As Fortune Would Have It ✔

{Chapter 34}

It's been some time since Andy told me we were over. Five months to be exact.

Addie and I still weren't on speaking terms, and the same goes for Jake and Ryder, especially since they left for California a day after the party.

Andy and I were okay, I guess. We talked every now and then, but still were close. I felt so lost and alone, and my life was a jumbled mess.

Everything turned out to be different than I expected. If you would've told me a year ago that all of this would've happened, I wouldn't have believed you. Because how can that happen? Especially to me. I had everything I could ever want- best friends, a boyfriend- and then all of that vanished.

I couldn't believe it. Everyone has everything going for them- Addie and Jake were going strong, they've been dating for about six months (apparently he cheated on me with her), and Andy was currently seeing Daya, a new senior at our school and they seemed happy from what I could tell.

Everyone was happy but me.

Especially since Prom was coming up and I didn't have a date. And Prom was in, like, two days. Talk about major crisis.

What was a girl to do?

"You could always go stag, you know," Andy commented as he ate his pudding.

I rolled my eyes, and sat up off of the couch. "Going stag my senior year?! Are you kidding me?!"

Andy shrugged and started licking the spoon. "Whatever, your loss. I think it's a great idea."

I huffed. "You wouldn't be going stag, Andy. You have Daya."

He shook his head. "Not anymore. I broke up with her."

"What?! Why?!"

He blew out a puff of air. "She just wasn't the right girl for me."

Wasn't the right girl for him? Andy said that about every girl he's dated since me. Which was a lot. By true calculations, he's dated around 15 girls, and all of them were flukes. All of them seemed to be "not good enough", "not the right girl", or even "too high-maintenance." Sometimes I wondered if he'd ever truly find who he was looking for, since everyone he seemed to find lately wasn't it. And that truly bothered me. Because I love Andy, although I've realized that it would never be romantically, at least I could care for him the way I used to.

"Wow," I breathed. "I don't really know how to respond. I'm sorry, Andy."

He smiled. "Don't be sorry, Hal. You can't force something that wasn't there to begin with. You should know that from personal experience."

I swallowed, guilt filling my stomach. I knew what he was referring to. He was referring to the fact that I used him, lied to him, told him that we'd be together even though deep in my soul, I knew it to be untrue.

Trying to change the subject, I turned away and cleared my throat, standing up. "So- how's Addie doing?"

Andy scratched the back of his neck. "She's, well, she's good, I guess. She's going to Prom."

I cocked a brow. "Oh? She is? With who?"

Andy swallowed. "Um, with Jake. She sent over the permission papers last week and he faxed them back to us. They're getting a limo and everything. I guess you can say they're going all out."

I huffed. "Figures."

Andy shrugged, as if to say "what can you do?"

I laughed and rolled my eyes. "Guess we don't have dates to Prom."

Andy turned to me, a happy twinkle in his eyes. "Who says we don't?"

"What do you mean?"

"We're both out of a date, so it's perfect. Hallie, will you go to Prom with me?"

~******~

The lights were stunning, as was the scenery. We were at the Castle Garden, a type of recreational center that was used for formals and weddings. It was surrounded by a garden, roses and daffodils and dandelions all wrapped together in the bushes on either side of the tall building, a rose petaled covered walkway leading to the entrance.

I held my grip on Andy's arm and we walked through the doors, blending into the sea of people.

Music entered my ears and so did the laughter and hushed whispers of the students body. Andy let go of me and smiled and we parted ways. He went off to talk to Lauren, his most recent discovery, while I hung back by the punch bowl.

I was alone for most of the night until a familiar figure came into view. I looked up. Jake.

"Hi, Hallie." He smiled, and I admired his attire. He was wearing the classic tux, and on him it couldn't have looked any better than it already did.

I forced a grin. "Um, hi."

He took a breath. "Uh, listen, Hallie. I just came over to apologize to you. I feel really bad about the way things turned out, and I wish it could've ended differently, ended better. But- I hate to say this to you, because I know this hurts, but I love Addie. There's something about her that I just can't shake, you know? You only find that person once in a lifetime, and I don't plan on letting go."

I nodded. "I understand completely. And things ended terribly, Jake. You should know that I can't stand you. I hate you actually. But- even though Addie and I don't talk anymore, she's still my friend in my eyes. I just want her to be happy. That's all I care about."

Jake grinned. "I'm happy you feel that way. I mean, not about hating me, I hate that you hate me. But I know I deserve it. But- you should know that Addie really misses you."

I scoffed. "Clearly not enough to tell me herself. Because if she did, she'd be here right now. Talking to me. Not you."

Jake said nothing. Neither did I.

For a moment there was awkward silence.

Then he moved forward and hugged me. "Alright, well, I'm going now. Take care, Hallie."

He turned to leave and I called out to him.
"Wait, where's Ryder?"

But he didn't hear me.