I kissed the Golden boy

Chapter 21 - A mistake

The roses were beautiful. The card also had a pink rose with white lilys on it. Also beautiful.  But what was written inside the card made my eyebrows furrow. What did he meant by apologizing? He hadn't done anything to me. Well... except the fact that he dragged me into his relationship problems with Tiffany.
I don't understand anymore what's going on.
I am still standing outside of our school, the bouquet pressed to my side. The card open between my fingers. I lift my eyes to look at my mom, but she is already talking to a friend of her.
Mentally I start to take notes, trying to figure out how I had ended in this situation.
First of all, I had ignored my inner voice and went to the Crazy Monkeys party. Then I went upstairs to find Matt but bumped into Jordan instead. He had just dumped Tiffany and came out from their mother's bedroom. He grabbed me by my arm and started dragging me downstairs. Tiffany saw that and I run into the kitchen, ready to leave the party. Somehow or for some reason, Jordan had me included into his break up. He pulled me into the hallway closet and after talking shit about my brother, I kissed him. Worst decision ever.
I was so embarrassed after that so I tried to avoid him. But since he sit behind me or close to me in every class, it was merely impossible. He glanced at me once in a while, kicking my chair legs to annoy me.
A week later Jason attended a party that was held in Decker's house. He got into a fist fight with him and drank until he passed out. Matt called me to pick him up and when the guys went to load into the car, Parker assaulted me in the kitchen. Luckily Decker came in on the right moment and pushed him off me. He protected me, knocking lights out of the bastard that was ready to rape me.
On the next night we had the school's dance and annoyingly I was picked to play that stupid chair game with Decker. How the hell I had the opportunity to pick the name slip from the bowl and still end up paired with Decker? God hates me, I remind myself.
If I had tried to distance myself from Jordan, that game brought us closer together that anything else in the world. Literally, closer together because I had to sit in his lap, straddling him.
And then there was that moment in the car. He told me we could never have anything between us, didn't matter if I had a crush on him or something else factoring in.
But I can't be wrong and like Jason pointed out, Jordan was ready to kiss me for some reason. My brother said his body language indicated it but he could have been wrong.
Thought I sat on my bed that night and replayed the scene in my head again.
He was making me feel so confused. And now this. The roses and the card was handed to me by my mother, and not by him.
He had spent his share of the 100 dollars we won in the game and brought me flowers. And he apologized.
For all?

I sit in my empty bedroom, the bedsheets ruffled under my butt. It is 7 am and in an hour I would be standing in the departures section of the airport. I stare at the roses and take in a sharp breath. I need to see him before he leaves. To ask him what this all is about.
I hear my mom yell something from downstairs but my bedroom door muffles the sound. I figure it is time for me to go and I grab my handbag from the desk.
When I walk down the stairs, Matt is standing at the end of it.
"What are you doing here?" I ask him and stop at the last step.
"I came to say goodbye, of course. You figured I wouldn't want to see you before you left?" He asks and tilts his head slightly to the left. His lips form a straight line and I can see that he is sad.
I take the last step and pull him into a embrace.
"You stupid jerk, of course not. I was thinking maybe you had a date or something. That girl, Sara.." I start to chuckle and he presses his palm against my lips.
"Don't say it. I already know. She is annoying, and not so nice."
I pull back.
"These weren't the words I was looking for."
"No? But its the truth."
I pull him back against my chest and put my hands around his neck. My lips almost touch his ear when I whisper.
"You are amazing. Don't settle. Find your missing piece of puzzle." He hugs me back.
"Thank you Juliet, I won't. And we already broke up."
I smile against his neck and lower my head on his shoulder.
"Good. I am going to miss you." I say.
"So do I."
The front door opens and Jason steps in, Colleen behind her.
"Get your hands off my sister." Jason barks and his eyes darken.
Matt takes a step back but I don't let go of his arm.
"You can say what ever you please but this doesn't mean I have to listen to you." Matt raises our combined hands.
"One day, when she hasn't been snatched away by a guy, I will marry her." I watch as Matt continues to poke the beast that is my over protective brother.
"One more word and you are done." Jason's facial expression changes and it seems he doesn't understand that Matt is just joking.
"Bring it. Let me see what you've got." Matt takes a step forward and shakes off my hand.
"Oh, I will show you..." Jason also leaves Colleen behind him and takes two steps toward Matt.
But before I can step between them, both guys start to chuckle.
Colleen and I look at each other, struck by their behavior.
"Is this a inner joke or are we in some kind of an alternative world?" Colleen moves to stand beside my brother.
Matt starts to laugh loudly and brings the attention of mom.
"Breakfast is ready. All of you get in the kitchen ASAP." She yells behind the kitchen door. My focus returns to my brother and Matt wiping their eyes with the sleeves of their shirts.
I know for a fact that Matt would never marry me, even if it was just a joke. We were friends. Soulmates but never eligible to have a relationship more than friendship between us. Therefore we promised to each other that what ever happened in the future, we would never fall in love with each other. The scar of the blood promise still was visible on my palm.
All of head into the kitchen to fill our stomachs with pancakes, waffles and bacon. I was the last time I got served as a queen at this table. Jason poured a cup of coffee, Matt drizzled some maple syrup on my waffles and all of them watched me eat.
I cut a piece and put it in my mouth. I raised my eyes for the second time to look at them and no one was touching their food.
"What?" I stopped chewing, my mouth half full.
"Nothing!" Jason said, a wide smirk painted his lips.
I dropped my fork on the plate and shoved it away from me.
"If you keep staring, I'm not eating." I said.
"Oh honey, don't mind them. Eat you waffles. They are just sad about you leaving." She took a swig of her orange juice and placed the glass in the sink.
"Oh, no. I'm not sad. Inside I am jumping up and down from joy because she is leaving." Jason leaned both of his elbows on the kitchen table and put his jaw on his palms.
"Hey.." I threw my napkin at him and smiled. He looked so adorable, still annoying but adorable.
"You shouldn't be so happy. She is going to a university, known by its crazy parties and frat houses." Matt retaliated and the smile on Jason's face faded faster than a blink of an eye.
"I didn't think of that. I just thought about her huge bedroom that is becoming mine." Jason looked at Colleen with worry.
There was something going on with these three but I had no time to figure it out.
"We should get going. I don't want to miss the check-in." I stood, wiped my mouth with Matt's napkin and threw it on my plate.
"Jason will drive you. I need to get to work." My mom said, tears forming in her eyes. Suddenly she pulled me into her embrace, her hands circling my body.
"Come home as soon as you can. Promise me!" The last part she whispered into my ear.
"I promise, mom. I promise I will visit before Christmas." I reply.
We walk to the door and Matt takes two of my suitcases. He heads out and Jason takes the lonely suitcase still by the stairs. I grab my handbag and kiss mom on her forehead. She waves us goodbye when I sit in the Audi and pull the door closed.
When Jason backs out from the driveway, mom waves at me one more time and then walks inside.
In the airport, I hug everyone and talk to Colleen in private for a second. From the moment she stepped in our home today morning, I wanted to pull her aside and ask a question that needed an answer.
"When does Jordan's flight leave? And what gate?" I ask her and she looks at her wrist watch, her eyes widening.
"In 5 minutes. Gate nr.18." She replies and I hug her goodbye.
After I check in and give away my luggage, I don't walk into the lounge to relax but start looking for the gate number.
I notice Decker sitting in the lounge area, laptop open on his lap. He is wearing a pair of huge headphones and stumping his feet in the rhythm of a song.
I can't go in New York, without comforting him about the apology card and flowers.