great. Jem just moved in with him, they're in a relationship."

"Oh that's nice. So everyone's doing okay."

"Yep."

I didn't really know what to say to her so I put my hand over hers.

"I know I hurt you and I can never really make up for that, but I promise you that I will do everything possible to show you how much I care."

She withdrew her hand but she nodded. "Alright. I'll give you one last chance. Better not screw it up."

"Thank you. I won't."

She fiddled with her food and then said "you know what hurt the most? The fact that you didn't come after me. You didn't defend me, you acted like I didn't matter."

"I know, and I'm ashamed of myself for that."

"That's why I find it hard to want to trust you again, because you're not the first one to do that in my life."

"This time around I will show you how much you really mean to me."

That was a promise that I did my utmost to keep. I talked to her every day, we began to hang out again, and I had hope that one day we could regain what we once had.