Page 121 of Fear of Falling

“How do you know what she truly thinks about all of this if you haven’t spoken to her?” Trevor added.

“Because I’m not sure I’d survive if she told me she doesn’t want this anymore,” I said softly. The first time I’d spoken the words out loud.

“Dude,” Trevor shot me a look. “We all see how she looks at you. You’d have to be blind not to see how in love with you she is. She’s not going anywhere. She’s literally your perfect match.”

“Look,” Bryton leaned forward. “I’ve been where you are. The press saying nasty things about your girlfriend, having to see her cry and wishing there was a way to stop it. I thought about breaking up with Mila when the hate started. Wanted to protect her any way I could even if it meant leaving her; but my life would suck more without her in it. Handling it together is a whole lot easier than handling it alone.”

I remember the things people said when they found out about Bryton and Mila. The hate, the comments. Way worse than what they’d written about Josie and me.

If Bryton and Mia can make it work, then why couldn’t Josie and me?

I leaned back in my seat as realization hit me.

I’m a fucking idiot.

I almost let some stupid articles ruin the best thing to ever happen to me. Letting people, I didn’t even know get into my head and convince me that to make Josie happy she had to be away from me.

I really am the biggest idiot on the planet. No wonder Landon hung up on me earlier.

I needed to get home. Needed to see Josie and tell her that I loved her.

“I need to go.”

My two best friends grinned and got to their feet.

“We have a plan.”

40

JOSIE

Ilooked at my phone for the hundredth time but saw no notification from Wyatt. It’d been two days since I woke up alone in his bed. Two days of calling and texting him, asking what happened. I knew he was okay, because he was in Buffalo playing, although he’d played like crap and was benched the rest of the game.

At first, I understood that he had to leave to get to his game. He drove hours to be here when he could easily get in trouble for leaving before an away game. But when he wouldn’t answer my texts or calls, I started to get pissed.

He told me he knew I wouldn’t have cheated on him and that everything in that damn article was fake, so why did he leave without a word? Did he decide I wasn’t worth the hassle now that people knew about us?

All different kinds of scenarios came to mind the last two days. Each one worse than the last. Now my head tried to convince me that Wyatt was done and now ghosting me. I knew he wouldn’t do that…yet the thought lingered.

The morning after the paparazzi and the article, I allowed myself twenty minutes to feel upset about it—to hate that it happened and that my name was all over the internet. But notonce did I ever think ‘I can’t do this’, that maybe I should leave because it was all too much.

Was it a lot knowing that someone could snap a picture of me without my permission, simply because I dated Wyatt? That random people knew who I was? Yes. It was way different than the life I’d led but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Not when I had Wyatt by my side.

I knew the moment I fell for Wyatt that things would change in my life. He was a famous athlete. His name was so well known in the sport for his talent and records he’s broken, so it made sense why people were obsessed with him. I knew that, and yet I still fell for him.

So, despite everything that happened over the last few days, I had no plans to run. And I would tell Wyatt that, if he would answer his damn phone.

I knew he had hockey commitments and that the team couldn’t come home until earlier today, but it didn’t lessen the anger I felt over his silence.

My phone pinged, and for a moment, I’d hoped it was Wyatt, only to see a message in the girls group chat.

Let us know if you want us to come over.

Last night the three of them came over and listened to me rant about everything. Even going as far as to cuss out Wyatt which only made me laugh through my tears because I wished he was there too.

You can take tomorrow off if you need.

Lydia added. I’d worked a little today, but once 2 o’clock hit, I couldn’t be there any longer, so she’d let me leave early.

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