“I’ve tried,” I admit, running a hand through my hair. “She won’t talk to me. I haven’t seen her on campus, not in the café, class, or the library. She’s avoiding me. The message is clear: she doesn’t want to talk to me.”
“Join the club,” Serena mutters under her breath.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Don’t worry about it.” She waves me off. “Alli and I will figure things out. But you? You need a plan. You’re stuck in your head, hoping she’ll forgive you. That’s not how this works. You need to show her you care. Really care.”
I shake my head, frustration bubbling to the surface. “What if it’s too late? What if she’s already done with me?”
“Then you do whatever it takes to show her you’re not done with her,” Serena says fiercely. She steps closer, then sits on the edge of the bed, patting my leg. “You’ve spent your whole life running when things get hard. Don’t let this be another thing you run from.”
Her words hit me like a ton of bricks.
“What if I mess it up again?”
“Then you pick yourself up and try again,” she says. “That’s what it means to fight for someone you love.”
Love. The word hangs in the air between us. The one word is enough for me to get off my ass.
“I’ll fix it,” I say strongly, surely.
“You better,” Serena commands, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. “Because if you don’t, you’ll have me to deal with.”
She heads toward the door, pausing just before she leaves. “By the way, you might want to consider cleaning up. You’re starting to smell like those empty Red Bull cans.” With a final chuckle, she slips out, the door clicking shut behind her.
The quiet settles over me again, but this time, it feels different. It’s not suffocating anymore. She’s right. If I want Alli—if I wantus—I have to fight for it. Even if I’m scared. Even if it feels like I might fall apart trying.
Chapter 41
Jared
Operation Win Alli Back is officially underway.
I skimmed one romance book and watched a cringy romance movie. Baby steps, right?
It’s been way too long since I picked up a book just for fun, let alone a romance novel. But if I’m going to have any shot at this ‘winning Alli back’ plan, I’ve got to step up my game, even if it means watchingA Cinderella Storyfor the second time.
I stare at my phone again, biting my lip. The cursor blinks, like it’s mocking me. It’s just a text, Jared. One tiny message.
But it feels huge.
I’ve always been the kind of guy to mask my feelings with humor, or sarcasm, or anything to avoid the emotional stuff. Keeping it light is my style. But this? This is different. Alli is different.
I need to be honest. Even if it makes my stomach twist.
After a deep breath, I hit send.
Me:hey, i found a puzzle that looks impossible to solve.
Me:thought of you immediately.
The three dots appear right away.
And then… nothing.
I stare at the screen, frustration building at myself. What the hell did I expect? A magical text to make everything right again? A neat little solution to all the crap I’ve done?
I toss my phone on the couch and run my hands over my face. I feel like an idiot.
