No Promises

chapter six

"You sure?" she asks. "This isn't that heavy."

I part my lips to argue but then she scoops a few of the books from my arms, letting me handle the art supplies weighing me down. "Thank you."

"What are best friends for?" she asks as we start to move toward the parking lot. "How are things with Greyson?"

"They're fine," I say. "Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"I may have made things a little tense." I frown. "I accidentally found a photo of Mia in his songbook, and he hasn't exactly talked to me since."

"How do you accidentally find a photo in his songbook?"

"It fell out when I picked it up," I tell her. "I wasn't snooping!"

She hums. "Are you sure he wasn't just tired? Stevie says he's been working like a crazy amount of hours lately. He barely even leaves the studio."

"I don't know," I say as we reach the car, opening the backseat to slide my stuff inside. "Either way, I'm sorry if the drive down is really awkward."

"It'll be fine," Isla says as she climbs into my passenger seat. "I'm pretty sure you're overthinking it. Why would he be upset about that?"

"I don't know!" I say. "I just feel bad, like I saw something I wasn't supposed to."

She smiles. "You're overthinking it."

I sigh because I know she's right. I'm worrying about nothing, if there was something to be worried about, he would have told me. Or at least, I hope he would. All I know is I'm not prepared to sit in uncomfortable silence for six hours without something to make it better.

"We're going to make a quick stop."

"Where at?" she asks as I pull out of my parking stall, and head in the direction of the apartment.

"We need snacks," I say, following the street until I find the grocery store I spotted while driving to the studio. If there's anything I know, it's that food fixes everything. Even the most awkward of situations.

And right now, all I can think about is fixing things with Greyson, even if there's nothing to fix. When I pull up outside the grocery store, parking in one of the stalls, Isla climbs out with me, and follows me up and down the aisles until my arms are filled with everything I can possibly think of that could make this blow over.

When we get to the apartment, Isla grabs her bag along with the books she was helping me with before we head upstairs. I'm fumbling for my apartment key when the door opens, and the bag in my hand tumbling to the floor.

"Shit," I mutter as I lean down to pick it up.

Greyson's laugh hits me like a warm blanket as he meets me at the floor, picking the bag up before I can. "What on earth are you doing? What is all this?"

"My apology," I say, standing up as he steps back into the apartment and holds the door open for us. I lift my arm up, squeezing the books in my hand against my chest.

"Your apology?" he asks, shifting his gaze to Isla. "Hi Isla."

"Hey," she says as she steps inside. "Robyn thinks she owes you an apology."

"For what?"

"The thing at the studio yesterday," I say, turning to see the confused look on his face before shifting my gaze back to the table where the bag rests. "Mia's picture. I didn't mean to see it, and I get why you're upset with me, but I really think this is going to make up for it. I got all your favorite snacks for our road trip. Well, everything I could and—"

"Robyn, slow down," he says as he steps towards me, his hand moving to the small of my back. The gesture is small, but it's enough to send my focus to his hand rather than the bag of goods in front of me. "Why would you think I'm mad at you for that?"

I swallow as I meet his eyes. "I don't know... you didn't come home until really late, and you were kind of quiet when I gave it to you."

"I was embarrassed," he admits. "I've been holding onto it... and I shouldn't be."

"You loved her." I frown and shake my head. "It's not something to be embarrassed about."

"It's also been two years since we broke up," he says with a small laugh. "I promise I'm not mad at you," he says as he takes in everything I got, "but this was really sweet of you."

"I just didn't want the drive to be awkward."

He smiles and it eases every single worry I've ever had. Of course, he's not mad. I don't even know if he can be. "It's not going to be. We're friends, remember?"

"Friends, yeah."

"Good, now, please tell me you're packed already cause we're should have left by now."

"Yes, sorry!" I laugh and run towards my room to get my bedroom, grabbing my duffle bag off the end of the bed before returning to the living room where him and Isla are waiting for me. He's holding his hand out for my bag, and before I can even object, he takes the strap off my shoulder and puts it over his.

"Come on, trouble," he says, walking towards the door. "You're making me late."

"Aye, aye, Captain!" I salute, grabbing the snack bag off the table. Isla shoots me a questioning look, the corner of her lip curling up. "Shush," I say, pointing in her direction as we head for the door. "Don't make it into something it's not."

She hums. "Friends, right. I totally believe that."

"You should," I say. "We're friends."

Just friends.