Broken

Chapter 24

Author's Note:
Wow! It's been a minute since I posted, they even changed the way to post! More crap to get used to! Not sure why they fix what isn't broken but oh well!
Anyway sorry I had a bit of writers block! But hopefully I am over that hump now! :)

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"I can't believe you just gave up like that..." Jen pondered a few days later over lunch.
"I didn't give up," I rolled my eyes. "I stopped living in this fantasy where Taylor and I are meant to be together."
"But you love each other," she argued.
"We do," I sighed. "But it doesn't mean we are supposed to be together. Too many things have driven us apart. If that isn't a sure sign -"
"Maybe it's a sign you need to keep fighting!" she said vehemently. "So things haven't been easy... Where is it written that good things are supposed to come easy?"
"Look at you and Zac for example," I pointed out.
"Things have NOT been easy for us," she scoffed. "We don't have the same issues you and Tay have, but we have definitely not gotten off easy either."
"I didn't know you guys were having problems?" I asked.
"We're not now," she said. "Just stuff in the past."
"You never told me," I said, looking down at my plate and picking at my food with my fork.
"Amelia honey," she said. "You were going through so much. I couldn't add to your problems worrying about Zac and I! We got through it, as you and Taylor need to, too. Don't try and change the subject!"
"He's gotta get through this with Krystal first,"
I said. "After that, we'll see what happens."
"You're hopeless," she rolled her eyes.
I sighed, "You're probably right. But he has to make sure he's really ready to end it with her. They've been together for a year. He has feelings for her."
"Not like he has for you," she said matter of factly.
"We can't know for sure what he feels," I said, glancing down at my plate again. I suddenly had lost my appetite.
"It's fairly obvious," she countered.
"It doesn't matter," I said, getting a little annoyed. "We agreed to figure out what we wanted by your wedding. So then we'll know where we stand and it'll be over and done with. Now can we please drop it and get the check?"
"I'm sorry," she sighed. "I just care about you both. And I know how much you two love each other. I'd just hate to see it wasted..."
"It won't be," I said. "Whatever Taylor and I have or had, will always be wonderful. It could never be a waste. We just have to see what's going to happen."
She nodded, but didn't say anything more on the subject.
We paid our tabs and said our farewells, agreeing to meet later in the week to finalize the bridesmaids dresses.
Instead of catching a cab home, I decided to enjoy the mid-spring day and walk home. I needed the fresh air and exercise to clear out my head.
The conversation with Jen had left me feeling confused and I knew I had made the right decision with Taylor and I. As much as I loved him, I honestly wasn't sure if we were meant to be together anymore. I could see how much he cared for Krystal, despite what I thought of her, and he deserved to be happy with her if he could be.
But if he wasn't meant to be, maybe he was meant to be with me? Maybe there was still hope for us. Jen wasn't totally wrong when she said good things don't come easily. And damned if it didn't come way too hard for us, so it had to be something pretty damn good right?
Once upon a time I had dreamt of us being together, getting married, having children, having this amazing life I never thought I deserved. Now whenever I thought about us, it was filled with dread about what would pull us apart next. Love shouldn't be like that should it? I didn't have any answers.
"Miss! Miss! Look out!" A voice broke me from my thoughts. I looked up just in time to see the front of a car coming towards me. I froze but was quickly pulled out of its path, the horn blaring as it buzzed passed.
"Oh my god! Are you okay?" the voice asked. I turned to face the person who had pulled me out of the way and found myself staring into a pair of gorgeous blue eyes. Not watery blue like Taylor's, more of an icy, steel blue.
"Yeah," I finally said. "I - thanks to you. I guess I got caught up in my own head and wasn't paying attention.
He smiled at me, "You scared me!"
He wasn't overly handsome but he was definitely attractive. He had short, spikey brown hair and his nose was a bit crooked as if it had been broken once or twice. His slightly pouty lips curved into this mischievous smile that instantly made me melt.
"I'm sorry," I blushed, biting my bottom lip. "I just have a lot on my mind."
"Don't be sorry!" he said. "I am glad you are okay. It's a good thing I came out of the restaurant when I did!"
"Yes I am so grateful you were there!" I said. "I cannot thank you enough! I don't know how I can repay you!"
"Oh don't worry about repaying me," he said, smiling. "You're sure you're okay?"
I nodded.
"Then that's payment enough for me," he grinned. "I'm Jeremy, Jeremy O'Connor."
"Amelia Lincoln," I said shaking his hand. "How about I at least buy you a drink? Or dinner tonight? I couldn't possibly let you get away without a proper thank you!"
"Dinner would be great," he said and pulled out his phone. "What's your number?"
I recited my digits to him and he punched them into his phone and then my phone rang.
"There now you have my number!" He said with a small wink. "I have to run for now, more pretty girls walking into traffic to save ya know?"
I giggled, "But of course!"
"Call me in about an hour and we'll set up dinner plans. Anywhere you want to go! Don't worry about reservations, I'll be able to hook us up!"
I stared at him in disbelief, "How?"
"Just trust me!" He said with that impish smile of his, and still facing me he began walking away. "It was very nice saving you Amelia and I'll see you at dinner. I'll be expecting a call!"
"I'll definitely call you!" I smiled.
"You better," he winked one last time at me before turning around and walking out of sight.
I glanced at my phone and saw his number on my missed calls list. I quickly saved it into my contacts before rushing home.
I paced in my apartment, waiting out the hour to call him. I was so nervous when I finally pulled his name up on my contacts and hit the call button.
"Miss Amelia Lincoln," I heard his voice answer on the second ring. "I wasn't sure if I'd hear from you."
"I told you I wanted to take you to dinner," I said.
"But I wasn't sure if you'd walk into traffic again or not," he teased.
"Ha! Ha!" I scoffed with a smile.
"So did you decide on where you're taking me to dinner?" he asked, I could almost hear him smiling through the speaker.
"I was thinking Jean-George's?" I asked cautiously.
"That's excellent!" he said. "I'll get us the reservations and you tell me where I am picking you up from?"
I rattled off my address to him.
"Oh you're not far from me," he pondered.
"Where are you at?" I asked curiously.
"East 97th and Lexington," he said.
"Wow," I said. "Only a couple of blocks away from each other."
"And just now meeting," he said. "Must be fate."
I giggled, "Must be."
"Alright Miss Lincoln," he said teasingly. "I will be there to pick you up at 8pm sharp."
"I'm looking forward to it, Mr. O'Connor," I told him with a smile.
"See you then Amelia," he said. "Avoid traffic til then. I'd like to get to know you better."
I laughed, "Not a problem! I'm sure I'll be spending the next four hours trying to figure out what to wear anyways!"
He chuckled and we said our goodbyes before hanging up.
I felt like I was on cloud 9 as I floated into my bedroom to call Jen.
"You will never guess what happened to me today!" I gushed when she answered.
"You talked to Taylor?" she guessed hopefully.
"No," I said, hating to admit to myself that I hadn't even thought about Taylor since I had met Jeremy. "I almost got hit by a car today. But -"
"Oh my God!" she said. "Are you okay? Do you need me to come over?"
"I'm fine," I said. "I was saved by someone."
"Oh thank god!" she sighed. "Who was it?"
"His name is Jeremy," I said, his name instantly bringing a smile to my face. "I'm taking him out to dinner as a thank you."
"You're going out on a date?" I could hear the shock and disappointment in her voice.
"Sort of," I said, realizing neither Jeremy nor myself referred to it as such. "Yeah I think so!"
"What do you mean you think so?" she snapped. "Either you are or you aren't?"
"I am," I said firmly. "Why are you acting so pissed off about this?"
"I'm not," she said. "But you and Taylor literally just broke up a couple of days ago."
"Breaking up implies that we were together," I said suddenly very annoyed. "Taylor and I had sex one night and on that same night his actual girlfriend got into a car accident. So no we didn't break up, I realized it was time for me to move on with my life and if you can't respect that then I guess it's time I found new friends too!"
I didn't even let her respond, I just hung up the phone and screamed out in frustration. I tossed the phone onto my bed and hopped in the shower.
When I got out I saw I had a missed call and a voicemail from Jen.
"I'm so sorry Melia," she began the message. "I do respect that you are ready to move on and I am happy that you have a date tonight. I'm sure he is a great guy. I just didn't want you rushing into anything. You and Taylor have such strong feelings for each other I just don't want to see either of you ruin that. But I know it's not my place. I am sorry. Please call me and forgive me! You're the closest to a sister I've ever had and I need you girl!"
I sighed and called her back.
"Of course I forgive you!" I said when she answered. "I'm just so tired of talking about me and Taylor and what we're going to do. And what does this mean or that mean. I just need a break from it all. I have one date. It's not like I am going to marry this guy tomorrow or something!"
"I know," she said. "I get it. You do need some time off from all of that will they or won't they stuff."
"Yes," I agreed. "I was so distracted from thinking about everything with Taylor that I didn't even realize I walked into traffic. Jeremy not only saved me from getting hit by a car, but believe it or not the moment I met him until I started talking to you, the whole situation with Tay hadn't even crossed my mind."
"Wow," she said in awe. "I guess that's probably got to mean something huh?"
"I'm not sure yet," I said. "But I'm definitely willing to give it a chance. I think I have to for my own sake."
"Yeah you're right," she said. "You need this. You go have fun tonight and I want details tomorrow!"
I laughed, "You betcha!"
After we hung up I turned to my closet, I had only been half joking when I told Jeremy I would be trying to figure out what to wear for the next four hours. I stared into the closet for a minute before sighing and diving right into picking out an outfit.