A Little bit of Shade

F O R T Y

I stand in the Starbucks, waiting for my drink. Work had just ended and I wanted to stop on my way home. I get the drink, venti cotton candy frappe-chino, and head out, starting to walk back home. As I open the door to leave and step out, someone runs into me.

"I'm so sorry!" He says, stepping back, having the drink all over both of us. "I'm sorry, I wasn't looking" I say, wiping some of the drink off. "Are you okay? Can I buy you another drink?" He asks. I finally look at him. He was my age with big, curly hair.

"That's okay, I really just want to get home" I say, picking up the now empty cup and throwing it out. "At least let me buy you a new sweatshirt" he says. "Here's my number, I'll take you shopping one time" he says, pulling out his phone.

After I got home and changed, Jack and I text for a while. It wasn't weird or awkward, just normal, like we'd been friends for years. We planned to go shopping together on Friday.

It was one of the best decisions I had ever made.

•••

4 years later

I kiss Hayley goodbye at the airport, ending my two year relationship with her. We knew when I went back to L.A after school we'd end too, so it wasn't too hard, but I still missed her.

I landed in L.A, texting Christina. She came to pick me up. We laughed and caught up while sitting in Starbucks. She was the only one who knew I was home.

Throughout the years, Daniel and I broke up. I called it off throughout the second year, I lost touch with all of them and they were moving on. The beginning of third year, Daniel met someone knew, photos from paparazzi showed up everywhere. I knew it would happen.

The guys got super famous and eventually stopped calling. This year, they split up and took a break from music. Corbyn and Christina moved in together, getting engaged.

She explains to me what everyone else is doing. Jonah and Tate were still going strong, Jonah working on his solo music.

Jack started traveling, a lot. He wasn't in a relationship currently, but had dated a few girls through the years.

Daniel had just broken up with the girl, apparently he was cold with her and everyone else, he turned into a prick.

And Zach was still young, so he started his own solo music, still living in L.A.

"You still wear the ring?" Christina asks. I lift my hand up and show her. "I never stopped" I sigh. "You know, he's only the way he is because of you, he didn't want anyone else and waited for you. When you called it off, he was heart broken and became this cold man" she explains.

"Maybe you being back can fix him" she says. "I haven't spoken to him in over two years, none of them know I'm here" I say, sipping my drink. "You haven't even told Jack?! He's home right now" she asks, shocked. "Should I text him?" I ask. She nods.

Jack, I'm back in L.A. want to meet up?

He answers right away. I tell him that I'm in Starbucks, the same one we met at, and he rushes to get here.

"Kylie!" He yells, running at me and tackling me to the ground. "Jack, I missed you!" I say, laughing and hugging him. He helps me up off of the floor and we sit back down.

"Does everyone know you're back?" He asks. "No, only you and Chris so far" I say. "Can we tell them? I still have the group chat" he asks, pulling out his phone. "Sure" I say, nervously.

What will Daniel say? Will he even want to see me? Oh god, I don't know if I can do this.

"Wait" I say. He stops typing and looks up at me. "Does Daniel hate me?" I ask. He laughs. "He waited for you all these years"

"What about that girl he dated?" I ask. He laughs again. "She was publicity, they didn't even like each other. He resented her because she wasn't you" he explains.

I relax, smiling to myself, but I feel guilty. I was with Hayley while he waited for me. I wore his ring everyday I was with Hayley. I'm an awful person.

"Okay, I think they're all coming" Jack says, setting his phone down. "So what was college like? Did you meet anyone? Did you have a new best friend?" He asks.

I explain everything before all four guys arrive. Surprisingly, Daniel did show up. I hug them all, missing having them around.

I hug Daniel last. "I missed you so much" he whispers. "I missed you too" I say. We all sit at a table and catch up. As everyone talks, I notice Daniel looked at my hand as I held my drink and smiled to himself. "You still wear it?"

"I never took it off" I say. He smiles again. "I'm so glad you're back" he says. "Me too" I smile.

No way I can tell him about Hayley.

"I started my solo career" he says. "I heard, congratulations" I say. "Every show I had, I found myself searching the crowd for you"

"I wanted to go, it's just we all lost touch so I never knew if I should go" I explain. "I get it, it's okay" he grabs my hand. It's odd at first, but eventually feels perfectly normal again. "I'm sorry I stopped calling and texting all the time"

"Me too, I got lost in school work and my book" I add. "I read it" he says. "You did? Did you like it?" I ask. He nods, smiling.

"It was interesting, but I'm sorry that you went through everything you did" he squeezes my hand slightly. "She helped me write the parts before I was born and a lot of the things she did before she left" I explain.

"That's great, it seemed like she went through a lot too" he says. We rejoin the others conversation. Catching up with all of them.

I missed this.

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This is officially the end of the book. Thank you all for reading and thank you to everyone who voted, commented, and shared the story.

Hope you all enjoyed!

-K