Page 49 of Our Forever Starts Tonight

As shocking as it was that Capito was there, it was even more shocking when Hannah reached up and whacked me across the back of the head. “Ow! Why?!”

“You are such a chicken shit!” she screeched.

“What?” I said. “You’re the one who’s been telling me to let it go.”

“Yeah, let it go, not continue to keep her hanging on and then shame her afterwards. I’m beginning to think you reallyarejust as bad as Ceradi.” There was fury in her face that I’d never seen before. “I think it’s a bad idea, but if you’re going to do it, then you need to do it. If you’re not going to get over yourself then you need to leave her alone.” She looked me up and down then hissed, “Dick,” and stormed off towards her car, getting in and starting it up and screeching off right away.

“That was unexpected,” I said.

Capito nodded. “Yeah. She’s right though.”

“Yeah…” I looked up at Capito, knowing that he had very little of the story and wondering if that would make his advice more or less helpful. “What would you do if you were me? I wanna be with her, but Ceradi isn’t going to let that happen without a fight.”

“You just gotta decide what means more to you, man,” Capito said. “I don’t know, I think if I had a girl that really cared about me, I wouldn’t give a shit what Ceradi thought.” He made an awkward, twisted expression with his face before continuing. “I know this sounds weird, but back in there when you defended Aria, I really felt that, ya know? I hate being one of these people. That’s the first time I really felt like maybe we’re not all bad. I kinda thought you were as bad as Ceradi too. My parents can’t stand you.”

“Hey,” I said.

He shrugged. “You’re one hell of an actor.”

I swallowed hard. It didnotsound like a compliment. “Why does it have to be one or the other? Why can’t I be with someone I care about so much and keep you guys as friends?”

“That’s how shit shakes out I guess,” Capito said. “Anyway, if you run off and start dating some chick you’re in love with, regardless of what Ceradi does, that’s not gonna create any problems between you and me, and it seems like Hannah’s got your back too.”

“Thanks,” I replied. “Why do we choose to put up with this shit?”

“I don’t know man, maybe we’re stupid.”

I laughed. “I keep fucking things up with Aria, so I am for sure.”

19

Aria

“Fuck,” I barked as I dropped yet another bowl, shattering it on the ground.

I was at work, in the middle of serving chili for the afternoon lunch, but every time I thought about Tristan I got angry all over again, and my hands shook so much that I was dropping things left and right. Kneeling down, I started collecting the shards of the bowl, trying extra hard not to cut my hands even more, which I’d done already twice that day.

“Aria, can you please be more careful?” my coworker Henri said softly. “Any more glass on the floor and we’re going to have to close down the cafeteria.”

“I’m not doing it on purpose,” I snapped, and he recoiled.

“Whoa,” Travis, another one of my coworkers, said. “He’s just reminding you, Aria. Relax. We know you’re not doing any of this on purpose, you’re just usually more careful.”

“I’m not allowedonebad day?” I screeched. “You two certainly fuck around enough.”

“Hey!” Zameera barked, having stepped out into the line. Even some of the homeless men and women who’d shown up for the meal were steering clear of me. Zameera stood to the side and pointed towards the back. “Off the line, now.” I opened my mouth to argue, but she held her hand up. “I don’t want to hear it. Get in the back now.”

My nose was already burning as I fought to hold my frustration back, but my eyes were blurring as I passed Zameera and fell under her direct scrutiny. I kept my head low and listened as she walked out to the line to apologize to those people who had heard me snap. She told Henri and Travis to give her some time, and I’d be back with an apology.

“Don’t bother,” Travis said. “If she’s gonna be like that, we’re better off without her out here.”

“Agreed,” Henri said.

I supposed I deserved that for the way I was acting, and I sunk down into one of the break room chairs and dropped my head to the table. It probably wouldn’t be too difficult to call out sick at this point, no one wanted me there anyway. I just wanted to go home and crawl in bed.

“Aria, look at me,” Zameera said in a stern tone. I lifted my head and looked up at her, tears already plucking at the corners of my eyes. “You need to explain yourself right now. That kind of behavior isnotokay.”

“I’m sorry,” I whimpered. “I’m having a bad day.”

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