What Matters Most

Chapter 23

"Looking back now I think he was telling me the truth about everything, but once you have broken my trust I am done. There is just no coming back from that," Leigh says.

"So was that the end of it, did he leave you alone?" Chase asks.

"Well, we went back to avoiding each other like we had been doing before."

"He had to leave for college in a couple of months. He did send me a text on the day that he left. The text said that he really wished he could have seen me one last time before he left for college, but he understood why I was avoiding him. He told me that he loved me, and would love me forever. He asked that even though we weren't a couple anymore could we at least be friends. He wanted to be able to call or text each other while he was away at school."

"I decided to reply back this time and tell him that I didn't think it was a good idea. I didn't want to lead him on to think it would go anywhere. He replied back saying he understood, but to please consider it because he missed me so much."

"He just wanted to be able to see how I was doing while he was gone. Living in the same town I guess he always had a way of checking on me, but now that he was going away to school this was his only way to try to keep in touch with me."

"I agreed to try to keep in touch with him some, as long as he understood we were not getting back together. He said that he understood, and told me that he and his parents were getting on the road to take him to school and he would let me know when they got there."

"I replied back saying for them to have a safe trip and good luck with school. So for the next two years of high school things went pretty normally. I dated a few guys, but never let it get too serious."

"We did keep in touch some during that time. He started dating again as well. We both moved on from each other, and had even become friends again despite our messy breakup."

"When he came home for holiday breaks I would run into him from time to time. He even came home for my high school graduation. We kept in touch while I was in college. I never allowed it to become any more than just a friendship."

"Once I graduated college, and moved back home things started to change. I could tell that Jackson wanted to be more than just being friends. He called when I got home and asked if he could take me to dinner to celebrate my graduation."

"I agreed and told him I would meet him there. I didn't want it to seem like a date."

"I'm sure it was still a date to him though," Chase says sarcastically.

"Actually yeah it was a date to him," Leigh says.

"He told me that he still loved me. He said he wished that I could forgive him for what he had done and that we could be together again."

"What did you tell him?" Chase asks.

"Well first of all I told him that I had forgiven him for what had happened. When all of that happened we were just two kids in high school. We really didn't know what love was back then. Then I told him that I didn't think us dating again was a good idea."

Chase was glad that Leigh had stuck her ground with this guy. "I explained to him that I thought that we were in a really good place as friends now, and didn't want to ruin it again by dating. He said that he understood, but looked really disappointed."

"I did agree to meet him for lunch sometime now that we were both back home, but just as friends. That went well for a while, but when my dad died I kind of fell apart. Jackson was there for me, and helped me thru it."

"He really is a good guy. He just made a stupid mistake when we were kids. I knew he wanted us to get back together. To be honest, I was starting to feel the same way."

"So did you get back together with him?" Chase asks not really wanting to hear her say yes.

"Actually, no I didn't. I got the job offer to come here so we never took that next step."

"Ah, the classic I got a new job in another state so I can't date you speech. Sounds vaguely familiar," Chase says smiling.

"Yeah well we weren't dating so it is not the same thing as your situation," Leigh says glaring at Chase.

"Hey, I wasn't dating Sidney either."

"Whatever! So then I move here, meet a great guy, and he moves to another state for work. Oh the irony," she says.

"So does Jackson still call you?" Chase asks hoping the guy has finally given up.

"Yeah every now and then just to check on me. He was not happy that I was leaving, but he understood that I had to go for work."

"We just never seemed to be able to make it as a couple. Something or someone always seems to get in the way," Leigh says. They both declined dessert when the waitress asked.

"We better get home, and get you to bed," Leigh says.

"Now you're talking," Chase says pretending to hurry to the valet station. Leigh couldn't help but laugh at him. He always found a way to make her laugh when she was down.

When they got back to the apartment Chase walked Leigh to her door. "Thanks again for dinner and listening to me go on about Jackson. I'm sure you really didn't want to hear my life story when you asked me that question."

"I'm glad you told me. I really do want to get to know you better. You can talk to me about anything." She hugged him and wished him good luck on his first day tomorrow.

"Hey, before you go could you do me a favor?" Chase asks.

"Anything," she replies.

"Well in that case hold on a sec and let me re-think the favor I was about to ask."

"Oh shut up! What do you want?" Leigh asks.

"A picture," he says.

"A picture or what? I am not sending you any naked pictures Chase," Leigh yells at him.

"Well I wasn't thinking that, but damn I am now. We can revisit that idea later," Chase says smirking.

"Good night Chase," Leigh says opening her door.

"Wait! I want to take a picture of us together all dressed up in our matching outfits. Please," Chase begs. She gives in and lets him take the picture.

He shows her the picture, and says "Wow my new girlfriend is hot."

"Chase!" Leigh yells.

"This is definitely going to be my new screen saver," he says playing with his phone laughing.

"No it will not," Leigh says exasperated.

"Ok ok, but I am using it as your contact photo. That way every time you call me I will see your gorgeous face," Chase says smiling at her.

"Good lord, you do know how to charm a lady Mr. Camden."

"I try Miss Jensen."

As Chase is lying in bed he is still staring at the picture of them on his phone. We really do look together he thinks to himself. He had sent a copy of the picture to Leigh earlier with a message that simply said good night gorgeous, sweet dreams.

She replied that she loved the picture, and was saving it as his contact photo as well. Then she said you really are a great guy, and I am glad you're here. Hope you have sweet dreams too. He replied I will for sure now, and trust me the feeling is mutual.

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