Inevitable

*19*

Lee

An order of protection was never filed on Darren. I asked my parents not to, I wanted things as normal as they could possibly be. When my mom went down to the office to walk to my dad they agreed they would start with a phone call, a phone call to Darren's parents to let them know their son was still harassing me. My dad asked that he never tries to contact me and that he leaves me alone, with the exception of a letter. A letter I got a week later of him apologizing for what he did. I never did have the courage to read it. Instead it sat in my dresser drawer.

Darren's parent ended up withdrawing him from school. They switched him to home school full time to avoid any confrontation between he and myself and he and Wes. There was also speculation it was to avoid anymore embarrassment for the family.

The Morton Potters ended up losing in the sectional
championship. Though they played an amazing game, they were beat by the team who ultimately took home the state championship. That helped numb the sting of the loss. Wes played one of his best games ever. It was hard to watch him walk off the field for the last time wearing jersey number fourteen.

Wes and I had been together for months. We spent our first Thanksgiving as a couple. Our families, along with Ryann and her dad, had a nice dinner that ended with playing games where Wyatt got a bloody nose from Wes accidentally punching him during charades. To be fair, Wyatt did get in the way.

My friendship with Wyatt was back to normal. We both got better about juggling time between our relationships and our friendships and spent a lot more time together. Everything was going perfect.

When I closed my locker to head to fourth period Wes appeared. "Shit." I gasped. "You scared me." "Sorry." He laughed as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. "So, guess who Noah just told me he has a date with tonight."

"Who?"

"Kate."

"No way."

"Way."

"Good for them."

"I was thinking you and I could go on a date tonight."

"Wyatt and I are going to pick out his Christmas gift for Ryann."

Christmas was my favorite time of year and we were just eleven days away from it.

"What, no way. He got you last Friday."

"Well if we wait until next Friday he would be cutting it really close to Christmas."

"That's not my fault." He sighed as he dropped his arm.

"Come with us."

"I don't really want to third wheel my girlfriend and little brother."

"You wouldn't be a third wheel." Wes stopped in his tracks and looked at me. "What?" I asked.

"Nothing, I just want to spend time with you. Alone..."

"Alone. Or alone." I chuckled.

"At this point I don't even care."

"Well what about tomorrow night?"

"Slovensky's is having friendsmas?"

"Oh right.."

"You forgot, didn't you?"

"No, it just slipped my mind is all."

"Are you going?" He asked sounding hopeful.

"I'm not sure my parents will approve me going to a party."

"It's not a party, we are just going to hang out at a friends. He said he didn't invite very many people."