Chapter Seventeen.

REINA:

            "So he didn't give you a reason why?" Casey asked. "He didn't even tell you what he did?"

            "No!" I shrieked, slapping my hands on my thighs. "He just said to forget he ever started talking to me again. I've been thinking about everything that I've done and said to him but I can't think of anything Casey. I didn't do a damn thing."

            "Have you tried texting him?"

            "Why would I do that? He clearly doesn't want to talk to me. If I text him, it's going to make me seem desperate."

            "But you are, Reina. That's exactly what you are."

            "Casey." I spat, sending her a death glare. "Stop making me feel even shittier than I already do, okay? I haven't slept in days. I can't think straight."

            "Reina this is just a boy, okay? I know it seems like the end of the world but he's just another boy in the sea of millions. You'll find someone else who cares for you and treats you nothing but the best."

            "But I don't want another boy Casey! Stop acting like my mom right now. Put yourself in my shoes. If Scott just called you randomly and just said to forget him what would you do?"

            She was silent so I knew then that I had proven my point, lying back down into the pillow. I hated every second of silence between Justin and I. I hated it so much.

            "Okay, I get it." She sighed. "I just don't know what to tell you. It's up to him, you know? You can't force someone to love you and that's the shitty thing about life."

            "Not for you." I scoffed. "You've got the perfect damn relationship. Soon to be marriage."

            "Oh my god. Don't remind me. It's literally like a month and a half away. I feel like puking."

            Watching her head over to the mirror, she began to fix her hair. She was going to visit Scott. You could always tell because she got this look in her eye. A happy look.

            "Oh how did that thing go with Jonah?" She asked, holding a brush in one hand as she looked at me. "What did he have to say?"

            "Jonah's a psychopath." I spat. "He wanted to go out to dinner to tell me that he's changed and stuff and I told him that I was interested in Justin still. That didn't settle with him too well though because he fucking kissed me. It was repulsive."

            "He kissed you?!" She shrieked. "Oh my god I would have punched the hell out of him!"

            "I almost did! I left though instead. I just put money on the table and left."

            "Why the hell would you leave money? Let him pay for that shit. God, what a dick."

            I started to laugh and as soon as she grabbed the keys off of the dresser she paused, turning to give me a look of sympathy.

            "I'm sorry." She said. "It'll happen for you eventually Reina. I promise you that."

 ———-

JUSTIN:

            "I'm thinking more of a modern one." Scott said, looking at the endless amount of rings. "That's what she'd like I think. Don't you?"

            I didn't know what the hell I was doing here. When Scott asked me to be his best man I was honored but I didn't know this was in the agenda. He took the wrong person because what the hell do I know about fashion? I didn't know a thing about girl's jewelry, let alone his fiancés taste.

            "Uh, yeah." I said. "Sure."

            We continued to go around the store to look at different styles and colors before I finally let it out, right here in the middle of this damn ring shop. I couldn't hide it from him anymore.

            "Reina kissed Jonah." I said. "At the restaurant last week."

            "What?" He asked. "Why the hell would she do that?"

            Picking up another ring, he looked at it closely before setting it back down.

            "I don't know. I ended things with her when she came over that morning. I think it was Tuesday. I said some pretty messed up shit but what else was I supposed to do? God, I'm so pissed."

            "Well did you ask her what happened?"

            "Well no but it's pretty obvious. Don't you think?"

            "Justin where the hell have your assumptions gotten you in the past? Think about it. There could be a very logical explanation as to why she was having dinner with Jonah. I don't know why he kissed her, but maybe you don't know her side of the story. You can't always blow up about something without talking to her first. You know? You always do that."

            He was so right and now I was started to regret every single thing I said to her. At the time, I just saw his lips on hers and got so pissed off I just jumped to conclusions. But what if my conclusion wasn't the right one?

            "This one." He smiled, holding it in his hand. "I think she'll love this one."

            I couldn't really see it but I didn't even care. We've been at this damn store now for about an hour and all he kept doing was putting rings back and picking more up. I know it's a big decision and stuff but damn, really?

            "I think it's great." I laughed. "Anything to just get out of this damn store man."

             "Shut up. Did you get fitted for your tux?"

            "Yes Dad... I did. I'm not going to fuck up your wedding."

            Scott was on edge lately but I don't blame him. Getting married is a huge moment in someone's life but he wasn't nervous about getting married. I think he was more nervous about what Casey was going to think of the damn ring than the celebration itself. It was sickening. 

——-

Being single is a horrible feeling but seeing a couple happy is an even worse feeling.

            Scott asked me if I wanted to go grab some ice cream with him and I had agreed, unaware that Casey was invited as well. It's not that I didn't like Casey, because I did, it's just I didn't exactly like to third wheel and that's exactly what I was doing. I literally had to witness Scott feed her some of his ice cream.

            "Is it good?" He asked.

            "Yeah. Try some of mine baby."

            Then she fed him a spoonful of hers and I just rolled my eyes, resting back into my seat to try and not throw up everywhere. How disgusting.

            "Casey can I ask you something?"

            Trying to get them to stop being so disgusting, I decided to ask the one question I've been dying to ask her all day.

            "Sure."

            "How is Reina doing?"

            "How do you think she's doing? She's horrible. She hasn't slept in like four damn days I swear. She's been such a bitch. I love her, but seriously. I can't be over there for too long without wanting to go insane."

            "Why doesn't she just ask Jonah?" I scoffed. "I'm sure he could make her feel better."

            "Jonah? Why would she want to talk to him...?"

            That was the first red flag I should have kicked myself for but instead; I didn't admit that I was wrong just yet. I continued to question her.

            "Because I saw them at dinner the other night."

            "Yeah because he asked her to go. The dude threw himself on her. I swear he's psychotic. Scott, he told her that he started going to church. Can you believe that?"

            I wasn't even listening to Casey's rant. I was thinking about what an idiot I was for jumping to conclusions. Scott had a smirk on his face when he looked at me. His I told you so face but I didn't want to admit I was wrong to him. I would admit I was wrong to her. That's for sure.

            "I gotta go." I groaned. "God I'm an idiot."

            "Why are you an-" She stopped herself, looking back up at me for a quick second. "Seriously? That's why you ended things?"

            "Just stop. I'm going over there right now."

            God I'm such an idiot. This is why I lose her and I treat her unfairly. I continuously jump to conclusions when she wasn't even interested in Jonah. For whatever reason she's interested in me and if I don't do something about it soon then she really will end up with an asshole like Jonah.

———-

REINA:

            At around eleven there was knocks on my door. At first, I thought Casey forgot her key. She always does that.

            "Casey seriously?" I groaned. "Why do you keep-"

            I froze when Justin was standing there, an arm full of different bags of chips and his laptop. We haven't spoken in over a week now. I thought he didn't want anything to do with me.

            "Oh." I said, trying to slim out my hair. "Justin. What are you doing here?"

            I felt like a scumbag. I was in sweatpants and a sweatshirt and my hair was in a messy bun, no makeup on my face at all. I haven't cared ever since he ended things. Now I'm starting to regret that decision.

            "Reina." He smiled, completely confusing me. "Watch a movie with me?"

            "Justin what is this? Some kind of joke? Are you trying to be an asshole?"

            Walking into my room without permission, he set all of the items down onto my bed and gave me a look as if to say, I'm such an idiot. Please forgive me.

            "No, It's not a joke. I just wanted to say I'm sorry and that I really want us to be friends again."

            "Hm, that's interesting." I laughed. "Care to tell me what changed your mind?"

            "Not really."

            Opening the door back up, I pointed for him to go but he put his hands up in defeat and sat down onto my bed.

            "I thought you were dating Jonah." He blurted out, my eyes becoming alive with humor. "I saw you two at dinner. We were watching the game and I saw him kiss you. I just didn't really know what to do."

            "So you ended things with me instead of confronting me about it? Justin what is that going to-"

            "I know!" He groaned. "I know and I'm an idiot okay? From now on, If I think you're dating someone else I'll ask you first. I promise. Please can we just not fight anymore? I hate it."

            "I just think it's funny." I laughed again, heading over towards the bed. "Because isn't it weird to be jealous of your friend possibly dating someone?"

            "Don't." He smiled, his tongue pressing against the inside of his cheek. "Don't start with that."

            "Were you scared I'd give up on you and go to Jonah?"

            Wrapping my arms around his neck, I began to play with the ends of his hair, causing him to close his eyes. I know exactly how to get to him.

            "Maybe." He sighed. "Sorry Reina."

            Then he pulled me into his arms and I was sitting on his lap, his eyes never leaving mine. I hate it that we always have these moments when I feel like we're going to kiss but we never do. Instead, he laid down onto his back and took me with him, grabbing a bag of chips and placing it between us.

            "I brought your favorites." He smirked. "Cheese doodles, doritos, and white cheddar popcorn."

            "What if my favorites changed?" I teased.

            "Well did they?"

            "No... thank you."

            Resting my head down onto his chest, I wrapped my arms tight around his body as he opened up the laptop to play a movie. He said we could watch a horror one because he was an ass so I gladly took him up on that offer.

            "We should make out." I said.

            "Reina. I told you-"

            "Just kidding. Can't blame a girl for trying though."

            I opened the bag of doritos and gladly took some, smiling a little when our hands went into the bag at the same time. He pulled his out so I could grab mine. What a gentleman.

            "Can I use your phone to text Casey?" I asked.

            "Why can't you just use yours...?"

            "Because it's on the other side of the room and I don't feel like getting up."

            "What a lazy ass." He chuckled, passing me his phone. "But sure, go ahead."

            Going into his messages, I went to create a new one until I saw our conversation in there. The thing that was catching my attention the most though was my contact name. He hadn't changed it.

            "Baby girl." I repeated. "Some things never change, hm?"

            "Shit." He muttered, trying to grab the phone back from me. "I forgot to change it. Hold on."

            "No! Don't change it. Please."

            "What's my contact in your phone?"

            "Baby." I lied. "I haven't changed mine either."

            "Really?"

            "Yeah. Please don't change it."

            He didn't change it. Instead I just texted Casey and told her not to come back tonight. Not that Justin and I had plans to do anything, but I wanted to be alone with him. It's been awhile since we've stayed the night with each other.

            "You look tired." He said when I passed his phone back to him.

            "Well yeah. It was kind of hard not to be after... well, you know."

            Taking my breath away, he pulled me onto his chest so I was lying in-between his legs and kissed my forehead. He hasn't kissed any part of my body in over a year and as soon as his lips made contact with my skin it was like it burned endlessly as soon as he pulled away. I could feel the place where his lips had just left their mark.

            "Go to sleep." He murmured lowly. "I'm here now, okay?"

A/N:

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