Maybe There's No Mistakes..

•sixty eight•

I was starfished out on my back in the middle of the empty living room floor with a cigarette between my fingers. Absolutely disgusting and exhausted. Austin walked into the room and started belly laughing at me, he plopped down cross legged beside me and lit his own cigarette.

"Almost done Hippie. Don't get too comfortable though. We have to meet the second truck at the storage unit in an hour."

"Ughhhhhhhhhh!" I groaned and pushed up on my elbows. "Can we just leave it and let them auction it all off. I don't think I want any of it."

"That's 100% a lie because you spent 20 minutes this morning rattling off all the things you need out of there. Come on. Up!." He said laughing.

"I don't like you right now." I sad scowling up at him. He's too goddamn chipper about all this. "I dislike you more now than I did when you dropped that damn table on my foot." I furrowed my brow.

"Hey that's not fair. I apologized and in my defense I told you I was behind you, you ran into me! You promise I didn't hurt you?" He was genuinely concerned. I still don't like him right now.

"No.." I sighed and sat up. "You didn't hurt me. And even though I don't like you much right now I do love you and thank you for helping." I leaned over and kissed his sweaty, dusty cheek.

"I love you too sweetheart and you don't have to thank me... but Scott is waiting on us. Unfortunately.... I'm so tired. This is the most physical labor I have done in a hot minute." He said as we stood. I had to laugh.

"Honestly me too. It's gonna be kinda sad leaving here tonight, but for once a hotel room shower and room service sounds like the best thing ever. I'll be so glad to get back home baby." I turned his hat around backwards on his head and placed my hands on the sides of his neck, pressing a kiss on his soft lips.

"I like the way that sounds baby. I'm glad it feels like home." He said resting his forehead on mine.

"Feels a lot more like home than this does, that's for sure." I said with a sigh looking around. "I couldn't imagine coming back here to stay. It's weird but that part of my life seems like it was so long ago, but the crazy part is how fast all this has just fallen into place. I would have never imagined this would be my life baby." I could feel the tears stinging my eyes, of course.

"After the chaos my life was in before I met you baby, I would have never imagined this either. I've never been happier." He said as he held his hands on my hips, giving me a squeeze. "The faster we get out of here the faster we get a shower and food..." he said with a laugh. I shook my head and rolled my eyes.

I grabbed my keys as we headed out. There were only a handful of things left in the apartment. Our bags, a couple pieces of furniture that Leah was going to take that I was leaving, about 10 house plants and Nessie in her little travel tank sitting in the middle of the living room floor.

The storage unit was another story. My mind went back to the state that I had left it in the last time I was there. The huge pile of boxes that had toppled over and all of the shit I had dug through trying to find the box of clothes I wanted.

"You know." I said as I got in the Escalade Scott had pulled up to the door. "The last time I went to the storage unit was the night you and I met."

"Oh the 'slutty club clothes'!" Austin started laughing. He had given me shit about that when I had pulled the box out of my closet. I had dumped most of those clothes, too many bad memories in that box.

I gave him a laugh, not really feeling it suddenly. I wasn't looking forward to this. To digging through this stuff and uncovering feelings I didn't want to be a part of anymore.
There wasn't really much there I wanted to keep. I know Austin had told me I had listed a bunch of stuff I needed... but in reality most of it could be tossed in a bonfire without me thinking twice about it. I had stored it thinking that maybe one day it wouldn't be so hard. That I wouldn't have such strong feelings about the chair that sat in Colton and I's bedroom, or the box of blankets and linens that used to be on our bed. Now I don't even want to look through them. I just want to get what I need and get out of there. The anxiety about going through all this stuff was beginning to creep up and I could feel my heart starting to race. Fuck! Why does he still have so much control over me.