"What took you so long to get here Paige? Jasper said you got off at 4:30 today.." I look up to see Rachel, Jasper's girlfriend.
"Hey Rachel, I haven't seen you since Christmas." I smile at her. She looks exactly the same with her red hair and pale skin. She reminds me of myself when I was her age and dresses like me. I like to tell myself that Jasper dates her because she reminds him of me when I'm away.
"Yeah, your mom let me in and said I'd have to wait for you." she says, running a two shaky hands through her thick hair. She seems anxious or nervous about something.
"Is something wrong, Rachel?" I ask her as I set my keys down on the kitchen counter. She shifts her position on the barstool.
"So, hypothetically speaking. Very hypothetically speaking, if I had a friend who wanted break up with her boyfriend.."
"By break up what do you mean?" I say, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. I hoist myself up onto the edge of the counter and crack open the bottle of water.
"First of all, I'm assuming your 'friend' is you." I laugh. She bites her lip and her expression shows that she's embarrassed.
"I'm seeing someone else." she admits.
"Come on, Paige. You know I'm not a good liar. Remember last time?" she says, blushing lightly. I laugh when I remember the time she and Jasper came out of the screening room with swollen lips and purple marks on their necks. She told me that she hadn't had her first kiss yet after I asked her about it.
"Okay, why would you need to break up now?" I ask. She inhales deeply.
"Because I'd rather not hurt him feelings this way." she says, causing me to spit out my water and wrinkle my face in disgust.
"This isn't my problem, either you tell him or I will." I tell her.
"He's so sweet, don't do this." I say. Rachel massages her temples.
"I knew I shouldn't come to you with this. I knew you'd judge me." she states confidently.
"No, no. I didn't mean to make you feel like that." I say.
"Well you're gonna help me aren't you?" Rachel asks abruptly.
"Of course, your friend should do what I said." I say matter-of-factly.
"I can leave, if you want," he begins to walk backwards towards the door."I mean if y-you want me to go, I'll just go
back to the park." he says. I look at Rachel, then Jasper.
"No, I think I'll leave you two to talk." I say before grabbing my water bottle and walking towards the stairs. In my room, I open my laptop and check my blog. I raise my eyebrows when I notice that my views on my last project are higher than any other posts. I make a mental note to thank my mother for the idea, if I see her anytime soon.
After scrolling through, I decide to tell my readers that there won't be posts on days that I work. I peel of my blue jean shorts and tanktop and change into an oversized shirt. Then I find my headphones, my furry blanket, and begin catching up on Pretty Little Liars.
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I wake up tangled in my headphones and thank God that my laptop is still on my bed and not on the floor. I check the clock which reads, nine thirty-two. I exhale in relief since I didn't wake up too late. Sleeping in isn't my thing. I walk into the bathroom and brush my teeth before turning on the shower and slipping under the comforting spray. Today I choose a lavender and mint body wash and shampoo my hair.
"Paige!" my mom's voice is barely audible behind the sound of the shower. I shut off the water and wrap myself in a thick towel.
"I'm coming!" I half scream. I'm glad she's home this morning so I can tell her that I'm going out for dinner tonight. Knowing my mother, I don't think I should tell her that I'm going with Kent. She'll overreact and have too many questions that I can't answer for myself. I pull a Bad Suns shirt over my head and tug on a pair of shorts so that I can go for a run after I eat.
"Good morning Paige!" my mother says as she pours herself a cup of coffee.
"What smells burnt?" I ask, fanning the air vigorously. My mother chuckles lightly. Another one of her cooking mishaps.
"I attempted to make a breakfast casserole. Let's just say I got a little caught up in my reading." she explains.
"Is Dad here?" I ask, half expecting for him to be working. She claps her hands together.
"Absolutely, he's planting some marigolds in the front yard." she says, taking something out of a bag.
"Oh good, for once he's doing something himself instead of hiring someone." I say, then realize I'm throwing shade.
"Ha, good one Paige!" Jasper says as he comes down the stairs. He always applauds me when I "one-up" my mom according to him.
"Is that disrespect I hear?" my father comes through the front door drenched in sweat.
"No, it's the donuts talking." I say, opening the box my mother took out of the bag.
"In that case, I didn't hear a thing." my father says, grabbing a chocolate donut. Jasper smiles at me and for once we feel like a normal family.
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The pace of my heart quickens as I build my pace. It feels like forever since I've gone for a run on this trail near my house. It's quiet and old, so there's barely any people here ever. As I run I try to clear my mind and not worry about anything. But today that doesn't seem to work.
I keep thinking about meeting Kent's parents tonight. This was all stupid of me. Giving in so easily to Kent. It didn't even take him long to get into my head and convince me to pretend to be his girlfriend for a night or two. But why didn't I have questions? Why didn't I put up a fight?
I see that I'm nearing a more wooded area on the trail so I begin to loop around. My eyes stay on the ground and consequently, I knock right into someone.
"I'm sorry!" we say in unison. I look up to see Bradley.
"We seem to do this a lot, huh?" he laughs. I wipe the sweat from my forehead.
"From the way we say things in unison, you'd think we were destined to be together or something." I say jokingly. Bradley places his hands on his head.
"Do you believe in that?" he asks solemnly. I squint my eyes.
"Believe in what?" I ask.
"Fate. Destiny. That we were meant to be running on this trail and having this conversation?" he says. I tuck a stray piece of hair behind my ear.
"I'm not sure. Maybe. Some things just happen by accident." I shrug.
"Well in any case, have a good run, Paige." he says sweetly. I smile and nod.
"You too." I tell him before jogging home. The whole way back I can't stop wondering if this was fate or an accident.
YOU ARE READING
Bainbridge Bride
RomancePaige Aberdeen comes home after her junior year of college and begins her normal summer of working at Barnes & Noble, updating her blog, and reading on her porch swing. She doesn't even miss her always working parents or her party animal of a brothe...
