Ruined By You

19: kaitlyn | now

I've been staying in the guest bedroom at the Walker's since Javi's surgery. After he woke up, he asked if I would stay there with them and how the hell do you tell a five-year-old who just had open heart surgery no? You don't.

It breaks my heart to see him hurting, but we've been working our way through the Disney catalogue while he's on bed rest. Thalia and Sebastian get back from California in a couple of days, but I know that when they do get back, Henry and Mirabelle are leaving for the Panther's training camp.

My first day of work was yesterday and I couldn't help but be relieved that I could go more than ten minutes without running into Bailey.

We're okay...or at least I'm trying really hard to make it seem that way. Our talk at the hospital was one that is long overdue, but there were still things left unsaid; at least on my part that is. It didn't seem like the time to be like 'hey Bailey, I've been avoiding you because I don't know how to think straight around you?' I just really think that would have gone over splendidly while we were all going out of our minds with worry for Javi.

I'd planned on seeing Bailey maybe twice a week depending on how work goes, but staying there means he's everywhere all the time. It's just confusing being around him all the time especially since Hunter's been AWOL. I've been trying not to let it bother me because I know he's making friends and I want him to do that, but I miss talking to him. I know that things are going to change, but it's hard not to be frustrated when Hunter promised he was only a phone call away.

Maybe I should try taking a page out of his book and go make some new friends. I think that would be really beneficial for me in more than one aspect.

The guest list I'm organizing for one of the local charities that Thalia works with has my eyes blurring from staring at it for so long. I'm definitely putting way too much pressure on myself to get this perfect when all I need to do is make sure that everyone she wants invited gets an invitation. No biggie. But I want to succeed here and prove to everyone that I made the right decision by taking the gap year.

I hear the bell on the door ring and without lifting my eyes up from the computer, I say the greeting I've grown very used to. "Welcome to 704, how can I help you?"

"If I didn't know better, I'd say that you've worked here for forever," Bailey's voice says and my head snaps up quickly without giving my brain time to process. Fuck, I'm going to give myself whiplash. So much for going the entire day without seeing him.

Shit, that sounds bad. It's not that I don't want to see him, but I hate how it's messing with my head. It's confusing to do the right thing when the wrong thing keeps making it's presence known.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, my mind stuck on that matter and how he got here. He doesn't have his drivers license; it's a long way for him to ride his bike. "Not that it's not good to see you, but..."

He holds up a paper bag and his cheeks have a dusting of pink appear on them. "Henry and I were grabbing lunch for Mira and Javi. I thought I would drop some off for you since you didn't have time for breakfast this morning."

A smile forms on my lips, "Thank you." I say honestly, feeling slightly remorseful about my internal monologue about going longer than ten minutes without seeing him.

"Of course," He sets the bag on the counter above my desk. Bailey scratches the back of his neck, "So I guess I'll see you at the house later?"

A split second decision pops into my brain that could really come back to bite me in the ass. Except I don't think I care.

"Actually, do you want to stay and have lunch with me? I just have to finish this chart and then we can go eat out front?"

Bailey's green eyes light up despite the unsure expression on his face. "Oh that's okay. I don't want to bother you."