No Name | Completed

Chapter 57 - Mistakes

Leaving Jared and Jesse to playfully argue in the kitchen, I grabbed my guitar to drop it back in my room. Throwing my bag onto my bed, I placed my guitar case on the floor and went to the bathroom to wash off all of the flour.

I met my eyes in the mirror after splashing my face with water.

"You're a mess," I whispered to myself and shook my head. The face towel wasn't on the rack so I had to walk out into the hall to the towel closet. Jesse was climbing the steps and slowed when he saw me. Our eyes met for a moment before I turned away to grab a towel.

"He really got you didn't he?" he laughed softly, taking a step back so I could go back into my room.

"Yeah," I rolled my eyes, dragging the towel down my face. I tossed it onto the bathroom counter, turned around and jumped backwards to lay on my bed.

Jesse sat on the edge of the bed for a moment. I watched him as he seemed to contemplate something before finally laying next to me.

His hazel eyes searched mine, his hand very carefully taking mine into his.

"Where are you?" he asked softly.

I squeezed his hand and turned onto my side to face him.

"Somewhere in 2012," I whispered.

His laugh made me smile, the urge to push his dirty blonde hair out of his eyes grew stronger as I watched him.

"What month?" he joked.

I pretended to think.

"June."

He smiled, releasing my hand to tuck some hair behind my ear.

"Where did you wind up today?"

"Honestly?" he waited. "The amusement park down from the Shack."

His brow furrowed. The thing about Jesse was he's been around too long, seen too much of me and has heard everything. He had an uncanny ability to take one look at me and know if something was wrong...or right. He knew when I was lying, when I was hiding, if I was searching for something or if I was running. He was practically family and even as annoying as it was for him to truly know me, I was secretly grateful.

It was exhausting staying strong...or at least pretending to be.

"Swings?" he finally asked, his hand reaching out for mine again, dragging it up to his lips. He gently kissed my palm.

Trying to calm my heart, I simply nodded in response.

"Ferris wheel?"

I nodded again.

He smiled against my hand.

"You were thinking," he stated.

"Yeah," I shrugged. "And remembering."

Growing up sucked. We never realize how easy it was being in high school. Soon, I'll think the same thing about college. I spent the majority of my years wanting to be older and now...now I would give anything to be 16 again.

His hand tightened on mine, but he didn't say anything more.

"You ready to go back to Texas?"

I sighed. "Yes and no. Did you know I'm up for this songwriting program?"

"Lissa mentioned something about it when you were flying home," he said.

"I can't bring myself to actually meet with the professor. Well, I get there and I just... panic."