Broken Girls And Broken Boys

1 Year Later

Kendall

The Coffee Shop is busy as always. No change from a normal Christmas holiday. I guess everyone is eager to try the new salted caramel frap that Tony introduced in the summer. For some reason the whole town is just dying for it in the height of this grey British weather (if I were you I wouldn't go in five miles of a cold drink unless you want to catch hypothermia but what do I know? I'm just a barista trying to fight my way through my first year of University). The entire shop is thriving, tables filled with people shedding their winter coats in the hopes of retaining the warmth they so desperately crave, laughing throughout the small cafe and cheering amongst one another. I smile into the coffee I'm making for the gentleman in front of me as he chats with his wife about how shocking the weather is and how he needs to grab some last bits of Christmas shopping for his grandkids. 

"There you go Sir, one black coffee and a gingerbread hot chocolate," I say, handing over the two take-out cups and his receipt. "Have the most wonderful day!" 

He smiles greatly and gently takes the drinks from my hands. "You my dear deserve a raise!" he smiles brightly before dropping a five pound note into the jar to my right. "Treat yourself with something nice for Christmas," he says before moving away from the counter to allow the next customer to be served. My eyes follow the cheerful couple as they exit, not yet turning to address the person next in the line. A voice picks up over the chatter of the cafe- so familiar.

"Ugh can I get a hot chocolate and a latte please? I would ask for whisky but you'd tell me I'm in the wrong place," I can almost hear his laugh, see the glint in those dangerous eyes of his. I slide my gaze across the crowded room to meet his.

Grant.

And it's almost like nothing has changed. "Hi," I attempt a soft smile but I'm shocked. He left town. Almost 9 months ago to start his own business (or so I had heard because he had never called me back). "You're here I thought you'd left?" I make it a question so I don't seem like I've been stalking him. But in all fairness I have- I haven't been able to stop thinking about him, especially recently. I've missed him. 

Before he can reply a voice jumps into our conversation. "Hi Kendall!" 

I turn instantly, my attention on the little girl stood before me. "Lacy!" I shout, running around the counter to pull her into my arms. "Oh my goodness look at you! You look so pretty with your little reindeer clips in!" I pull her away slightly from my arms to have a look at her face. Her brown hair is curled down my her shoulders and she has a Christmas jumper on that says "Have a holly jolly Christmas!" She looks adorable. I'd only met her once or twice but I could tell she looked so much happier and older too.

"I'm guessing the hot choc was for you?" 

She nods in response.

"I'll add some extras then yeah?" I say with a wink before turning to face him with a smile. I thought it might drop when I saw his face again but I can't help myself. There he was. As beautiful as always. A little bit rough around the edges but still himself. Still Grant. Still the boy who had broken my heart. 

And maybe I was still the girl who had broken his but-

"I didn't know if it would be you but we saw you in the window and then Lacy wanted to say hi-" he's cut off by his sister.

"No! I only said that because you're always going on about her. How you loved her and no one else would ever compare and that you didn't really want to ignore her but you needed to look after me and -"

He scratches the back of his head and pulls Lacy into his side. "Oi you little minx! She didn't need a whole story," he teases her, ruffling up her curls a little. 

"Oh I definitely did. Been missing me then?" I taunt, a smile plastered across my face. Lacy bounces off into one of the cafe seats. 

He turns serious for a second and I find myself holding my breath. "So much," he says and before I have a chance to say anything he grabs my hand and continues. "Kendall I am so so sorry that I never replied and I fucked up I really really did. And I can't use Lacy as an excuse but we had to move out of town and I'm her primary carer now. I really wanted to call you and let you in again but I thought you'd be better off without me and I-"

I place my hand softly on his cold cheek. "It's okay. I understand. I missed you but sometimes things just don't work out." A shrug pulls through my shoulders and his face drops further, his voice low.

"So you haven't missed me?" he asks.

"Of course I have you idiot! I've thought about you everyday and how i wish I could've done more and not made so many mistakes. But I'd also accepted that I'd probably never see you again and we'd never give things a go again so..." I let my trail of thought go.

His face changed again. "But what if I wanted to?"

I'm confused. "Wanted to what?"

"Come and live back in town and be with you again?"

I open my mouth to speak but I realise I have nothing to say. I thought things were over. Forever. I thought I would never see his handsome face again and I could forget about the way he made me feel. How alive I was with him. Past the games and the drama he was the only person I had ever really let in. I don't know if I would want to go back to how things used to be though.

"I'm not the same guy Kendall. I have barely any money and I'm no cheat. I would never ever do anything to hurt you and I've really been trying to work on myself. Properly. We're almost 20 now and a lot has changed. Maybe you could never forgive me but I really want to try again with you. I still love you."

Do I still love him? Yes. With my whole heart. And though we might've hurt each other, I owe it to myself to try once more. For I am not the person I was last year and he is not the same either. Maybe just once I should let myself try again instead of always letting everyone go?

Just as I'm about to reply, a new voice enters the conversation. "Oh for goodness sake Kendall! Don't be an idiot! This boy is practically proposing and if you don't say yes I sure as hell will! When will you realise that sometimes people deserve a second chance." 

Tony. He had to join at the most crucial time didn't he?

"You always talk about healing and letting yourself love. Well here you go. He's come back. And sure it's not going to be easy and you have a lot to talk about but live life a little!" he's almost yelling across The Coffee Shop; luckily everyone is too busy talking amongst themselves to hear what the owner has to say about my love life. He slips back into the kitchen and I turn to face Grant. 

God I've missed him. So much that it hurts. Sometimes you deserve to try again, especially when someone is willing to forgive your mistakes too. And so, I let him pull me into the embrace I have so dearly missed and say:

"I want to try again."

*-*

To those who wanted a happier ending: here you go my babies. 

I think sometimes we need to recognise that people change and that we can give them another shot if they really are willing to put time and effort into making a relationship better. That's not to say go back to your shitty toxic ex who made you feel like shit. But Kendall and Grant both made mistakes and I wanted them to reconnect and understand how much can change in a year.

I hope you like this extra epilogue. Your love on this book is always insane. I love you all.

And now, here is the end of Broken Girls and Broken Boys <3