Page 20 of Before You
There’s a vulnerability in her face as she waits for my answer to one of the last things I said to her in France before we parted.I wonder what she would say if she knew about the box of letters addressed to her just upstairs in my room?
“Yes, I do,” I say, as my brain screams at me to go for another run.
Marley smiles at me, and I commit every single one of her features to memory. “I hope you’re right,” she whispers, reading my mind.
My entire body is trembling, fighting the urge to close the distance between us that feels more like the Grand Canyon than a small kitchen, to feel her soft lips on mine. I won’t make her a cheater, knowing it’ll break her heart more than it’s probably already going to when she finds out Trent’s cheating on her—even if it means further breaking my heart in the process to stand in the background watching.
“Me too.”
CHAPTER SIX
Marley
MY FINGERS STRUM over the guitar strings as I play the same melody again, trying to put words to it in my head.
I shake my head, glaring at the notebook open on the bed beside me. The page is blank and has been for a couple of weeks now. All I have for this new song is the melody.
A knock on my door startles me, and Bria pokes her head in. “Mar, you know I love you, but if I hear you play the same thing one more time, I might kill you.”
“Sorry, I’m stuck,” I say, not even caring if she can hear me play—that’s how frustrated I am. Before moving in, I would have been embarrassed if she could hear me playing, but now I’m using it as exposure therapy to take baby steps toward playing in front of others.
Bria falters, opening the door further to step in. “Is everything okay?” she asks, sitting next to me on the bed.
“Yeah, I guess.” I shrug and set my guitar down next to me. “Have you heard from Asher?” I ask, trying to sound upbeat, and she rolls her eyes.
“Of course, I heard from him,” she says, but she doesn’t hide the smile tugging at her lips very well.
“And?” I hug my knees to my chest, hoping to hear her say she’s giving Asher a chance.
“And what?”
Of course she’s going to be difficult about this.“Has Asher heard from you?” I ask, rephrasing my question to the one I should have asked.
“I haven’t decided if I’m going to respond,” Bria says, but I’m not sure if I believe her. She tilts her head to the side, watching me. “What’s on your mind?”
Everything. Nothing. JJ. Trent.JJ. Home.
“I honestly don’t even know. It’s probably why I’m struggling to put lyrics to the music. Sorry, I’m not trying to make you crazy.” I’m definitely making myself crazy, though.
“We both know I’m already crazy, but maybe talking about whatever it is might help you figure it out?” she suggests, but I feel like if I say it out loud then it becomes real. Bria sees right through my hesitation, immediately calling me on my bullshit. “It’s JJ, isn’t it? He’s what you don’t know.”
“We’re friends,” I protest.I’m awful.
“Is that what you want?”
“I’m with Trent.”
Bria shrugs, her dark hair slipping over her shoulder. “So? People break up all the time. Do you want to be with Trent?”
“Yes. I like him a lot.”Liar.
“I’ve heard you talk more about JJ since seeing him again than I’ve heard you talk about Trent the entire time you’ve been together. I’m honestly a little shocked you’re still dating after the way you looked at JJ when you realized Trent’s roommate was him,” she says.
“I was surprised,” I protest, but I don’t think she buys it for a moment.
“You were starstruck.”
“How else was I supposed to look after finally accepting I’d never see him again? I’ve moved on, Bria.”
