Fools ; Eternal Summer

part six

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"Oh my god, that was literally the best party ever." Ashton said as we flopped down on our bed, I laughed.
"You really liked that scenery huh?" I asked jokingly.
"Dude yes. That was the most professional setting I've ever been in and for once I didn't feel like a lower class person. I mattered." He said, I gave him a look.
"Wow, deep." He pushed me playfully and laughed.
"Shut up." We both laughed again. "Ah man, what time is it?" He asked, cuddling up with the pillow. We still had our outfits on from the party.
"Almost 4:30" I told him, looking at my phone.
"Geez. Well we better get some sleep or we'll be tired, later in the morning I should say." I smiled at him. "Goodnight." He said and leaned over to give me a kiss. "I love you." He told me, butterflies instantly filled my stomach.
"I love you." I said back to him. He rolled over and got under the covers. I went onto my phone into my messages and pulled up Sydney and I's chats.

I wanted so badly to text her and tell her that Ashton and I finally said I love you, and that I was the one who said it first. I was mid typing it when I deleted it and locked my phone. I sighed setting it on the end table next to me. I laid down on my back and stared up at the ceiling in thought. I didn't want to lose Sydney over her having feelings for me but there's nothing I can do to prevent it from happening. She asked for space and I just have to give it to her but I guess that just means I have to space myself from her mentally as well. I knew now once I told Ashton I loved him that I don't have feelings for Sydney. It was just a few make-out sessions here and there and we hooked up once, it wasn't like we ever took the time to try and be a couple before we made it official with our boyfriends. If she's even dating Ethan anymore? I don't know but that's not my business. I'm happy with Ashton and everything we've been through together is purely love. I looked over at him and smiled to myself. I feel content with him. He's the first relationship and guy literally, to not want sex with me off the bat. He loves me for me and not once has he ever expected us to have sex to love each other. I just know once we do have sex for the first time, it'll be euphoric. We enjoy each others company and we put time into making sure the other one feels cared for. I couldn't ask for anything more. So in a way I'm not worried if Sydney never talks to me again, I have Ashton. And truthfully, I think he's the one. I leaned over to give him a kiss on the cheek and he met my lips. I smiled again as he turned over and wrapped his arm around me. Nothing could be more perfect. It took me a little while to fall asleep cause I just enjoyed the fact that he was holding me, but eventually I drifted off to sleep.

I opened my eyes to the sight of the clock saying it was 9:30am. I groaned and turned over on my other side, I only got a little bit of sleep it feels like. I saw Ashton still sleeping there next to me. I put my arm around him to hold as I scooted closer. I started to fall back asleep when I heard my phone vibrating the end table next to me. I groaned again and turned back over to see who was calling. It was Joe? I was a little surprised. I know we were still friends but we haven't spoken in a little while. I rushed outside to the balcony we had stemming from the room, I closed the door behind me and answered.

"Hello?" I said, I could hear my sleepy voice, I coughed to try to clear it.
"Hi, sorry were you napping? Did I wake you?" He asked.
"No, I just woke up from actual slumber." I said with a laugh.
"At 5 in the afternoon?" He also laughed.
"I'm not in London goofy, I'm in California. It's 9am here." I told him.
"Oh shit yeah! I remember you mentioning you were visiting your sister this summer. Damn now I'm really sorry I woke you." He laughed again.
"It's cool, no worries. So, what's up?"
"Have you gotten a letter from Cate yet? Or an email, I should say." He asked, I had a surprised look on my face.
"No? Should I have?"
"I don't know, if you don't have one now, you probably will later. But jesus, the one she sent me is insane."
"The hell? What'd she say?"
"Hold on, I'm pulling it up on my laptop again, one sec." He said, there was a couple seconds pause and then he spoke again. "Okay, so dah dah dah, um so the first part is really just she's just writing these to give out apologies and feel better, I guess she's trying to grow." I laughed, he paused again and then I could hear a slight laugh come from him before he spoke again. "But she talked about our relationship, like how almost I was a rebound but not quite because she ended up really liking me, then she was hurt about how I cheated so she tried getting over me with you." I rolled my eyes even though he couldn't see.
"Did she say much about her and I?" I asked.
"No, she said she didn't want to talk about that when it was about me."
"Of course not, anyways, continue."
"Okay. Um, she thinks my drinking started because of her."
"That's true." I said, cutting him off. He shushed me.
"She said that when she brought you home that she wanted to make me jealous and that it worked." I rolled my eyes again. "Then after you guys left, she was super confused because she had strong feelings for both of us which is why she broke up with you."
"Okay, that I knew." I said.
"She felt like I was going to take you away from her, that we would've gotten together or something." He said.
"Yeah, I knew that also."
"Then she starts talking about when you guys visited me here at rehab and she wanted to do things right with me and knew she wanted to be with me." I scoffed. "This is where it gets crazy."
"Oh boy." I said, he let out a little laugh.
"She said she met this girl named Kira and she introduced her to coke."
"Wait like Cate introduced that girl to coke? Or other way around?" I asked.
"Kira introduced her to coke." He told me.
"Jesus, she's doing drugs?" I asked him, I could hear him sigh.
"Yeah, I knew she was before I left. Caspar and I tried to get her to quit but she doesn't want to. Caspar kicked her out because she fell super behind in school, then with the drugs, he couldn't take it anymore."
"Fuckin hell. That's crazy. Are you guys still together?"
"No, I broke up with her the day she went to live with their mom again. She wanted to anyway because she doesn't want to do drugs around someone who's in recovery. She still wanted to be with me just not together."
"I mean that's valid, I wouldn't want my issue to become theirs when they had their own." I told him.
"Yeah I understood it but still. So this is the part I really wanted to tell you. She said when her and Kira didn't have coke, she had to do things for it."
"Oh my god." I said, I had a feeling I knew what he was going to say.
"She said she slept with 3 different guys and gave one guy head for coke." I tried so hard not to laugh cause I knew this was serious. My jaw dropped to the floor.
"Holy shit dude." I said and paused, Joe was quiet and I was still holding in my laughs. "Are you fucking with me?" I asked him, then I heard a little laugh from him so I knew it was okay to let mine out.
"No I'm not fucking with you." He laughed again. "She said she didn't even knew their names and she's ashamed of it and hates she did it."
"Well she fuckin sure should. I mean fuck, she slept with dudes to get her fix? I'm sorry Joe but that's ho-ish behavior."
"I know but in a way we're even, I cheated on her first." He said, I sighed.
"Joe, that's not the same shit. You messed around with one girl, one or two times and at least it wasn't for something, you actually knew her name. Cate willingly fucked and sucked," I started to say, we both started laughing. I had to contain myself after a second to keep talking. "Sorry, I shouldn't talk about her like that. But she did you know what with randoms, willingly and full consciously knowing that she did it, so she could get high off drugs. Is that really a girl you wanna be with?" I asked, he went quiet. "If anything, it makes your cheating scenario look like a walk in the park."
"Well that's why I called you, what should I do?"
"I mean, I know you love her and you want to be with her, you know when she's better, but is it really worth waiting for? Do you really believe she'll change or even stop doing drugs?" He went quiet again, for a little longer than before. "Joe? You there?"
"Yeah, I'm here.." He said.
"I'm sorry. I don't mean to say it that way to you or make you feel bad, I'm sure that letter did enough. But just know I'm here for you. I've had my share of her delusions but I feel like she took it too far with this one. If I were you, I would just cut off contact completely and live your own life, no sense in being with someone who was clearly dating you, wanted to be with you, but still let other guys dip their dicks in. That's one thing about me, I may seem quiet and a bit shy but I get down when it comes to protecting my friends. And right now, you don't need that Joe." I told him. "Save yourself from any more hurt. I promise you someone is out there that's just right for you. In fact, I have someone I could possibly try to set you up with." I playfully but sort of seriously said.
"I'm not sure I'm ready to meet anyone new. In all honesty, I could really use a drink right now." He said, I sighed.
"I know Joe, but you can't okay? You're doing great with recovery and please just please don't let her ruin this good thing in your life."
"I won't do anything, I just said I could use one. But thank you Ly, seriously. I'm glad I called you. You're such a great friend to me and I just hope you know how much I appreciate you."
"It's no problem. I'll always be here."
"So who did you have in mind?"
"Huh? Oh! Um, so yeah, you'd actually have to come to California for that." I said and let out a little laugh.
"Oh god, is it your sister?" He laughed with me.
"Maybe...but hey, she's a woman dude. She takes care of herself like no other, and she's the sweetest person ever." I told him.
"Hmm, she doesn't know you would try setting us up huh?"
"Well obviously I'd tell her, but you'd have to want it first." I said.
"Maybe. I'll think about it and let you know." I smiled.
"Okay, no rush, we have all summer." He laughed. "Hey but don't respond to that letter okay? Just forget about it for now."
"Oh I will. We have all summer right?" I smiled again.
"Right. Alright Joe, well I'll talk to you later okay? Ashton's waking up now. You take care of yourself okay? And remember, I'm here if you need anything, just remember the time zones." I said, we both laughed.
"Okay, thanks again Ly. We'll talk soon." He hung up the phone right after. I sighed and leaned against the rail. I couldn't believe what I just heard but somehow I can literally say I'm not surprised of the damage she's done. It's just a matter of time before I get a letter, she probably cheated on me too.