per·sua·sion

51.

Jessica

"Xavier Axel fucking Blake," I smile as he walks towards me, picking me up and hugging me tightly.

"What are you doing here?" I ask as he sits me back down

"I came with my friend Kat. I moved a few months ago." He looks down at his feet nervously, afraid of my reaction.

"That's kool."

He lets out the breath he's been holding, looking back up only to look me up and down.

"You're still hot. I see," he gestures to my body and outfit, "and blonde?" He raises an eyebrow, and before I realize it, I'm blushing

"Speak for yourself. You grew your hair out and got even taller."

"Do you want to, I don't know, go somewhere and—"

"Everything ok, Jess?" Alex asks from the doorway, cutting Xavier off

"Yeah, I'm just catching up with a friend."

"Alex, this is Xavier" he nods

"Oh right, you're Kat's friend, the one that's into photography, right?" he asks while walking in, stopping beside me.

"Yeah, she said you knew about the camera I might be looking for," he answers, still looking at me.

I feel my phone vibrate, thankful for the distraction "be right back," I say, quickly breaking eye contact and making my way into the living room.

😳😳 how am I supposed to umsee this?
**unsee** see, even my phone doesn't
like it 😒 did you leave already?

😂😂 really, I was thinking of getting
you one 😏 I thought you'd like it 🙃
you and Alex can be twins 👯‍♂️ and no
not yet

🙄🙄 um, no thanks! and he better
be keeping his hands to himself

fine 🤣 you're
no fun, and he is

that's not what you said
last night or do you need a reminder?

I can picture the smirk on his face before he sent this, making me smirk as I read it

Go to bed, Tiffin

Can't

Why not?

You're not here

💚💚

As the music switches to the next song, I hear Xavier's voice loudly ask. "What you doing?" Making me jump a little bit. "Sorry," he apologizes, embarrassed by his timing with the lack of music, as he sits beside me, placing his hand on my leg.

"Texting my boyfriend," I smile, putting my phone in my jacket pocket, followed by me moving his hand.

"Don't tell me you let him get to you again?" he asks, almost groaning with annoyance.

"God no," I look down at my hands. "I haven't seen or talked to him since I left Atlanta."

"And ghosted me." His voice goes soft. "You know I get why you left. I know you needed to. I'm not mad. Honestly, I thought you hated me too. Till I saw you here, and you smiled at me the same way you used to, making all of those feelings I had for you hit me like a ton of bricks. It's was almost like you had never left, especially when I hugged you...didn't I at least deserve a goodbye?"