Best Friend's Brother

Eighteen: No New Beginnings

"Although no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending."
-Carl Bard

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I've always believed that new years was the time to look back and cherish the memories you have, but also look forward, to new memories that are yet to come.

Even if the past year has not been the best, the things that have happened will make you stronger, make you better, but most importantly, make you be excited for the future.

You can never start over, you can't just forget about your past. But what you can do, forgive the people who hurt you, say sorry the people you have hurt, and become the person you want to see in the mirror each day.

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New Year's Eve has always been one of my favorite holidays. I mean, you get to be with the people you care about and celebrate being able to look back at your memories together; who would not like that? And, to make the day even better, you get to stay up all night and eat all of the best food that you could imagine.

Sitting the couch in Jake's room, I pull my favorite book off his shelf and open it to page 354; the place where I left off before we went to college. I did not take this book with me, even though I love it, because I could not trust my self that I would not lose it or harm it in any way. I could not trust Luna and Romeo to store it in my room since I knew that Luna would accidentally burn it, paint on it, or lose it.

"Gabi?"Ells peeks her head through the door. She walks through and sits on the couch cushion next to me.

"What's up?" I say, looking at the page number, then closing the book.

"We have not gotten a chance to talk about..." She swallows, taking a deep breath. "Jake and I."

"Yeah, when did that even start?" I said, half-laughing, smiling.

"I don't know really," Ells says, leaning back in her seat.  "I like it though."

"Well that's fantastic, E; I know his family loves you," I say.

"I know I've had a rough life, and I know I can't start over, but when I'm with Jake... He makes me feel special, makes me feel loved, and makes me feel happy. There is no such thing as a new beginning, but he can help me create a new ending, a good ending in my life." Says Ells, blushing. A tear drops from her eyes and runs down her cheek.

Jake makes her happy, and that's all I could ever want for the two of them.

"That's wonderful Ells, I love you guys so much, I could never want anything less for the both of you," I say, pulling her into a tight, love-filled hug. After a moment, she grabs the book from off my lap, and sets it on the couch, and grabs my hand to pull me from my comfortable sitting position.

"Jake was telling me about this place where you and him used to cliff-jump into the water near here." Says Ells. "He told me it was quite safe, so, let's go jump, as a celebration for the new year." She drags me down the stairs to the living room, Jake and Greyson are sitting and watching the big "New Years Football Frenzy" game with the uncles and grandfathers.

"Hey, Jake," Ells says, playing with and messing up Jake's thick, brown hair. "Gabi and I both want to go to that cliff-jumping place, do you want to come?"