Sequel: On and On ›
The Good Life
Chapter 25
My dad stayed with me for the next week to make sure I was okay. I felt bad for him, I didn’t really talk, I was just kind of there, in a daze.
When my dad left, Hutch came over a lot, I told him the whole story and he dubbed himself the fixer of my relationship.
“Kayden, do you really think that he did it on purpose?” Hutch asked me after I was done telling him the whole story.
“No.” I shook my head, “But it still hurts.”
“I know, but that boy loves you, and that’s just that. He’s a boy, boys have hormones, some girl came and danced on him, you expect him to push her away?”
I just looked at him.
“I mean, it was just a dance, you know he didn’t mean to hurt you, and he stayed with you the whole time, if he didn’t love and care for you do you think he would have been there for you like that?”
I gulped and looked at him a small flurry of butterflies rose in my stomach as I thought about his words.
I hadn’t heard from Joe since I left, and sent him the text message, I just needed time for myself, to get better and think some things over, the only thing I came to realize was that I needed him, I needed him badly.
I smiled and looked over to Hutch, “I love you, you’re like my own personal little Gandhi.” He started busting out laughing, “I try.” He shrugged. His laughter was contagious, and I joined in with him, it felt really good.
After Hutch left that night I laid in my bed, Joe was coming home tomorrow, when tomorrow? I had no idea, but I was ready.
There was one thing that I couldn’t get out of my head, was he ready for me? I knew it had absolutely destroyed him when I left, I had called Kevin one time after I left and he told me that Joe was terrible, he said he wouldn’t talk to anyone, he wasn’t eating, he put on a happy face in front of people but he wasn’t really there. I didn’t call Kevin again after that, I couldn’t it destroyed me to know the condition he was in.
The next morning I woke up and took my time taking a shower and making sure my hair and makeup were perfect for when he showed up.
If he showed up.
I got dressed in a pair of loose light wash jeans and a black polo and trotted down the stairs and waited.
And waited, and waited, and waited, I finally drifted off to sleep laying on the couch watching the clock change with every passing minute, the last number I remembered was 3:38.
I woke up to a light knocking, I sat up, startled and looked at the clock, 8:07, geez I slept forever. Then I remembered the door, so many emotions were running through my veins. I was excited, anxious, scared, nervous, petrified, happy. I wrapped my fingers around the doorknob and slowly turned it I kept my eyes straight forward and slowly opened the door.
There he was. Oh my God, there he was. My heart sped up and there was a flock of butterflies fluttering in my stomach. He was looking down at his shoes, and it felt like it took hours for his eyes to finally lock onto mine. I stared into his eyes, they were empty, there was no sparkle or shine, they were cold and lonely. I stepped back and let him shuffle by me into the house and shut the door, I turned to look at him to find he was staring at me, he let his gaze drop back to his shoes and he shoved his hands in his pockets, “I just wanted to come by and tell you I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” I was surprised I had understood him, his voice was so low and he was shaking his head and I saw tears falling and splashing on the hardwood floor of the foyer.
Every emotion was crawling at my skin, begging to be let out. I didn’t care about the girl in the club anymore, it wasn’t about her, I had forgiven him of that a while ago, right now it was just me and him, and I just wanted him back. I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but it came out as a loud sob and tears poured from my eyes, “I missed you.” I managed to choke out. In two long strides, he was in front of me, I looked up, his nose was almost touching mine, his eyes searched mine, as tears poured from both of our eyes, he slowly brought his hand up and stroked my cheek, I closed my eyes and leaned into him, his hands settled on my shoulders and made their way down my arms and to my waist, I watched his eyes, they were slowly starting to change, the color was lightening and the twinkle was coming back. I place my arms around his neck and his slide around my waist and pulled me to him, “I’m so sorry for everything, I was so stupid, I never want to lose you again.” I shook my head, “I don’t want to talk about that anymore, I forgive you, I forgave you a while back, I just want it to be about me and you, like it’s supposed to be. He nodded against my forehead.
“I was miserable without you.” He spoke a few moments later, we stayed in the exact same spot, just taking each other in. “I love you.” I said, it felt so good sliding off my lips, it had been so long since I told him that. “I love you, I love you, I love you.” I repeated. I stared at his eyes and saw them shine, he picked me up and walked me up the stairs, we got to my room and he laid me on the bed and laid next to me, entangling our legs together and wrapping his arms around me.
“I love you.” He whispered into my hair. “So much, if I would have lost you, I don’t know what I would have done with myself.” I cupped his cheek in my hand, “I’m here.” Was all I said before I planted my lips on to his and we shared a long, passionate kiss that was way over due.
I pulled back and looked at him, he had a beautiful smile on his face and I tucked my head under his chin and breathed him in. A little while later I heard his throat grumble, “Kayden?” He asked. “Hmm?” I hummed against his neck. “Can you do something for me?”
“Anything.” I said my lips brushing across his neck. “Make me the happiest man alive.” Now I pulled back and looked at him, “And how am I supposed to do that, Joseph?” I asked laughing at him and running my fingers along his forehead. He smiled at me, and stared into my eyes, “Marry me, Kayden.” He said softly. I stopped laughing and my eyes widened and my mouth hung open, “I mean, we don’t have to get married right off the bat, I just want you to be mine, your internship is almost up, and I can’t let you leave, and I love you and I don’t want to live without you, I can’t live without you, I want to spend my life with you.” I smiled, “Yes. Oh my God, yes, I'll marry you.” I repeatedly kissed his lips. He beamed at me, “Well, I don’t have a ring at the moment—” I cut him off, “I don’t care, that doesn’t matter to me.” He pulled me on top of him and I set my chin on his chest, I fit perfectly over him and he looked up to me, “I love you.” I smiled, “I love you too.”
I couldn’t stop smiling; neither could Joe, “You’re going to be Mrs. Jonas.” If possible, my smile grew at his statement, “I love the sound of that.”
I couldn’t believe this. I was going to marry him. It was soon and unexpected but there was no doubt in my mind that that’s exactly what I wanted.
When my dad left, Hutch came over a lot, I told him the whole story and he dubbed himself the fixer of my relationship.
“Kayden, do you really think that he did it on purpose?” Hutch asked me after I was done telling him the whole story.
“No.” I shook my head, “But it still hurts.”
“I know, but that boy loves you, and that’s just that. He’s a boy, boys have hormones, some girl came and danced on him, you expect him to push her away?”
I just looked at him.
“I mean, it was just a dance, you know he didn’t mean to hurt you, and he stayed with you the whole time, if he didn’t love and care for you do you think he would have been there for you like that?”
I gulped and looked at him a small flurry of butterflies rose in my stomach as I thought about his words.
I hadn’t heard from Joe since I left, and sent him the text message, I just needed time for myself, to get better and think some things over, the only thing I came to realize was that I needed him, I needed him badly.
I smiled and looked over to Hutch, “I love you, you’re like my own personal little Gandhi.” He started busting out laughing, “I try.” He shrugged. His laughter was contagious, and I joined in with him, it felt really good.
After Hutch left that night I laid in my bed, Joe was coming home tomorrow, when tomorrow? I had no idea, but I was ready.
There was one thing that I couldn’t get out of my head, was he ready for me? I knew it had absolutely destroyed him when I left, I had called Kevin one time after I left and he told me that Joe was terrible, he said he wouldn’t talk to anyone, he wasn’t eating, he put on a happy face in front of people but he wasn’t really there. I didn’t call Kevin again after that, I couldn’t it destroyed me to know the condition he was in.
The next morning I woke up and took my time taking a shower and making sure my hair and makeup were perfect for when he showed up.
If he showed up.
I got dressed in a pair of loose light wash jeans and a black polo and trotted down the stairs and waited.
And waited, and waited, and waited, I finally drifted off to sleep laying on the couch watching the clock change with every passing minute, the last number I remembered was 3:38.
I woke up to a light knocking, I sat up, startled and looked at the clock, 8:07, geez I slept forever. Then I remembered the door, so many emotions were running through my veins. I was excited, anxious, scared, nervous, petrified, happy. I wrapped my fingers around the doorknob and slowly turned it I kept my eyes straight forward and slowly opened the door.
There he was. Oh my God, there he was. My heart sped up and there was a flock of butterflies fluttering in my stomach. He was looking down at his shoes, and it felt like it took hours for his eyes to finally lock onto mine. I stared into his eyes, they were empty, there was no sparkle or shine, they were cold and lonely. I stepped back and let him shuffle by me into the house and shut the door, I turned to look at him to find he was staring at me, he let his gaze drop back to his shoes and he shoved his hands in his pockets, “I just wanted to come by and tell you I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” I was surprised I had understood him, his voice was so low and he was shaking his head and I saw tears falling and splashing on the hardwood floor of the foyer.
Every emotion was crawling at my skin, begging to be let out. I didn’t care about the girl in the club anymore, it wasn’t about her, I had forgiven him of that a while ago, right now it was just me and him, and I just wanted him back. I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but it came out as a loud sob and tears poured from my eyes, “I missed you.” I managed to choke out. In two long strides, he was in front of me, I looked up, his nose was almost touching mine, his eyes searched mine, as tears poured from both of our eyes, he slowly brought his hand up and stroked my cheek, I closed my eyes and leaned into him, his hands settled on my shoulders and made their way down my arms and to my waist, I watched his eyes, they were slowly starting to change, the color was lightening and the twinkle was coming back. I place my arms around his neck and his slide around my waist and pulled me to him, “I’m so sorry for everything, I was so stupid, I never want to lose you again.” I shook my head, “I don’t want to talk about that anymore, I forgive you, I forgave you a while back, I just want it to be about me and you, like it’s supposed to be. He nodded against my forehead.
“I was miserable without you.” He spoke a few moments later, we stayed in the exact same spot, just taking each other in. “I love you.” I said, it felt so good sliding off my lips, it had been so long since I told him that. “I love you, I love you, I love you.” I repeated. I stared at his eyes and saw them shine, he picked me up and walked me up the stairs, we got to my room and he laid me on the bed and laid next to me, entangling our legs together and wrapping his arms around me.
“I love you.” He whispered into my hair. “So much, if I would have lost you, I don’t know what I would have done with myself.” I cupped his cheek in my hand, “I’m here.” Was all I said before I planted my lips on to his and we shared a long, passionate kiss that was way over due.
I pulled back and looked at him, he had a beautiful smile on his face and I tucked my head under his chin and breathed him in. A little while later I heard his throat grumble, “Kayden?” He asked. “Hmm?” I hummed against his neck. “Can you do something for me?”
“Anything.” I said my lips brushing across his neck. “Make me the happiest man alive.” Now I pulled back and looked at him, “And how am I supposed to do that, Joseph?” I asked laughing at him and running my fingers along his forehead. He smiled at me, and stared into my eyes, “Marry me, Kayden.” He said softly. I stopped laughing and my eyes widened and my mouth hung open, “I mean, we don’t have to get married right off the bat, I just want you to be mine, your internship is almost up, and I can’t let you leave, and I love you and I don’t want to live without you, I can’t live without you, I want to spend my life with you.” I smiled, “Yes. Oh my God, yes, I'll marry you.” I repeatedly kissed his lips. He beamed at me, “Well, I don’t have a ring at the moment—” I cut him off, “I don’t care, that doesn’t matter to me.” He pulled me on top of him and I set my chin on his chest, I fit perfectly over him and he looked up to me, “I love you.” I smiled, “I love you too.”
I couldn’t stop smiling; neither could Joe, “You’re going to be Mrs. Jonas.” If possible, my smile grew at his statement, “I love the sound of that.”
I couldn’t believe this. I was going to marry him. It was soon and unexpected but there was no doubt in my mind that that’s exactly what I wanted.