Stitches | Discontinued

Chapter 9

||Lacey Matthews||

Over the years, I've come to realize that feelings are a lot like the weather. Well, at least mine are. They change a lot. One second my mood is sunny, and then the next it's bucketing down rain.

I've also come to realize that I relate to a lot of books. For example, E. Lockhart once said, "The universe is seeming really huge right now. I need something to hold on to." I believe that's a quote from We Were Liars. The only book to ever really reach my heart, touch it, and then rip it out completely.

"He was contemplation and enthusiasm. Ambition and strong coffee. I could have looked at him forever."

She really has a way with her words, and her words really have a way of getting to me. That particular quote makes me think a lot about Gavin. I'm not quite sure why.

"Are you alive in there?" Gwen calls, knocking a few times on my bedroom door as if I might actually be dead.

"I'm alive and kicking," I call back. "Just, you know, thinking."

There's a few seconds of silence. "Okay," she finally calls back through my door. "Just checking on you." And then I hear her footsteps walking back down the hall and I hear the living room door shut.

Ever since Gavin showed up at my door last night, I've been in my room. Everyone slept, woke up, ate, and tucked themselves into the living room. I, however, stayed laying on my bed, staring at the ceiling and wondering how on earth I'm going to find the strength to ever move again.

I sigh deeply, grabbing my phone from the bedside table. I shoot Gavin a quick text, telling him to meet me at the local book store in ten minutes. When he replies, I toss my phone onto the pillow, finally climbing off my bed to shower, get dressed, and leave my apartment.

"I'm going out," I say, sticking my head round the living room door. Christian, Gwen, and Hanna turn to look at me. They all glance between each other before muttering an 'okay' between them.

I grab my house keys, my jacket, and I slip my shoes on as they lay by the door. I slip my jacket on as I step out of the apartment, closing the door behind me. Just as I'm walking down the stairs towards the exit of my apartment building, I get a text from Gavin saying that he's leaving his house.

The book store is only a three minutes walk, I timed it, from where I live, so I always walk whenever I decide to pay it a visit. Which is often. What can I say? It's the most amount of exercise I get these days.

"Hey, Lace!" Andy, the girl who's mother owns the store, says as I step inside. "How are you?" She asks, smiling brightly.

"Hi," I smile back. "I'm fine. How are you?" I ask, and she spirals into a whole story about how her life has been these days. She's a chatty one. Fortunately for me, our conversation is cut short when Gavin walks in. I introduce the two of them, and then Gavin and I wander off to one of the book sections.

There's silence between us, but it's not awkward like I expected it to be.

"I'm glad you texted me," he says.

"Well, I did say we'd work on our friendship, didn't I?" I reply, letting my fingertips brush against the spine of multiple books on the shelf.

Gavin smiles slightly, and he nods his head. "Listen, Lacey, I've been trying to think of what to say to you for so long. I mean, I've sort of already spat out useless words. But, trust me, there is not even a Scrabble word for how bad I feel."

I pause. I turn to face him. And, miraculously, I grin at him. "You just quoted my favorite book," I say.

"What? We Were Liars?" He questions, his eyebrows furrowing. "I read that not long ago. It's a pretty damn good book."

Another silence.

"You totally cried, didn't you?" I accuse, and he gasps. "I did not!" He defends.

And, just like that, everything felt normal again.