Page 63 of Wasted Memories
This whole time, I kept telling myself it was too soon. Too soon to feel this way for Wesley, too fast for me to move on. But there was no set time frame for which people moved on, no stopwatch tracking the appropriate amount of time you sat heartbroken while life continued moving past.
I could put myself on hold for months thinking that was the best way to deal with my emotions, or I could let myself be happy with the bond I’d formed with Wesley. Deciding I was going to live my life the way I wanted to, I chose the latter.
Too many people were already affected by the turmoil Jett caused. I wouldn’t let it affect Wesley, too.
***
“I’m just saying, the best way to have a s'more is to burn the shit out of the marshmallow.” Brendt laughed as he attempted to blow out the flame engulfing the marshmallow on the end of his stick.
“I prefer not to eat straight char, thank you very much.” Stella stuffed the last of her s’more into her mouth, the graham cracker making a soft crunch. She had changed into a pink sweatshirt and black leggings. Even casual, she looked stunning.
I sat in the chair next to Wesley, my legs dangled across his lap as I silently ate my s’more. He was rubbing my calves as I observed the conversations around me, feeling warmth spread through my chest at how happy it made me feel to have all of us hanging out. Though it wasn’t the same group of people I’d known for so many years, I felt at home with all of them. I felt at home with Wesley.
“Brendt’s just trying to brush off the fact he doesn’t know how to properly toast a marshmallow,” Easton teased.
Brendt was assembling his blackened s’more sandwich when he said, “I’m a marshmallow toasting pro. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Stella smiled, plunking another marshmallow onto a stick. “Prove it.”
He raised an eyebrow at her. “Are you challenging me?”
“If you can brag about your skills, you can prove them.”
A devilish grin grew on his face as he took the stick from her and extended it over the flame. The flame licked at the sugar, then grew over the marshmallow in a matter of seconds. He kept it over the fire for a little longer, then dragged it back, blowing on it with force. The flame disappeared to reveal a ball of blackened sugar. Stella erupted in a fit of laughter.
“All talk and no game, B,” I said while shaking my head with a smile on my face.
Brendt added the burnt marshmallow to his existing s’more, making it a double decker.
“So, Em, have you thought about getting a restraining order?” Easton spoke from his seat next to Wesley, the glow of the fire illuminating his face.
“Way to dampen the mood, East,” Wesley mumbled.
“Today was my fault, not hers,” Stella demanded.
“It wasn’t anyone’s fault,” I said quietly as I stared at the fire. “They’re both just insane and it’s none of our faults.” I could feel Easton’s eyes on me, waiting for an answer. Sighing, I took my legs off Wesley and leaned forward in my seat, my elbows resting on my knees. “I’ve considered it, yeah, but it just feels so harsh.”
“Every way I’ve seen them act towards you is harsh,” Wesley said. I turned my gaze on him, his green eyes glowing in the dim light.
“He’s right, Em. Maybe look into it,” Brendt added.
I turned back to the fire, wishing I didn’t even have to be in a position to think about restraining orders. “I will.”
We sat around the fire for another hour or so, talking and laughing. No one brought up what happened tonight again, and I was thankful for it. I usually hit things head on, but thinking about a restraining order made me feel nauseous. It felt so final, like I was finally pushing those people out of my life for good.
I hated the way they so easily turned on me, how Luke had gone insane and Jett couldn’t seem to understand we’re not getting back together. They’d both been in my life for so long, it was hard to distinguish these different personalities I was seeing come to life from them. Had they been like this all along and I was just too blind to see it? Too thankful to Jett for getting me out of my childhood home to admit to myself what I was seeing right before my eyes?
Wesley patted my knee as he stood up, reaching a hand out to help me out of my seat. I grabbed it and stood. “We’re going to head inside, but feel free to stay as long as you guys would like.”
“I should get going, anyway. Gotta be at the station at eight a.m.” Easton stood up, patting Wesley on the shoulder. “See you later.”
A smile tugged at the corners of Wesley’s mouth. “See ya.” It was sweet seeing them getting along now despite their history.
Stella came over to me, wrapping me in a hug. “Thanks for having my back today, Em. Love you.”
“Love you too, Stells. You know I’ll always back you up.”
She let go and headed for the sliding back door.
