FRACTURES (The Lake House #3) *REUPLOADED*

Chapter Five

Ana

Sitting down for breakfast, Justin and I sat across from each other with Gianna and Gavin next to us. I met Justin's eye over the tip of my mug before he looked down, catching the end of a grin. I hid my own smile with a sip of coffee.

Gavin looked over at us with a raised eyebrow. "Everything okay?"

Justin shrugged, "Fine." He said through a mouthful of pancakes. We glanced at each other again with more smiles.

"Oh god, I love this." Gianna said. "Finally, everyone's getting along. Things are going exactly how I want them to."

"As usual." I said sweetly. When didn't things go Gianna's way?

She winked. "Exactly."

--

"So spill," Gianna said the second the car door shut. She gave the driver directions on how to get to the dress shop and with the huge sunglasses and designer bag, she looked like your typical snobby heiress.

"You know, at first glance I wouldn't guess that you have a degree in Math."

Gianna scoffed and I could literally hear the eyeroll. "Don't change the subject. You and Justin acted like complete strangers and just a few days later, you're all giggles and smiles."

"We just had a talk, like two mature adults. This is an important trip. It made no sense to act like children for the whole two weeks."

I felt bad about lying to my best friend's face. But if I told her the truth, it'd become a bigger deal than it was. Sleeping with Justin was the closure to a book that was far too long. After this, he'd go back to his fame and fortune and I'd go back to figuring out how to survive. Simple as that.

"So you're not getting back together?"

"Gianna!" I threw my hands up, throwing her an incredulous look. "No, we're not getting back together. We're not even friends. We're just acquaintances for the next 11 days. We don't know anything about each other anymore."

Gianna shrugged. "Whatever you say. But just know that I've only seen him a handful of times in the past few years because of his job. But he always called. And you know what he'd always ask Gavin before they hung up?" I shook my head. "He would ask about you. About your parents and your brother. About Grams. He remembers, Ana and he still thinks about you. Maybe not in that way but he cares. He's part of this fucked up family too. We have to take care of each other."

Gavin had a messy family. Gianna had a messy family. Justin didn't even have a family. I was trying so hard to keep what was left of my family together. She was right. That was why we all attracted each other, I guess. That was why I loved Gianna and Gavin more than anything. Because no matter what, they were always there. For me and for Justin.

"I'm sure you can't wait for this trip to be over so you can part ways again. But you don't have any idea how happy I am to have you by my side during all of this. Both of you. You and Justin...even Gavin...you should have hated me, especially after my brother..." Gianna broke off.

It was very rare that we ever talked about Nate. When I was released from the hospital, it was hard for me to be around Gianna. All she wanted to do was apologize and all I wanted to do was forget. I wanted to be angry with her because Nate was gone and Dimitri and Justin disappeared so she was the only one I could take things out on. Immature of me, I know. Gavin avoided her by default but I knew he was talking to her behind my back. I knew how much he liked her. So with time, I let her in. And it was the best decision I could have made.

I undid my seatbelt, leaning forward to hug her. "I am so glad I get to be here for this. That I get to be included. Like you said, we're family. That means more to me than anything."