Status: Completed - thanks for reading!

Uncharted Territory

Avoidance

Reagan

“So John and Grace asked you to be in their wedding?” Joel asked me from across the table.

I looked up at Joel as I adjusted my sunglasses with one hand while dipping fry in ketchup with the other. “Actually, it was just Grace that asked me to be a bridesmaid; I haven’t seen John since we were in Massachusetts.”

I thought back to the day before when Grace had come by the house to ask if I’d be a part of her wedding. The encounter was awkward from the very beginning. Kennedy had answered the door not realizing that it was Grace that had knocked. They had a stilted conversation where Kennedy told her congratulations but I could tell he didn’t really mean it. He quickly excused himself and left me to have the next awkward conversation with Grace. She asked me to be a bridesmaid and I pasted on a smile as I said yes but deep down I only wanted to say no. I knew having to stand up by Grace while she and John were married would be painful but I knew I couldn’t say no without causing some tension. Plus I’d have to explain why I said no and there was no way I was going to tell people I had feelings for John. Making my feelings for John known would hurt many people, including Joel, and that was something I didn’t want to do especially after Joel had been there for me through everything.

“I thought John asked Kennedy to be a groomsman though? Didn’t you see him when then?” Joel asked.

“Nope,” I said, popping the p. “He came by while I was in school. It’s as if he’s avoiding me or something.”

“I’m sure he’s not avoiding you. He’s probably just busy trying to plan the wedding.”

“Maybe,” I said as I shrugged.

Joel chuckled. “Well I’m sure you guys will figure it out eventually. You two are always getting into fights and then forgiving each other a few days later. You’re like an old married couple.”

“We are not like an old married couple,” I said as Joel just looked at me. I rolled my eyes back at him. “Whatever. I don’t need John though since I have you.”

“I may be your boyfriend Rae but you and John have some kind of connection which is why you guys are such good friends. I know you’ll never admit this but you miss him and the thought that he might be avoiding you is really bugging you right now.”

I looked down at my plate as I avoided Joel’s statement but knew he was right. John and I did have some sort of connection which made me feel guilty; guilty because I wanted to see if that connection could lead to us being more than friends but knew that was impossible.

“Well speak of the devil,” Joel said. I could hear the smirk in his voice so I looked up and saw the one and only John O’Callaghan walking out of the restaurant carrying a to go bag and heading straight towards our table.

“Hey man. What’s up?” John asked as he and Joel bumped fists or whatever weird handshake it was that boys did when greeting each other.

“Not much. Rae and I just decided to take advantage of this nice day by coming here to eat outside.”

“It is nice out. I had a craving for a burger so I decided to come pick one up.” John explained why he was at the restaurant. He finally turned to me as if he had just noticed that I was sitting there. “Hi Rae. How are you?”

“Excuse me, do I know you?” I spat back.

The three of us were silent for a few seconds until Joel finally stood up. “Well I think you guys should talk for a few minutes. I’ll just run inside to the bar and watch the game until you guys are done talking.”

I glared at Joel as he walked away but he just smiled back at me. My glare was then shifted over to John as he sat across from me in the seat that Joel had just been occupying.

“So you’re mad at me,” John sighed.

“Mm-hmm.”

“I’m sorry, Reagan, I’ve just been really busy trying to help Grace plan the wedding.”

“Yeah, you guys are getting married fairly quickly… Is Grace pregnant or something?”

“No, she’s not. Stop being a bitch, Rae.”

“Like you haven’t been a bitch to me all week by avoiding me?” I sarcastically questioned.

“I haven’t been avoiding you.”

“Whatever.”

“I’m serious, Rae, I’m not avoiding you. I’m just really busy.”

I took a breath and paused as I carefully thought over what I wanted to say next. “It just seems like you’ve been avoiding me ever since we got back from Massachusetts and I can’t help but wonder if it’s because of what happened there. I know seeing me go through my court hearing and learning about what happened to me last year was some pretty heavy stuff. I thought our friendship could handle it though. If I had known that you were going to freak out I would have sent you back to Arizona instead of staying out there with me.”

“Yes, those were some pretty serious things that I learned about you and helped you go through when I was out there with you but I think it made our friendship stronger.”

I shrugged instead of answering him.

“I’m truly sorry, Rae,” John pleaded. “I guess I kind of was avoiding you because I didn’t know if my getting engaged to Grace would change our friendship.”

John and Grace getting engaged definitely changed our friendship since I was in love with him but I wasn’t about to let him know it. “Why would it change?”

“I don’t know. Engagements and weddings can do some weird things to people. I’m sorry though and promise to never avoid you again. Friends?”

“Do you really think it’s a good idea for us to be friends?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” John questioned.

“We’re always getting into fights. Sometimes they’re big and other times they’re small but it seems as if we have some sort of argument at least one a week. That can’t be healthy.”

“Reagan, we just get into fights because we’re both stubborn and are constantly pushing each other. We’re both making each other constantly think and question things which is good but can lead to arguments. We’re kind of like Ally and Noah. You’re one of the people I feel most comfortable talking to though and also one of the people I’m closest with. I’d hate to lose that just because we occasionally get into fights.”

“Did you just use a “The Notebook” reference?” I smirked.

“It was a good movie, okay?”

“You are such a girl,” I laughed. “I guess you’re right though so yes, we’re still friends.”

“Good.” John smiled as he stole the last fry off my plate.

“Hey!” I pouted. “I was going to eat that.”

“I’m a growing boy. I need it more than you. So do you need a ride home or anything? I’m headed out and can drop you off.”

“I’ll just go with Joel. I think we’re going to the movies or something anyway.”

I thought I saw a look of disappointment flash across John’s face but he was smiling again a second later so I figured I must have imagined it. “Duh, I forgot about Joel. Well, have fun. See you later.”

I watched John walk away until I felt a presence by my chair. I looked up to see Joel standing beside me smiling down at me.

“Did you guys kiss and make up?” Joel asked as he nodded at John’s retreating car.

“We made up but didn’t kiss.” I answered.

“Good to both of those. Good that you made up but good that you didn’t kiss because I’m the only one that can kiss you.”

I suddenly thought of mine and John’s almost New Year’s Eve kiss that had nearly happened many months earlier but I had never told Joel about. Even though it was just an almost kiss Joel would be crushed if he found out and I didn’t want to do that to him so I quickly changed the subject. “Yeah. Well are you ready to go? The movie is going to be starting soon.”

I grabbed Joel’s hand and followed him to his car knowing he thought everything was perfectly fine. I couldn’t help but think though that we were all just in the calm before the storm and once it eventually hit we’d all be in for a crazy ride.
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Outfit

Things are just starting to get good...hahaha.

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