It must've been the wind...

Chapter Four: A Strange Apology

I wake up the next morning and get ready to go for a run on the lake trails just up the road. As I start to walk out of the main doors of the apartment building, I hear a familiar voice from behind me. "Hey, Jonas." It's Andrew. "What do you want Andrew?" I ask firmly. "Just wanted to say I'm sorry for last night. I was really out of line." He said. "Yeah, I'd say. You grabbed me and pinned me to my truck." I tell him in an aggravated voice. "Yeah, I know, I get stupid when I'm drunk." He tells me with a stupid smirk on his face. All I can think of right now is how stupid this guy really is. "Look, if Cassidy told you to apologize to me don't worry about it. I won't talk to her anymore." I said as I get in my truck. "She didn't, I just figured I'd apologize for my actions. So, we cool?" he asks. "Sure." I say just wanting him to leave me alone at this point. "Cool, see ya bro!" Andrew says as he puts on a fake smile and waves.

As I'm driving all I can think about is how strange it was for Andrew to just randomly apologize like that. There was no way he was sincere. I pull up to the trails and go out for my run listening to music, as I'm running, I find an old hangout spot I used to go to as a teenager. It was a spot where you could sit and look and see the entire lake around it. I sit down for a bit thinking about Cassidy, feeling bad about upsetting her last night. I just couldn't help but think, is there something wrong? Is there something going on that I don't know about? What if it's something I shouldn't know? Maybe I need to just stop thinking about it, about Cassidy. I just need to leave it be and keep my nose out of it. I get up and continue my run back to my truck. I get to my truck, start it up, and head to home. As I'm driving, my phone rings. I go to answer it, it's Derrik. "Yo J, what's up man?" he says excitedly. "Hey bub what's going on?" I reply. "Are you busy? Cause we haven't hung out in a hot minute, and I need some bro time." Derrik says to me, sounding like he's bored out of his mind. "Yeah man sure, I'll swing by and pick you up." I reply.

I swing by Derrik's place, and we decide to grab a bite to eat at the old-fashioned diner downtown. "So, what's been going on with you man? How's the new place?" He asks with enthusiasm. "It's cool." I said, "Just still getting used to it is all." Derrik looks at me as if he can tell something is wrong. "Okay what's the deal? You look like you're so anxious you can't stand it." Derrik asks. "It's because I am. I met this girl; her name is Cassidy and I worry she's in a bad situation." I said as I drink some of my sweet tea. "Why don't you just ask her about it?" he asks. I reply with a little irritation in my voice, thinking about the way she snapped at me. "I already did, but you know how girls are. If you ask is something wrong, they always say they're fine, when really they aren't fine." Derrik sits in silence for a second, then asks "What even made you worry about this in the first place?" I didn't want to tell Derrik I almost got into a fight. He's my best friend so we treat each other like we're brothers. "She just has this idiot of a boyfriend that I don't trust." I say without mentioning the incident. "Well of course you won't trust him, he's, her boyfriend. You won't like any guy that's into or with the girl you like."

"I don't like her!" I exclaim as I feel my face turn red. "Yeah, and I'm the pope." Derrik says with a smirk. "Dude, you obviously like her, you wouldn't care so much if you didn't." I just sit there and shrug my shoulders because, I knew he was right. I do like Cassidy, and I probably wouldn't care so much if I didn't like her. "What should I do?" I ask. "If I were you, I'd just keep a close eye and open ear. Just be watchful of strange behavior with the both of them. Maybe you'll find the answer you're looking for." Derrik says as he scarfs down a burger. "Thanks man." I said as I finish my drink.