Fools

Part 25

A couple weeks later; joe's p.o.v

So it's been a while since I last seen Hailey, I've texted her here and there but we haven't met up since the day of the last party. Cate still doesn't know but we're meeting up today since I didn't go see her last time. I'm currently on my way over to her University, listening to some of our favorite songs. I've been feeling pretty down these last couple of weeks since I talked to Ollie and he expressed so much of how I should tell Cate. I don't want to ruin our day today, but she does deserve to know so today might be the day I come clean.

I pulled into the parking lot and I saw her waiting for me, she was grinning from ear to ear and waving at me, she had a friend with her, I'm assuming it's Lilah. I instantly started feeling sick dude. Ugh. I got out of the car and walked over to her, I picked her up in a hug and spun her around.

"Oh my goodness! I missed you so much." Cate said as she kissed me all over my face, I smiled.
"I missed you love, more than you know." I told her.
"You're literally all she ever talks about, hi i'm Lilah by the way, nice to formally meet you." She held out her hand with a smile, I shook it and smiled back.
"Well I hope it's good things that she's said. Nice to meet you."
"No of course it was! Anyways, I'll leave you two be, I'll see you later C okay?" Lilah went and hugged Cate before waving goodbye.
"See you love!" Cate and I started walking the other direction, she intertwined our hands together and gripped mine tightly. "She's great isn't she?" She looked at me and smiled, I nodded.
"So have you just been hanging out with her? Or is Sydney still in the picture?"
"Yeah she's still in the picture, but I've been mostly spending my time with Lilah, she runs the music club I'm in, and we both ended up in the art group as well. We've been hanging out with this one girl named Brienna too, but she's not that close with us yet."
"Sounds like you've been making friends, having fun, and you're happy right?" I asked her, she smiled.
"Yes, I am. Things are finally falling into place for me here. I bumped into Scott a couple weeks after I got back I think? I forgot to tell you, we talked and he basically just said he didn't do you know what to me & all that bullshit but I mean he did apologize, we haven't talked since then."
"How do you feel about that whole situation now?"
"I'm kind of at peace with it really, I told him he can live his life & I'll live mine if we just leave each other alone and I knew he was never going to admit it but I don't need him to. I know what happened and I've gotten out of that dark spot so I'm trying not to let it get to me as much as it did." I smiled at her and kissed her forehead.
"Good, I'm proud of you." She smiled back.
"Thank you, anyways enough about me, how are things back at home? How are things with you?" Ugh, my stomach again. I can't lie to her but I have to, I just got here, I'm not ruining this moment yet, she's on a high I can tell, she would definitely hate me.
"Uh yeah, things are good. I'm doing okay, I just miss you a fuck ton back there." I told her, which was true, I do miss her, I'd rather have her than any girl in the world. I value our friendship and relationship, I don't deserve her.
"Aw babe, I miss you too, so much. I think of you everyday, I really do. Just a few more months and I'll be back home with you guys."
"So you're going to be moving back in?" Stupid question.
"Well of course, Caspar is really the only real family I have besides you guys which became my new family, I couldn't leave that behind." I smiled.
"We love you Cate, we all do." She stopped us both and gave me a tight hug.
"I needed this seriously," She exhaled deeply. "I can't explain how at home you make me feel when I'm with you, I've been longing for some real peace in my life these couple of months. I wasn't even mad that you didn't come to see me when Casp and Ollie came," She pulled away. "I knew you were drinking a lot that night so I knew I would just have to wait until next time that you could come see me."
"I know love, I'm sorry I wanted to come, I did. I've been kind of partying heavy recently to keep you off my mind, and drinking was just a thing I picked up."
"It seems like everyone in my life does that when it becomes hard with something to do with me. Sydney had told me the same thing, she still continues to party and drink which is why I haven't hung out with her truly in a while. Lilah's more chilled and layed back, when we hangout we just gossip, watch movies, listen to music or she draws while I paint. We haven't went to one party since we've started hanging out, I don't think I'm ready for all of that yet."
"Yeah I agree, I want you to be safe and I'm glad she keeps you at home." I laughed. "You guys got really close huh?"
"Yeah, I was thinking of inviting her back to stay with us when the year is over." Her face lit up.
"Aw yeah, that'd be really cool. I think you should." I said with a smile.
"I just hope she doesn't fall for Caspar, that would definitely be something else and friendships never stay that way when two bestfriends date two other bestfriends."
"Haha yeah." It went quiet after that.

Back in her dorm, 3 hours later;

I looked down at Cate, she was sleeping peacefully in my arms. We were watching the Scream movies for a bit before she had fallen asleep. It's about 10:30 now? I should probably stay the night since it's a 4 hour drive over here, I'd be getting home super late. I kissed her forehead and felt my phone buzz a couple times.

From: zoe :p
'hii, i heard you went to see cate today, i haven't really talked to her at all these past two weeks, how is she? miss you brother, you have to come see alfie & i once you come back, we have some news! <3'

From: hails <3 (she put the name)
'i haven't heard from you much recently, have you been ghosting me? i told you it was okay if we stopped doing what we were doing, but i thought we'd at least stay friends.'

response to zoe;
'she's doing good, she's been making friends here and she says she's been really happy, i'm going to stay the night. she's asleep, i'll have her call you tmrw. i'll stop over when i get back! xx'
response to hailey;
'no i haven't been ghosting you, i've just been busy. i'm visiting cate right now.'

H; 'should i let you go then?'
J; 'no it's okay, she's asleep.'
H; 'oh okay, how are you doing? have you decided to tell her yet?'
J; 'i'm okay, you? i've thought about it yes but we had a really good day and she's been doing really good, i don't want to ruin it for her.'
H; 'you can't keep using that as an excuse, one day she's going to find out with or without you telling her. not saying i'd tell her because i don't even know her but it's better to come from you than someone else.'
J; 'no one else knows, i mean besides ollie.'
H; 'and can you really trust him with this?'

Cate woke up, she's half asleep.
"Who are you texting?" She asked, I started to get nervous, I had to lie again.
"No one, just Zo, she wants me to come over when I get back." I told her, she nodded her head.
"Okay well tell her I said hello." She smiled faintly and fell back asleep.

J; 'she just woke up and asked who i was texting'
H; 'and who did you say?'
J; 'that it was my sister. but anyways, i think i can trust him for the most part. he wants me to tell her myself so i don't think he would say anything first.'
H; 'well i guess that's good. i miss you though. and not like that but where i just want to hangout.'
J; 'you know everytime we hangout we don't just hangout.'
H; 'i know :p, but this time i really want to. can i see you when you get back?'
J; 'possibly lol. maybe i could set aside some time for you.'
H; 'thank you, it's mucho appreciated, see you soon then.'

I didn't respond after that, I locked my phone and gently tried to move Cate to lay straight in the bed, surprisingly she didn't wake up. I was able to actually lay down now and I held her until I fell asleep. Maybe tomorrow I'll tell her...