Chapter 28 - Tate
twenty-eight
Tate
Where did you guys disappear to last night?” I slide into the booth.
“Where did we disappear to?” Ember leans forward. “You told me you were going to get a drink and then didn’t come back.”
“We tried texting you, but I felt bad making Alex wait for us.”
“So, where did you disappear to?” Ember raises her eyebrows in a teasing manner.
“Get your heads out of the gutter.” I roll my eyes. “I didn’t do anything with anyone.”
“That’s not what I heard.” Brinley grins. “Jere told me that Fletcher saw you with Isaiah Walker.”
“The football player?” Ember gasps. “Tatum Lewis with a football player?”
“We talked, that’s it. He was quite the flirt, but nothing happened. We didn’t even kiss.” I cross my arms. “Wait, when did Fletcher see the two of us?”
I thought he was too distracted by his phone to even know I was there.
“I don’t know. Becca and Fletch were walking around the house and saw the two of you outside.” Brin shrugs.
“Becca was at the party?”
“Yeah, they were texting like the whole night,” Ember begins. “You didn’t notice Fletcher being glued to his phone?”
I did, but I assumed he was talking to Casey. Unless I was only partly wrong, and he’s moved on from Casey and has now circled back to Becca. Or maybe I have no idea what’s going on with my best friend because we don’t talk like we used to.
“I guess I wasn’t really paying attention to him.” I lie.
“Things are still weird between you?” Maia joins the conversation, and my cheeks flush over the fact that she knew exactly who we were talking about.
“I don’t know anymore. I want to talk to him about it, but I don’t know how to go about it without making things even more tense.”
“But the longer you both avoid the tension, the worse it will get.” Brin reaches across the table for my hand.
“I love you, Brin, I do, but I don’t know if you’re the person I should be taking advice from in this situation. You avoid Jax pretty much any chance you get.”
“I don’t ignore him. I prioritize me; there’s a difference."
"So, maybe I’m just prioritizing me.”
“You’re not.” My face drops.
“And how can you be so sure of that?”
“Our situations aren’t the same, Tate. Not even close.
I’m in love with a guy who sees me as his best friend's little sister. Someone who spends time with me and makes me feel important, and then goes to flirt with other girls to prove a point.” I go to interrupt, but she holds up her hands as if she’s expecting me to do just that.
“Fletcher’s just an idiot. He went to talk to a girl at a party, not to prove that he had game, but because a friend asked him to.
And whether you believe me when I tell you for the millionth time or not, there’s something more between the two of you. ”
“You’re right… I don’t believe you. I just think maybe we’ve reached a point where—”
“If you say you’ve reached a point where your friendship is fizzling out,” Ember interrupts, “don’t even finish that sentence.
He showed up at your apartment to help put together furniture even though you didn’t text him to remind him.
Even though he probably feels the rift growing between you guys. ”
“So, what do I do? Act like I’m fine and that we’re best friends until I finally feel that way?”
Maia places a hand on my shoulder. “I know you’re going to hate me for even suggesting this, but I think you need to talk to him. A real honest conversation.”
“I can’t. Because if I try to talk to Fletcher about my reservations when it comes to him seeing Casey, he’s going to assume I’m jealous, and that’s what this whole thing is.”
I run a hand through my hair.
“Things will resolve between us eventually. Fletcher has never been one to want to be in a long-distance relationship, and he basically started one that way. It’s only a matter of time before he realizes this isn’t for him, and I have my best friend back.”
“Or,” Brinley leans forward like the diner is full, and she wants to make sure no one else hears what she has to say, “Fletcher and Casey survive the distance for the next fourish months, and then she comes down here for the whole summer, and their relationship is so strong that they make it through senior year because he knows once he’s playing pro, he’ll have to deal with the distance if she doesn’t travel with him 24/7. ”
She takes a breath.
“And then they fall madly in love and get married and start a family, and you slowly get pushed further and further out of his life because she doesn’t like you. Then, suddenly, you’re left to wonder what would’ve happened if you had just talked to him. If you had just been honest with him.”
My mouth opens slightly, my face twisting in disgust.
“Seriously, Brin?”
“I’m just being honest. Or maybe his relationship with Casey doesn’t last, but then he realizes Becca is perfect for him. Suddenly, they’re engaged by graduation and pop out kids every year.”
“You’re really not helping the situation, Brin.” Ember leans into her, but her eyes don’t leave me.
“I’ll talk to him.” I swallow. “I promise. Soon.”
Brinley lets out a slow sigh, reaching for my forearm and squeezing softly.
“I’m not trying to be, I don’t know, I just, I don’t want you to have any regrets. I love you, both of you, and I don’t want to think about what would happen if you guys grow apart.”
“We’d obviously pick you if that were to happen.” Ember grins. “But it’d be kind of hard to ignore Fletcher when he lives with my boyfriend.”
“Oh, we’d definitely pick you over Fletcher,” Brin adds. “I could pretty easily convince the guys to pick you as well.”
“It won’t come to that.”
The words leave my mouth, but I don’t know if I fully believe them myself.
We’ve dated other people. We’ve gotten into fights. But nothing like this.
This is different.
And I don’t know if it’s something we come back from.