CHAPTER NINE
·.¸¸.·♩♪♫ mr perfectly fine ♫♪♩·.¸¸.·
AFTER THE CONVERSATION, she had with her sister about who her mystery girlfriend was Anne had agreed she'd know at homecoming (which was thankfully a week away). Reece was content with this answer and went into her room to practice her makeup skills. The most Reece could do was a natural look, which is what she did on a daily basis. The redhead quite liked doing her makeup and she enjoyed learning the new technics that she'd learn from Scarlett, Josie, and YouTube.
As she had just finished wiping off the last of her makeup, her phone began to light up a text notification from EJ. She rolled her eyes, did he really think he was in any position to talk to her again after everything he said earlier that day? She didn't think so, but she opened it anyway. What she saw, however, when she opened the text was not what she was expecting. Instead of him apologizing it was pictures and videos.
EJ
These came up in my snapchat memories...
As she flipped through the pictures and videos, a sad smile took form. She remembered that night. It was during May of that year, Reece had been super bored that day and wasn't able to sleep, so she called her boyfriend (at the time). Who drove to her house (it was around a 10 minute drive) at 2:30 am just to take her to get her favourite things. Fries from McDonald's, burger from Wendy's and strawberry ice cream from Baskin Robins. Somehow he'd found a Baskin Robins still open, how? She had no idea. Afterwards, they went to the park and stared at the stars, even when it rained they didn't leave. "It's like a movie!" Reece would say, only for EJ to laugh in return. It was the best night of her life.
Reece turned her phone off, not wanting to see anymore of the pictures. She wiped the last of the makeup off her eyes and grabbed her guitar. As she strummed the strings she hummed where the lyrics would've been.
Oh, I was doing fine
You said, "Remember that night?
Remember that night?"
Oh, I was doing fine
You said, "Remember that night?
Remember that night?"
♪♫ ♫♪
Once Reece had finished the song, which she'd called Remember That Night?, it was only 10 o'clock and so she decided to take a walk, it probably wasn't the best idea as she was a girl alone at night but her neighbourhood was pretty safe. But she does not recommend doing this. As she slipped her (favourite) Taylor Swift shirt on, disregarding the previous shirt she had on, the doorbell rang. Tying her converse she made her way downstairs. They continued to ring the bell.
"I'm coming! I'm coming!" She yelled, stuffing her phone in her pants pocket. "Impatient son of a-" she opened the door to reveal a man. He looked to be in his late 30s to early 40s. He had brown hair and blue eyes, the same blue eyes Reece had.
"Reece, sweetie, who's at the door?" Scarlett called, walking from the kitchen to her daughter. She stopped in her tracks when she saw who it was. "Get out." She said firmly.
He didn't move.
"Sean, get out now." Something clicked in her brain that caused the young girl to snap out of her daze. Her father was here, standing right in front of her. The man who had left them because he couldn't handle being a father without needing a drink or a cigarette every second. So, Reece did what she could do.
She ran. She ran, not caring about her mother calling out for her. She ran, not caring that she had no jacket on and it was getting colder by the second. She ran, not realizing where she was running to. She ran.
When she finally stopped to catch her breath she let out a soft cry. Her heart shattering into a million pieces, just like it had once before. It was that she was upset because her dad had left, she didn't care about him, she was upset that he had the audacity to show up now after years of being off the grid. He never made any effort to contact them before, why now?
Reece grabbed her phone from her pocket and clicked on the first contact she saw.
EJ Caswell
It rang.
And rang.
And rang.
Until he finally picked up.
"Hello?"
Reece sniffled, "I know we're not on speaking terms right now." She kept herself from stuttering. "But I don't know who else to call."
"Where are you?"
"Cherry Park." And with that the call ended, leaving Reece to again cry to herself until EJ arrived.
♪♫ ♫♪
"Reece?" EJ called out to the girl who sat on the curb, head in her knees, as he walked up to her. She looked up, as she began to sob. He wrapped his arm around her, letting the young girl cry into his arms. He hated when she cried, it was the worst feeling in the world.
"He's back." She whispered. "He's back."
"Who's back?" EJ rubbed her back with one hand as she strong her hair with the other.
"My dad. He just showed up out of nowhere." She hiccuped.
"Shhh." He comforted her softly as she continued to sob, although she'd gotten calmer. "It'll be okay."
She looked up at him, "Don't lie to me."
He kissed the top of her head, neither of the caring that this was what they used to do when they dated. "Come on, let's go." He grabbed onto her hand dragging her to his car.
"Where are we going?" She questioned.
"You'll see, and I swear you'll like it."
"I better." She smiled a little, but it left as quick as it came.
♪♫ ♫♪
"Ice cream taste so much better at night." Reece said stuffing the strawberry flavoured ice cream in her mouth.
EJ smiled at the girl beside him, he almost forgot that they were on a fight. Reece, however, hadn't forgotten. But she kept quiet as she didn't want to ruin the night.
When EJ had heard the girl cry he knew the best thing to do was by her food and go to the park. Taking his eyes off Reece he turned back at the road. "Fry?" She asked, as he opened his mouth in reply. She popped a fry into her mouth and one into EJ's.
EJ parked his car in the parking lot next to the park. "I'm sorry." He apologized, looking everywhere but the girl.
"What?" She said placing the spoon into the, now empty, ice cream cup.
"I'm sorry, about everything. It wasn't your fault, nothing was. I was upset at myself and I took it out on you. I don't expect you to forgive me, nor do I want you to. I don't deserve it. I've been horrible to you since the break-up. I just want to be on good terms again, I want you in my life Reece. Friends, acquaintances, classmates, it doesn't matter, all I know it that my life without you sucks." He took a deep breath.
Reece paused. She didn't expect him to say all that, especially now. In all honesty she didn't want to forgive him. She knew the apology was sincere but was she ready to forgive? No.
"I-" she couldn't even get a word out before EJ cut her off.
"Don't say you forgive me or except my apology, I'll earn back your trust and then you can say it."
"Ok."
"Ok."
"Want more fries?" She asked, after a minute of silence.
EJ smiled. "Sure."
They spent the rest of the night laughing, talking, pretty much just enjoying each other's company. Reece would be lying if she said she didn't miss this. But she had to learn to get over him. It wasn't like she was waiting for EJ to ask her to homecoming, she already had a date, Trent Rivera the captain of the basketball team. Josie had said it was a bad idea but the redhead didn't care, she was not going to be alone on homecoming night.
And so they sat there until it was time for Reece to get home. Neither of them wanting to leave as they didn't know what would happen next. Nothing was ever going to be perfectly fine but this moment was all they needed. This moment was enough for them. This moment was filled with old memories but also new memories.
Maybe it wouldn't last, maybe it would, but for the time being it was perfect...well as perfect as it could get for them.
INEZ SPEAKS
I was looking forward to this chapter, but I hate how it turned out! 😩 please tell me it's not as bad as it seems, it looked so cute in my head and originally Reece was meant to go back to EJ's house and spend the night but I'm planning on using that later on in the book.
Unedited as of right now.