A Story Worth Telling

Chapter 19

Meet me where you ruined everything between us.

The text was short, sweet, and to the point. He knows what place I'm talking about. It was the same place where it started and the exact same place it ended as well. Hopefully this time it'll be the place where he fixes everything he messed up.

After my short talk with Chase, I realized I did deserve the truth and it may be the only thing I'm willing to get from him. I'll have decided after if he's worth my forgiveness or not. He better have a damn good reason, or he can kiss our friendship or whatever future we would've had goodbye.

After school I started walking to the spot he took me to. As soon as the familiar area came into view my chest starts constricting with pain as I recall what happened the last time we were here together. Not wanting to seem like I was crying before he gets here I wipe my eyes and calm my breathing as my face slowly goes back to normally. Sitting down I begin to hear footsteps and I tense knowing it's him as he nears me.

"I didn't think you'd text me to meet you." I hear Alex say quietly behind me. Not turning around I scoff at him before I reply. "I only want answers and the truth. That's the only reason I'm talking to you right now." I hear a slight chuckle before he comes to sit beside me. "Fair enough Shorty." Turning to him sharply I glare at the side of his face. "You lost the right to call me that." I hiss at him making the subtle smile drop from his face.

"I know and I'm sorry. No amount of apologies will ever make up for what I did." He says softly not meeting my eyes. "Then why did you do it? Why did you make me feel like I was less than nothing and then refuse to tell me the truth. I deserve that much." I whisper while letting my eyes drift towards the ground as the wind blows my hair covering my face as if knowing I'm going to cry again. "I never meant for you to feel like that. I thought by doing what I did I was protecting you." Rolling my eyes I move my hair out my face before shaking my head at his nonsense. "Protecting me from what? And how was that going to accomplish anything?" I ask him. He opens his mouth to answer but before he gets the chance I continue. "I like you Alex and when I thought we could be something you throw my feelings in my face when you telling me you regret the kiss, coming to me, being my friend and when I ask for the truth you brush me off like it never happened." After my mini rant, his face grows more and more guilty as my words hit him. 

Good.

"I really like you Sam, I do." He finally says after a few moments. Snorting I look away. "You have a funny way of showing it." I say before silence falls between us. Not soon after he breaks that silence. "I don't know where to start in my explanation honestly." He says sighing to himself. Raising an eyebrow, I turn to him to see he's already looking at me. "How about the truth. The one thing I've been asking for this whole time." I reply back.

After thinking for a bit he sighs once more and begins. "I thought if I pushed you away, I'd protect you from Dayton." He finally says. Shocked I look at him confused on how he had anything to do with this. "How would that protect me from him? What does he have to do with this?" I ask him. "I guess I'd have to start from the beginning huh?" He says jokingly. Nodding my head I refuse to smile at his jokes until after I've heard everything. "Well back when we were kids me and Dayton was actually close friends." He starts. "What happened then? From when I met him he seemed like anything but your friend." I interrupt him. Laughing he shakes his head before sending me smirk making me roll my eyes. "I was getting there Shorty. Your going to have to let me talk and not interrupt until I'm done okay?" He asks me. I resist the urge to tell him not to call me that again before I nod and let him continue.

"We were friends. Back in elementary school. The reason we're not so buddy buddy now is because he thought I left him. Towards the end of our elementary school years, Chase moved here with Emily and being the social butterfly I was, I wanted to make even more friends. I started talking and hanging out with Chase. Dayton started to feel jealous and like I was replacing him no matter how many times I reassured him he was still my friend too and that we could all be friends. At first he was fine with it but eventually it went from all three of us to slowly just me and Chase." He pauses for a minute as if the next part of his story he didn't want to share. "I still fail to realize how this has anything to do with me. I never knew any of you until recently." I say honestly confused on how Alex thought he would have to protect me from Dayton when in fact it sounds like I have nothing to do with anything.