(Anyone else sad that it's almost been a year since rl little league team won us champs)
I woke up this morning, and saw half of the boys were already awake. Zack, Cole, Chayton, and Jaden usually got up early so it was no surprise to me that they were up already.
"About time!" zack said, his mouth forming a smile.
I threw my pillow at him, and he caught it instinctively. "Hey now, this is early for me. I usually wake up at eleven."
He grimaced, shaking his head at me in a motherly way. "You're right, how do you sleep that late?"
I shrugged, gesturing to Cole. "the longer I sleep, the less time I deal with his shenanigans."
"Talkin 'bout me?" Cole said, raising an eyebrow.
"All good things, all good things." I said with a smile.
out of the corner of my eye, I could see Jaden. He laughed at what I had said to Cole.
He laughed.
I found myself clenching my jaw, and my blood started to pulse. Everything he did drove me insane. He broke my heart, just yesterday - but part of me still wanted to love him. It was so messed up.
I hated when he smiled at something funny, something we usually would've laughed about together, or when a fan at one of the games flirted with him and he hugged them back. However, back then I had relief that it meant nothing. After all, he was with me.
Now, I felt jealousy, hatred, and yet also longing just to be his again.
"Mhm, that's what they all say." Cole muttered, grinning at me.
He hadn't voiced an opinion on the whole Jaden thing yet, except hugging me yesterday when I started to cry for the third time.
"Could y'all be any louder?" Braden said, pouting like a lil puppy dog. He looked so cute and tired.
"Good morning sunshine." Chayton muttered, receiving laughs - not from Braden.
Morning Braden was not one to mess with. That I learned the hard way.
"Anyway, what time's your game today? I'd like time to get ready for once." I said sarcastically, pulling myself out of bed.
"An hour, but dad wants us there in thirty minutes." Cole said.
I groaned, I loved my dad but he could be a pain at times.
"Could you go down to the grove and get gatorades? I hate to ask but we all have to go down earlier so I thought maybe..?" Cole trailed off, looking at me with angelic eyes.
"So you thought I'd do it." I said flatly, not really wanting to move any more than I had too.
"Well when you put it that way.."
"Ugh, fine. I'll be back." I said, grabbing my card and heading out the door.
Before it clicked I heard a few "thanks Chloe" from inside.
I got into the elevator, with a few other baseball players who held the door for me.
"Thanks," I said appreciatively.
"It's -uh, no problem." One of them said, before addressing me directly. "So you're Coles sister?"
I nodded, it seemed as if everyone was aware of that. "You got it,"
"Well I heard you and Jaden didn't exactly work out, but uh- one of my teammates said he was interested." A few of the other boys nudged him and laughed lightly.
I didnt say anything, just mustered up a fake laugh and waited until the elevator opened.
It was torture. Going down three floors felt like forever. I was at the front of the elevator, and could feel all of the boys eyes were on me. Worst of all, how did they know about Jaden and I? Did I really make that big of a scene?!
For some reason I thought of Ben. And how yesterday went down. He said he loved me. I liked him, but not like Jaden. It was different. I liked Ben in a sort of "crush" way. When we first met, I thought Ben was really cute, and whenever he flirted with me I felt all tingly inside.
With Jaden, it was serious. I loved him, in a deep love sort of way. Not only did I find him insanely gorgeous and to have the perfect looks, but I fell in love with his personality. His charm, the way he treated me, the way we got along, and most of all, the trust we had. I felt like with him there was always a "safeness" and that he would never let me down.
But he did.
I felt like yelling, what didn't I get?! He did let me down. He did cheat on me. He wasn't everything I thought he was.
I put in the money from Cole and pressed the blue Gatorade; figuring it would be the one he'd want.
"Wagner," Ben said, putting his hand on my shoulder and appearing next to me.
"Ben," I said softly, "hey."
He smiled, "I'm surprised to see you here this early."
I shook my head, tell me about it. "That's exactly what the boys said."
He nodded, his grin falling. "So, you and Jaden make amends yet?"
I froze. We just "broke up" yesterday! Why was everyone expecting me to move on so soon?
"No, why should I? I never did anything, if anything he needs to make amends with me." I said, not even wanting to look at Ben right now.
I got two more gatorades, putting in the money for the fourth - Jadens.
"Yeah, I know that. I just thought, maybe you decided to say something. I dunno, my bad. Kind of a dumb thought. Any who, you busy later?"
I pressed purple, Jadens favorite flavor. "Yeah, Cole's got a game in a few minutes. I could hang after that though."
He pouted, "Damn little league World Series and their scheduling. I have a game at one. And coach wants us to practice in a few."
I groaned, it was almost as if it was fate that we shouldn't hangout. Fate. I groaned again, I was so sick of fate.
"I could try and come to your game later, I'll see if I can get some of the boys to come with me so I don't have to sit alone."
He grinned, "Yeah, that'd be so awesome. I've gotta go, I'll catch ya later though," he said, squeezing my hand and then turning to go.
"See ya Gottfried," I yelled back. Taking all the gatorades in my arms and walking back towards the elevator. I should've realized this was a bad idea. I was walking with six gatorades in my arms, looking so stupid.
I could feel the blue Gatorade starting to slip from my arm, as it was only being held by my last two fingers.
They started to slip out of my hand and I reached to grab them, the last two caught by a pair of hands.
"Than-" I trailed off as I followed the hands upward to see the face accompanying them.
Jaden.
"Don't worry about it," he said softly, the voice I found so comforting just a few days ago.
"Why are you doing this?" I muttered, trying to stay quiet and not make a huge scene in the lobby.
I started to walk to the steps instead of the elevator, hoping Jaden wouldn't follow.
"I know you're mad, babe, but it's all a misunderstanding and I just-"
I looked a him, for the first time since yesterday and glared. "Don't call me babe."
He blinked slowly, looking broken. Maybe now he saw how I felt.
"I- right, anyway; Hayley and I aren't dating, Chloe. Never are and for sure never will be. It was a lie, a stupid, stupid, lie that got taken way too far. Cole, Braden, Jake - they all wouldn't stop bringing up homecoming. Asking about dates and who we were taking, so I lied and said Hayley. I couldn't say you - back then we agreed not to tell Cole. I also didn't want them thinking I wasn't going with anyone, they would see right through that. At first it was a small lie, but then they kept asking and asking and it developed. Everyone believed it but Braden, he knew that you and I were together. Then you caught me, in the process of a lie. I was just covering for us, I promise."
He said, breathlessly recapping what had happened between us. I felt my heart and spirits instantly lift. He never cheated on me!
On the outside, I kept it serious. I couldn't just trust this, he lied to me while we were dating so this could just as easily be a lie.
"Jaden, I- I, I want to believe you." I said, leaning back against the wall. My bottled up emotions were starting to make their way up. Everything I was feeling was starting to make its way through. I still loved Jaden. I couldn't get over that fact. That's what made this hurt the most.
"It's just so hard, so so hard." I said, my voice breaking as the gatorades fell to the floor. I put my hands to my face, to wipe the tears that had started to fall.
He looked pained, and reached a hand out to touch my shoulder. His hand felt so comforting, so reassuring.
"I need you, Chloe. I need you to believe me. Yesterday was hell, to put it lightly. I'm so crazy about you, just the fact that I wasn't with you was unbearable. That for that time you could be with another guy, he could hold you, laugh with you, kiss you, do all the things we did with you, it drove me insane. I missed you, and I missed us. I love you, and even if you won't forgive me, I have to let you know, that I never cheated on you. I can't live with myself knowing that you think I did. I love you Chloe and if anything-"
I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him. It was acting on impulse, but it was the right decision. Not being with him was killing me, and even though I had no way of knowing for sure- I believed Jaden.
He kissed me back, putting his hand on my chin and his other hand on my waist. It was one of the best moments we've ever had together.
"Was that your way of silencing my ramble?" He asked, his hand still on my chin.
"It worked, didn't it?" I said coyly, kissing his cheek and grinning to myself. It felt so good to be on good terms again.
"So, does this mean you'll be my girlfriend again? It would mean everything to me and more." Jaden said, wrapping his hands with mine.
"It would mean the world to me, I honestly couldn't deal being without you. When I thought you cheated on me, I was so broken. I care about you so much, you know that?"
He nodded, picking up the gatorades and grinning. "I just can't stop smiling, y'know? You do that to me, whenever I'm with you, I just can't stop."
I blushed, shaking my head at how cute he was. "I love you Jaden, I really do."
"I love you too, babe. Now more than ever."