Filed to story: My Life with the Walter Boys Book (I & II) PDF Free
“Yeah, well, I’m eighteen now, and she knows how much you really want to be at home. It would only be for the rest of summer since you’d have to come back here for school, but your uncle Richard agreed that we could live in your apartment together. Of course, if that’s okay with you.”
For a moment I was so excited I could barely contain myself. I was going to get to go home and, on top of that, live with one of the best friends that I had made in Colorado. But then, I thought about all the other amazing friends I met here. What would it be like without daily runs with Nathan, or Riley and Heather’s bubbly personalities? How would I feel without Alex and Cole?
“Danny, I would love to go to New York and live with you. You know that’s where I want to be. I guess I just have to decide if that’s the best thing for me right now.”
“I completely understand, Jackie. Take your time deciding. I don’t want you to feel like you made the wrong choice.”
Chapter 18
The next morning, the house was quiet since everyone was recovering from last night’s festivities. I stayed cooped up in my room, trying to figure out what to do. I was conflicted about Danny’s proposal. More than anything I wanted to go home, but what about the people I’d come to love here in Colorado?
A knock on the door pulled me out of my thoughts.
“Come in,” I called. Alex opened the door, and I could tell from the way he squinted at the bright light of my room that he was still hungover.
“Hey,” he said, his voice strained. “Can we talk?”
“Um, yeah. Sit down.” It didn’t sound good, but I moved over on my bed to make room for him.
Nodding his head, he shuffled across the room toward my bed. As he sat down, the squeal of the springs made the tense silence in the room more apparent.
“So,” I started to say when Alex said nothing. “About last night—“
“Jackie, I’m so sorry.”
“I didn’t mean for you to hear that, but—wait, what?”
“I’ve been so unfair to you,” he said. I didn’t understand what he was trying to say, so I waited for him to continue. “After the whole thing with Mary and Cole, I was so hurt. I think I knew deep down that Cole didn’t know Mary dumped me, but it just felt so good having a reason to be mad at him.”
“Why would you want to be mad at your brother?”
“I was jealous. People always compare us, but he’s so much better at everything than me.”
“That’s not true, Alex. You’re good at video games and baseball, not to mention that you’re a much better friend then he is.”
“That didn’t matter back then.”
“Back when?”
“When you got here.”
“What do you mean?”
“Come on, Jackie,” Alex said as if I was being stupid. “You’re beautiful. How could any guy not notice you? With Cole around, I knew I didn’t stand a chance.” He looked up at me. “But then you were in my anatomy class, so we had something in common, stuff we could talk about. I had an excuse to hang out with you, and it made me feel like I had a chance after all. What surprised me even more was that you blew him off like he was nothing. That helped me feel better and forget.”
“Forget?” I asked, even though I knew exactly what he was talking about.
“About Mary,” he said. Alex paused for a moment and shut his eyes. He was clearly in pain and was having a hard time getting his words out. “It was the weekend that my family went on the camping trip,” he said, continuing his story. “The time you, me, and Cole slept on the living-room floor during the storm? That was when I realized that I was going to have to fight him for you. I wanted to beat Cole, to feel like I accomplished something that he hadn’t. And I wanted to prove to Mary that I was done with her.”
Neither of us said anything as Alex’s words drifted through the silent air. I didn’t know how to react to his confession, but then I realized what he said should have hurt me. But it didn’t. All I felt was…relief. Alex had made living with the Walters so much easier for me—my anchor as I adjusted to the storm. He was my comfort, my first real kiss, but most importantly, he was my friend.
It took me a moment to collect my thoughts, and in that time Alex panicked. “Well, what do you feel? Massive amounts of hatred?”
“Alex, I could never hate you.”
“Then what is it?”
I hesitated, taking the time to search his face. From the alarmed gleam in his eye, I could tell he knew what I was about to say. “You’re not over her, are you?” I asked him.
“Jackie, please don’t make me answer that question. I really, really care about you. I know I let my issues with Cole get between us, but—“
“Alex, wait,” I said, cutting him off. “I have a confession you need to hear as well.” It wasn’t just something that I needed to tell him, but also a truth that I had to acknowledge myself. “I know you heard Cole and me talking last night at the wedding, but there’s more to the story. When I first got here, I was so focused on proving that I was okay even though my family was gone. I had this messed-up perception in my head that I needed to be perfect, so my mother could be proud of me. Then I met Cole and I knew he was going to be trouble, unpredictable. He could’ve ruined everything I was working toward, but you were safe. I started dating you so I wouldn’t have to deal with him. I don’t know, maybe I’m still confused about my mom, but I know for sure that what I did to you was wrong.”
Alex sucked in a sharp breath. “Is this your way of saying you’re breaking up with me?”
“I—I think so.”
We were quiet for a long time.
Finally Alex said something. It wasn’t a protest or angry words, just a simple statement. “Jack and Jordan heard Danny and my mom talking last night. They said you’re leaving with him next week.”
Then I realized what he was asking. He wanted to know if I was running away from him. “I haven’t made a decision yet, but I never considered leaving because of what happened between us. It’s just that I miss home so much, but I don’t want to leave you all behind.”
“You promise it’s not because of me?” he asked, holding out his finger so I could pinkie swear.
“I promise.”
He nodded his head in understanding. “Well, then I think you should go.”
“What?”
At first I thought he was being bitter, but then Alex grabbed my hand and looked at me. “You need this, Jackie,” he said. His face was soft but insistent as he tried to convince me. “Go home. Sort everything out. Then, when you’re better, you can come back to us.”
Alex couldn’t have been more right. It was time to leave Colorado and face my past.
***