Lydia | ✔️

(25)

"Hey," Johnny sheepishly smiled from where he stood.

Carter straightened up and stared with a narrow glare, although he kept quiet which Lydia was grateful for. She was at a loss for words as it was and she was sure that the two of them conversing would make it worse.

"What are you doing here?" Lydia almost felt stupid for asking.

"I came as soon as I heard," he set the flowers down on the small table at the bed end and slid his hands into his pockets. "I came with Dallas and Drayton. They're out talking to the nurses and paying for a room upgrade."

She couldn't help but laugh at that. However, she laughed alone and if possible, it made the tension in the room worse. Carter was visibly rigid which was impossible to miss. Johnny seemed to notice and pursed his lips with an awkward smile. Lydia knew that she couldn't avoid the subject. He had just caught them kissing.

"I'm really sorry Johnny," she twiddled her thumbs as his brows pulled together. "I know that I said that it wasn't like that between Carter and I. But it kinda just happened and I should have been honest because I know that we've been— well I wasn't sur— I don't know if you thought we were like— a thing and so I did—"

"Uh Lydia," Johnny interrupted her babbling which was beginning to leave her breathless. "By any chance did you see the last text message that I sent on Friday night."

The subject of her phone reminded her that she hadn't looked at it since Carter picked her up. She didn't even know where it was considering that she wasn't wearing her own clothes, but a hospital gown instead.

"Here," Carter slid the phone out of his pocket and handed it over with a tight smile. "You left it in the car. I almost forgot I had it on me."

"Thanks," she gave him a brief smile before her glance moved to Johnny and then down to the phone in her hand.

She unlocked it with a slight tremble, unsure of what she'd find. But she was quick to open the message thread that had ended on Friday night.

Hey, now I am off for the night. Have fun at the beach concert. You look so good!

Have fun and be safe ! Aww thanks. Ya think so? You're the best.

Trust me. The girls will be drooling.

Haha yeeeeeeeah. You kinda keep mentioning girls.. I feel like I should disclose that I prefer boys attention 😅

"You're gay?!" She dropped the phone into her lap and stared at Johnny who was blushing with a confirming grin. "Why didn't you tell me?!"

"It just didn't come up I suppose," he shrugged. "You were going through something and I didn't want to make it about me."

"But we were like— kinda flirting!"

"I wasn't to be honest," he winced with an apologetic smile. "That's how I talk with girlfriends. The only reason I pointed it out in that message was because I thought that you wanted me to get some action with a girl and I thought I should correct you on which team I wanted action from."

"What about Jamie?! The unhinged ex you told me about?"

"Jamie is a guy..."