The Tree Remembers

A Win Is A Win

As much as I wanted to, I didn't run to Elle immediately. I knew she would have been furious with me for bailing on Dustin, and I had no idea what I was going to do to fix this, so I would have probably done something stupid. 

"Maybe you could do, like, a huge bouquet of flowers," Dustin suggested. I shrugged and took a puff of the joint before offering it to him. He smirked, smug that I now considered him old enough to smoke with me. He took it from me as I leaned back into my couch.

"She doesn't really fall for those big gestures," I explained. Dustin tried not to cough as he took a drag and I grinned. It was great being friends again. He had come over to hang out today and brainstorm how to make things right with Elle and had coached me through a voicemail I left for Elle.

"You sure make things hard on yourself," he commented. I grinned wider and punched his shoulder playfully.

"Whatever you do, don't take love advice from Munson," Jeff said as he plopped down in the recliner. I rolled my eyes as he grinned at me. "He's hopeless."

"Got more hope than you," I shot back. He shrugged and took the joint from Dustin. He opened his mouth, but before he could reply, Dustin cut him off.

"Yeah, Jeff – when was the last time you asked for dating advice? When you graduated?" Dustin sniped. Gareth's jaw dropped and I howled with laughter. Jeff glared at the two of us.

"It was a fucking mistake getting you two back together," he hissed. I wrapped an arm around my pseudo-little brother's shoulders and grinned at Jeff.

"All is right with the universe, again," I quipped. I looked down at Dustin and he flashed me a smile. I would forever be grateful to Elle for helping me with Dustin.

"What about her bartender friend?" Gareth asked. I cocked my head to the side.

"Nick?"

"Yeah – wasn't he the one who helped you last time?" he asked. I sat back and thought. He was the one who helped me after I realized Elle and I knew each other.

"Sometimes, you're a genius, Gareth," I replied, knowing who I needed to go to.

---

"You're being pissy – was Eddie bad in bed or something last night?" Nick teased, poking my side. I felt my face bloom with color and punched his shoulder.

"You're an asshole," I snapped.

"Oh, extra feisty – you're only like this when Eddie was absent from bed," he continued, grinning wickedly.

"I will never understand why I like being your friend," I hissed, going back to drying the glasses we had washed together behind the bar.

"Neither do I, because you're so busy with your boyfriend that you never have time for me," he quipped. I rolled my eyes and groaned.

"Eddie is not my—"

"Oh, my god – you're still on this? Eddie isn't your boyfriend, but you spend every night together?" he questioned. I pursed my lips.

"I don't spend every night with him," I insisted. I threw my towel down. "Because, I apparently have different moods when I don't."

Nick cackled, and I stormed off to my office. I threw myself down into my chair and started working on the schedule for the next month.

I had been a strange storm of emotions over the last few days. Since I had left Eddie at the mall, I had gone between anger at him and anger at myself. He had called me, wanting to see me and talk, but I had evaded him. I was incapable of being vulnerable with him, while simultaneously being terrified of doing so. I wanted him to leave me alone, but I also wanted him to chase after me.