Perseverance

Chapter Fourteen ~ April

"The fuck I did!" I scoff.

"Alright, maybe you don't have that much," he admits and I roll my eyes, picking up an apple from the kitchen side. "But I know what a good friend you are."

"The hell does that mean?" I retort.

"You should go for Sav."

"What?" I exclaim. "Why the hell would she want to go?"

"She's doing well, Bec. She had a shit time in high school, both of us know that." He reminds me. "Even if she doesn't admit it, you know that somewhere, deep down, she'll want to go."

"You think?"

"Miss an opportunity to show Ashley that she's still alive and kicking?" Haydons scoffs. "If she's anything like the Sav I dated in high school, that'll make Sav's year."

"You're right," I agree with a smile. "She'll never admit that though."

"She doesn't have to. She'll go anywhere with you, Bec," Haydon replies. "If you tell her she has to go to the reunion, she will."

"Are you sure it's the right move?"

"Bec, I know you don't want to face that guy again." Haydon's tone suddenly changes and I bite my lip, looking down. If only my brother knew what I've been up to the last month.

"I don't know what you-"

"It'll be okay." Haydon cuts me off. "You've moved on. You should show him, them, how strong you are." If only he realized how weak I actually am...

"I've got to go, Haydon," I say quickly, a tidal wave of uncertain emotions crashing through me.

"Oh, okay!" he exclaims and I pull the phone away from my ear, slamming it down on the table.

I didn't tell my brother everything, but I did admit that I'd gotten close to one of the guys I knew from high school, the fact I'd considered giving up every one of my damn principles to get with him, but he'd chosen someone else right at the last second.

Haydon was furious at the time, demanding that I tell him who it was before I rolled my eyes and told him to stop acting like a dickhead.

He's the only one who knows that Becky Gordon ever contemplated monogamy, and he's the only one who will ever know.

After all, there's really nothing to tell about Ellis and I.

It's been five days since I last saw him, each day a rose turning up, maybe a box of candy alongside it.

Looking up at the clock, I unintentionally bite my lip. Four in the afternoon. A gift has never been delivered this late before.

*~*~*

I stumble out of my bedroom door at dinnertime, Sav looking up at me over her mail.

"Did you see this?"

"The reunion invite?" I ask and she nods. "Yeah."

"What a joke."

"I guess." I shrug. "We're going."

"I don't want to," she retorts and I shake my head, leaning against my door frame.

"Quite frankly, I don't believe you."

"Why?" She wrinkles her nose up.

"Because you're carrying Brett Winter's baby."

"That means nothing!"

"It means everything!" I counter and she rolls her eyes, pushing away from the kitchen counter.

"You've got it all wrong."