Sweet Like Honey

26.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Lennen asks Duke for the hundreth time. Once Duke had reassured everyone he was okay, they decided to leave Santa Monica because no one was really up for anything after all that just occured. 

"I'm fine, Lennen," Duke responds, again. He appreciated that she cared enough to ask him over and over again. What he didn't understand is why his best friend would want to be with someone like Jonas? Duke saw the way she interacted with Jonas, and he could clearly see that Lennen was not the same person he knew. "Why are you even with Jonas?" Duke didn't mean for it to come out so bluntly, but he wanted to know what was going through Lennen's head. 

"Honestly, right now, I have no idea. Things were so good in the beginning and it seemed like what a fairytale would be like, but now, he's just not the same person. He makes me feel like I'm trapped in a box, and it's a little suffocating, if I'm being honest. His main problem is that he doens't like how close we are," Lennen answers. Duke's question got her thinking if she should continue seeing Jonas, because of how he makes her feel. Despite how hard they tried to make things work, her and Jonas just weren't the same as when they first started dating. 

Lennen did truly like and care for Jonas, but she wasn't sure why he didn't trust her. She has told him time after time that she and Duke were just friends, and nothing more. The two most important things in a relationship is trust and communication, which was something they were clearly lacking. She did want things with Jonas to work out, they just had a lot to work on. They both weren't perfect and had made mistakes that could easily be fixed. Though for right now, Lennen thinks they could use some time apart to think about things they really want. 

"You deserve to be happy, Lennen. If Jonas is making you feel like this, then maybe you shouldn't be with him anymore." Duke cared for Lennen, much like he cared for Kiana. Even though their relationship didn't work out, he always wanted what's best for her. After seeing her interact with Jonas, he realized that Jonas wasn't going to be the one that would make Lennen happy, at least not long term. 

"I'm not sure what I'm going do. I do like and care for him, and I do wish things between us could work out. He's not a bad guy, he's just not good at expressing himself in the right way. We've both made mistakes and have things we need to sort out. I think we just need some time apart to get our heads together and truly know what we want." Lennen didn't get in a relationship with just anybody, they had to be special. She knew that there was something special about Jonas, that's what attracted him to her in the first place. He wasn't perfect, and that's one thing Lennen admired about him. Many people saw Jonas as a god-like figure, someone who could never make mistakes, but they didn't know him like Lennen did. Over the past five months, she was able to see Jonas in a way that most people had never seen before. They often argued, but they always found a way to figure things out, realizing that they cared too much about each other to let it ruin their relationship.

"I told you he was bad news, Lennen," Oliver chimes in from the backseat. Despite only being a freshman, Oliver heard just about everything there is to know about Jonas. Oliver did appreciate the fact that he had skill on the soccer field, but he was not a fan of Jonas as a person. He treated his sister like property, not a girlfriend. Lennen was her own person, and she was always one to be independent. It was also obvious that Oliver just wanted his sister and Duke to get back together. He noticed how different she was than when she was dating Duke. she seemed happier, and not as stressed out. Though, he does understand that she's going through a lot more now than she was a year ago. "He's not treating you right." 

"Oliver, I appreciate that you want to look out for me, but I do know how to take care of myself. Besides, you should focus on your relationship. Paige is a sweet girl and I really want good things for you guys. And I know you aren't a big fan of Jonas, but dating him is my decision, not yours. I'll figure things out," Lennen reassures her little brother. She loved Oliver to pieces, but she wasn't loving how involved he wanted to be in her relationship. Her relationships were always something she kept between her and her significant other. She didn't think she had to broadcast her relationship for everyone to know what was going on. She liked to keep a lot of things in her life private. 

"We just want what's best for you," Duke tells her, backing up Oliver in this debate. He knew how much Lennen had going on in her life right now, and he didn't think all the problems she was having with Jonas was helping. They fought constantly, never being able to be happy for a long period of time. 

"Yeah I know, but I really can handle this by myself." Lennen was happy to have people in her life that supported her as much as Oliver and Duke did. She knew her life would be drastically different without the two of them in it, and she was forever grateful. 

They had eventually pulled up to the Petty's residence, and it still made Lennen stare in awe every time. Steve was obviously a successful business man, running a multi-million dollar company with Graham. Elizabeth was the most successful lawyer in Orange County, and not to mention the money that had been handed down from Steve's grandfather, seeing as Steve was his only grandchild. 

"You always do that," Duke laughs, looking at Lennen's facial expression, eyes wide and mouth hung open. Duke knew that he lived life better than most kids, and he never once took it for granted. He was grateful for all the hard work his parents did to make sure he and his sister grew up in a secure and stable environment. "Even after we've lived in this house for six years."

"I'm still not used to it," Lennen laughs. It was a beautiful house and Lennen couldn't help but still be amazed by its gorgeous exterior and even more extravagant interior. 

"I know. We'll see you guys soon." Duke and Kiana get out of Lennen's car and Oliver trades in his backseat for the passenger seat, now that Duke was home. The two wave goodbye to their family friends and head back to their house, ready to be home and relax after their stressful day.