Love Hides The Truth

Chapter 17

I'm not sure how much time goes by until I hear knock at the door. My heart races, my mom wouldn't knock. I don't know anybody else in town. It has to be him. I lay there as four knocks echo through my house. I peel myself off the ground and make my way to the door. Holding my breath I open the door. Standing before me is Amber. What the hell?

"Hey." She mumbles taking in my appearance. 

"What do you need Amber?"

"Relax, I just want to talk real quick."

I want to slam the door in her face and run away, but this isn't her fault. She's just a pawn in Gage's game, just like me. I step out onto my porch and shut the door behind me. We cross and sit on the big wooden bench just outside my door. 

"I just left Gage's house where I left him crying on his bed, he told me everything."

"Crying?"

"Yeah. I know he messed up, but I've never seen him cry before. I know you don't want to forgive him, but you need to know the whole story before you make that decision."

I nod and wait for her to explain.

"Gage and I dated for a year up until a couple months ago, but before that we'd been best friends since I can remember. I gave him that bracelet on our one year, the day we broke up." Amber pauses as tears well in her eyes. "We got into a fight because he wouldn't let me go to some party that night, but I wouldn't listen. After a few hours of being at the party I was too drunk to think and somehow I ended up at Hayden's house, Gage's best friend. I woke up the next morning hung over and in tears realizing I slept with Hayden. I called Gage to come pick me up. When he got there I saw pain and anger boiling  in his eyes. I knew it was over and I couldn't stop it. Before I knew what was happening Gage had Hayden pinned to the ground and started punching him. I tore him off of Hayden and pulled him out to his Jeep where he drove me home in silence. For a month after that Gage wasn't the same boy I knew. He was angry, depressed, hurt, and wouldn't talk to anyone. Until you."

At that last sentence I looked up at her tear washed face. 

"When I seen you two at the ice rink I couldn't believe. Not because he had moved on, but because he was smiling. I pulled him to the side and asked him about you, that's when you seen us talking in the warming house. He talked on and on about you, he was truly in love Cody."

She stares at my bloodshot eyes waiting for an answer, but I'm speechless.

"I passed him on the side of the road today on my way home and had him follow me to his house to make sure he got home okay. When we got there that's when he told me what happened. Cody I'm so sorry you got pulled into our drama, but I know if you give a chance he'll prove himself to you."

"Thank you for telling me", I pull her into a hug and cry into her shoulder. "Can you take me to his place?"

Amber nods and I follow her to her car. After about five minutes we pull into a drive way leading to a big, dark gray house.

"Good luck." Amber hugs me one last time before pulling out and leaving me standing in his driveway. 

I slowly walk up to the front door and ring the doorbell. My heart is pounding and I can't keep my hands from shaking. I hear footsteps on the other side of the door and start debating whether to turn around or stay. Before I can run the door opens and Gage is standing there. My gaze immediately goes to his eyes that used to be my favorite shade of blue, but are now a crimson red. 

"Cody?" His voice is scratchy and distant.

"Can I come in?"

He nods and opens the door wider, allowing me to slip in. I follow him to the living room as he sits down on the couch, I take the seat across from him. 

"Amber came over." His eyebrows lift in surprise.

"She told me everything, I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault, you didn't know."

"I didn't let you tell me either."

"I wouldn't even if you did."

"I forgive you for that night." The words spill out of my mouth leaving me surprised. I didn't think I'd be able to forgive him, but I truly do.

"Can we start over? If you don't want to I promise once you leave that door I'll leave you alone, no strings attached."

I stare at his broken face and take a moment to think. Here I was thinking life was using other people to keep breaking holes in me, but Gage is broken too. Maybe in different ways, but he's broken. I don't think I can fix him, but I selfishly want him to fix me. I want him, but I'm scared of the pain that follows love. 

Slowly I cross the room and sit next to him on the couch, "Let's start over."

Gage smiles at me, covering all the pain that was once filled his face. I lean forward and kiss him like it's been years. This boy will be the end of me.