Page 114 of Sunflower Persona
“No,” I say, putting my foot down. “That’s not a good idea.”
“Why not? You can’t hang out with your friends because your ex will be there?”
“Yes.”
“Bullshit. You both are acting like fucking children.”
“Says the man who wanted to use me to make his ex jealous.”
For a moment, the infuriating man is rendered speechless. I should get a prize for that one. It’s a feat I doubt I’ll be able to pull off again.
“Okay. That’s fair,” he concedes.
“I don’t want to avoid any of you, but I’m staying away for Gage’s sake. You saw what happened at Friendsgivmas. We aren’t ready to be friends again. Maybe one day, but right now, he needs you all more than I do, so I’m walking away.”
“Giving him space doesn’t mean you have to abandon us completely. We can be friends independent of him, and if you had responded to any of our messages, you would know that.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry.”
God, I’m an awful friend.
“So you’ll stop this ignoring-us shit?”
“Yes. I promise I’ll respond.”
“Good. Because you’re stuck with me, Kor.”
“Like an incurable disease.”
“Exactly,” he says with a cheeky grin.
With his arm still slung over my shoulder, we walk toward the student center. He fills the air with mindless chatter, and with each step, it becomes more and more apparent that I missed this idiot. I didn’t realize how attached I got to Gage’s friends. How could I when he monopolized all my attention?
I definitely need to apologize to the others. Not only for trying to ghost them, but also for being so wrapped up in my romantic relationship that I neglected all the other budding friendships.
But that’s a future Kori problem. Because even if I do want to keep them, I still need to branch off on my own. I need to know I have people who are strictly on my side.
“This is me,” I say as we come to the front of the student center.
Nathan nods and drops his arm from my shoulders but doesn’t walk away. Students move around us as we stand in front of theentrance, giving us dirty looks as they pass. Even then, we linger. The question I’ve been dying to ask bubbles up, dancing along my tongue until I can’t hold it back anymore.
“How is he?” I ask and cringe.
“He’s doing good. Honestly better than I’ve seen him in a long time,” he says.
Oh.
“That’s…good,” I say, but the words lack conviction.
I mean it—I think—even if the thought sends a jolt of pain to my battered heart. He deserves happiness. But I hate that he couldn’t find it with me.
“You’d be proud of him. The circumstances suck, but you were the kick in the ass he’s been waiting for. So he’s trying to get better. Not to win you back or anything, but because you were right, and you got through to him when none of us could.”
The love that refuses to wither and die swells in my chest. I’ve always known he was capable of doing anything he put his mind to.
“That is good,” I tell him with more certainty, “but I really should get going…”
“Of course. But text Evelyn, and don’t be a stranger.”
