(Ben's POV)

I looked down at my phone curiously.

Three new messages from an unknown number

I pressed on the messages to view them, wondering who had reached out to me. Hopefully, it wasn't the paparazzi.

Might be: Ashley Sparks

I rolled my eyes. Greeeaaat. Well then, what do these messages say?

7:30 AM

Ashley: It's Ashley btw, still
thinking about our kiss 😘

Ashley: Hey, you there?

Ashley: I think you're very
handsome

10:30 AM

                                                          Ben: How did you get this number?

Ashley: Do you want to
know?

Ben: Now that I think
of it, no, I don't

Ashley: It's better that no
questions are asked...

Ben: Um... yeah I'm out.
P.s. the only place I'll be
thinking about our kiss
is in nightmares

I grinned to myself as I typed out the postscript. Maybe that would make her back off.

I turned my attention back to the breakfast I was making. My tongue poked out of the corner of my mouth as I focused on the eggs. The trick was kinda using the spatula as a shovel, like you're picking up snow and slowly shoving it to the other end. You continued this movement until all of the egg was then sitting neatly in a pile, perfectly scrambled, light, and fluffy.

"Breakfast is ready!" I shouted exuberantly, doing a little jig in front of my perfectly scrambled eggs.

Ever scrambled to the bench on one side of the table, and held out her plate expectantly.

I chuckled and put some of the scrambled eggs on her plate. She disregarded her fork and immediately started digging, using her fingers to pick up the egg and then eat it.

Mike was grumbling slightly, his hair suffering from a bad case of bead head as he sipped his coffee, still not fully awake.

As soon as he had finished his cup of coffee, his eyes became considerably brighter. "Alright, bring on the eggs!" He said energetically. I raised an eyebrow but served him a large heaping of the eggs. He started shoveling in the eggs while keeping one eye on the newspaper.

"Glad to see your appetite is unaffected." I chuckled. He looked up curiously. "Why would my appetite be affected?" He asked. I raised both of my eyebrows. "You do know that the Will Poi guy and Zoe got back together a few days after your game, right?" He shrugged. "Oh, yeah, that. I'm not so bothered by it anymore."

Ever looked up, her voice in a serious manner. "Good. If she don' think the world of you, you don' deserve ta be bothered by her." She stated. I looked at her, impressed. "Are you sure you're only four? I swear you act more mature than this kid over there." I teased, thumbing at Mike.

Mike let out a good-natured laugh, and answered: "At least I haven't forgotten to shave again." I instinctively ran a hand over my jaw. Smooth as a baby's butt.

"Hey!" I accused jokingly. "Liar!" He shrugged and turned to Ever. "So, Ever, you're going to start preschool soon, right?" She nodded eagerly. "What're you most excited about?" I asked her. She tapped her chin thoughtfully, and then smiled, showing off her slight gap between her two front teeth. "Recess or learning about the world!" I looked at her, once again impressed by the 4-year-old.

It was almost like we were a family, the three of us.

(Erica's POV)

Sweat started to bead on my forehead as I increased the intensity of my workout, pumping my legs as fast as I could on the stationary bike. Here, in my gym, it was serious.

Even more so recently. I never smiled in public anymore. Instead, I had put up a cold exterior and had been dubbed 'The Ice Queen' by Zoe, which had quickly caught fire (how ironic.) and soon that's what I was known as.

I kept human interactions to a minimum, not letting people in anymore, keeping them at an arm's length as to avoid hurt.

One thing was for sure. I still loved him. I knew it every time I saw a picture of him, and got that swooping feeling in my stomach.

He seemed pretty happy lately. I knew he was involved with raising the kid whom Mike had adopted, which probably cheered him up.

The only person I had for company was my dog Pax, and occasionally my mother.

I needed to get over him. It was a burning obsession that was filling my mind. Once I got over him, I would be ok. I hoped. There was a little doubt niggling at the back of my mind, saying that I would never get over him.

But I would. I had to. Could I? Why can't I get over him? Did I love him? What did it mean if I did? And the biggest question: how in the world were you supposed to get over someone?

(Josh's POV)

I stared at the ceiling of my room. Everything was quiet. There was no noise. No whispered sentences. No mattresses creaking gently.

I couldn't believe that Ashley was gone. I had loved her. And it was all his fault that she was gone. That sorry, sick son of a-.

Stop while you're ahead Joshua. I reminded myself. Oh whatever, I'm already going to hell.

I reflected back on what I had done. I had cheated on Erica and hurt her. Then, out of spite, I had broken up her and her new boyfriend, who she had seemed to be really happy with.

What was that feeling? Was it... regret? I was feeling regretful?

I flopped onto my mattress. What had this breakup done to me? Now I was a sappy pathetic lump lying on my bed.

Worst of all, I actually felt guilty. So I was a guilty, sappy pathetic lump lying on my bed.

How could I ever make up for what I had done? The only answer was that I couldn't. So why bother trying?

I had made my bed. Now I had to lie in it.