Hope is Rising

22. Lasting Memories

A/N: Hey guys!! This update has been wayyy overdue! Thanks for keeping up with Hope is Rising! I truly appreciate all your support. And thank you for 5K reads!!! Love you all!

XOXO elizabeth_megan

My heart pounded inside of me. A million thoughts were rushing through my head.

"Nice to talk to you," I lied. I smiled bleakly before I left the bathroom.

I felt sick as I went back to the table. Kate, Dylan, and Matt all looked up at me as I walked toward them.

"I need to go home," I said quietly to Dylan.

He looked up at me concerned. "Are you okay?"

Alexa brought up so many bad memories. I was scared. Scared that the girl who stole my boyfriend once could do it again.

"I just need some fresh air," I replied. I looked at Dylan meaningfully and he understood.

"I'll take you home," Dylan said tenderly as he got up from his chair.

I quietly nodded my head in agreement.

Kate and Matt decided finish eating and pay for the meal.

"We'll come over later," Kate told me as we got up from the table.

Dylan found my hand as we walked to the parking lot. Clouds began to cover the bright sun as raindrops hit the truck.

I watched the familiar roads to my house come into view out the window. Every once in a while, I'd see Dylan glance over at me to make sure I was okay.

I gave him my key to unlock the door as we climbed the familiar steps to my house quickly, in order to avoid getting soaked.

We went inside to find my brother nowhere in sight. I was on the verge of crying and I'm usually not much of an emotional person.

Dylan followed me to the couch. He pulled me into his comforting arms and made me feel safe.

"What's the matter, babe?" He asked me after he kissed my cheek. He could tell I wasn't myself.

"It's Alexa," I told him sadly.

"You mean Alexa the waitress?" He looked at me surprised. "What about her?"

"She was the girl that Carter cheated on me with," I replied slowly.

He looked at me stunned. Although Dylan knew the whole story of Carter, I had never told him the name of the girl who Carter was texting.

"Oh, Steph," he replied, "I had no idea." Dylan looked upset. "That can't be."

"I'm scared," I said honestly. He looked at me tenderly as he held me more securely.

"Scared of what, babe?" He tried to compose himself.

"I'm afraid that she could steal you away from me, too."

He tilted my chin up to face him as I felt tears escape onto my cheek.

"Hey," he whispered slowly and softly as he wiped my tears away with his thumb. "I'm not going anywhere."

He continued, "Alexa and I went to college together in LA. That's why I was so surprised to see her here in San Francisco," he added. "I can't believe she did that."

"Did you ever date her?" I asked wanting the truth.

"Well, I took her out to dinner once while we were in college. But then she found someone else better, and she stopped paying attention to me. It all makes sense now," he said. "She's nothing but trouble."

He kissed me on the cheek again. "Between you and me, I think you are way better than Alexa or any other girl."

I smiled at him as he held me close to his chest. "I don't want to hurt you like Carter did, not now or ever."

The silence between us meant more than words. I wanted this feeling to last forever.

After a while, we heard a soft knock at the door.

"I'll get it," Dylan said slowly as he reluctantly untangled us from the couch and went to the front door.

I heard the familiar voices of Matt and Kate at the door.

"Hey, Steph," Kate smiled as she came and sat next to me at the couch. Matt and Dylan stood talking at the doorway.

I told Kate the realization I had at the restaurant when I talked to Alexa in the bathroom. She was also shocked.

"Now that you mention it, I think I've seen her before, maybe at a party with Carter," Kate said honestly.

We talked more about it until the guys came into the room. Matt jumped onto the couch next to Kate. Dylan grabbed some snacks from my pantry and snuggled close to me.

"How about we watch a movie?" Kate suggested.

She got up from the couch and grabbed the remote. Kate felt very at home in my house apparently. I mean, who are we kidding? We were exactly like sisters.

"...or we could watch the football game," Matt replied smirking at her.

"Ehh, I'm thinking a cute romance movie," Kate said teasingly to him.

Matt pulled her on top of him by the waist.

"How about we compromise? Dylan and I get to watch the game, and then we can watch a movie."

"Fineee," she giggled as Matt kissed her neck.

Dylan and I laughed to ourselves. Watching these two never gets old.

The game ended up being pretty interesting. We ordered pizza and hung out while we watched. It was nice to just relax with people who cared about me.

Kate insisted that the guys see The Lucky One after the game finished. We were halfway through the movie when I realized that my brother Kevin still wasn't home. I don't usually worry about him, but he had been gone for quite some time without calling or texting where we was.

I called Kevin twice but got no answer. I went back to the couch and snuggled close to Dylan and tried to focus on the movie.

"Did he answer?" Dylan whispered as I rested my head on his chest.

I shook my head slowly.

"He'll be here soon," Dylan said as he kissed my cheek.

But my sisterly instincts still made me feel uneasy about Kevin's absence.