Theo said nothing else, and it was obvious both of us were thinking about the end. It felt sowrong. The girls wanted him back to talk to him, and I wanted the same thing, but he seemed so determined.
“We should get caffeine before we talk,” I offered. “The motel has free coffee in the lobby.”
“Yeah, I’ll go get some.” He threw on a shirt.
There was something so comfortable about the familiarity between us, yet it was burdened with the weight of what Joey had done.
Change was inevitable, but I didn’t want moments like these to turn into memories that would fade over time.
Theo quietly left the room and I picked my phone back up. I had multiple messages from my group chat and my heart was in my throat as I read through them.
Mollie
Oh. That makes a lot of sense.
Kelsey
Okay. So it’s true. I don’t see why he has to leave.
I paused. I agreed with her, but I knew I wanted Theo to stay more than anything else. I bit my lip, waiting for the other replies to roll in.
Wren
Agreed. Did someone tell him to leave?
Grace
Probably Kerry. Dammit. Yes, it’s bad, but he’s been a part of the community for almost a decade. He owns the best coffee shop in town! There’s no way he’s aligned with that.
Jade
Yeah, he gives me Goody Two-Shoes vibes. Does he talk to his family, Piper?
Piper
No. And he’s not involved with them at all. No one told him to leave, he just knows he has to because he won’t be accepted.
Mollie
I’d accept him.
Jade
Me too.
Grace
Yuuup. No need to leave.
Kelsey
Piper, use your magic to get him back. I promise we can fix this.
Kelsey
And he has a few people to say bye to if he really is leaving. People who really care.
I stared at the messages for a long time. I wasn’t sure if I should dare to hope, but their willingness to accept him was promising.
