Page 93 of Trial and Error

“When don’t you?” I reply.

“But I told you so.” Isobel laughs. “I told you someone would get hurt, and you wouldn’t listen because you’re so damn stubborn.”

“Agreed,” Avery pipes up.

“Now look where we are—you’re being a sad boy on my couch and taking all of my woman’s attention from me,” Oscar adds.

Isobel rolls her eyes, but I don’t miss the loving look she sends his way.

That was Bridget and me not long ago, sharing secret smiles and lingering touches. It’s weird how quickly I became used to, reliant, on her and her company, that mere days apart sends me into frenzy. The first few days were the worst, waiting by my phone while I hoped for her a reply.

For anything.

Unfortunately, she hasn’t even so much as read my messages, and I’m left waiting. Waiting for her to realize that I’m not a colossal piece of shit and that I’m still worthwhile—that we are. Selfishly, I hadn’t really considered that she might not take what I have to say well, or that it might not be what she had in mind…but she would’ve been happy anyway.

I would do it over and over again, if it meant I got to have you.

God, I really am a dumb idiot.

My eyes clench shut as I hear her words play in a loop in my head, the way her bottom lip quivered when she spoke, and the look of disbelief and disappointment in her eyes when she walked away. It was the kind of disappointment I’d expect from my mom if she ever found out about this sham, and that thought alone makes me sick to my stomach.

“Can you snap out of it?” Avery comments, snapping her fingers in front of my face. “It’s freaking me out, seeing you so…sad.”

Isobel elbows her in the side. “Be nice, he’s heartbroken.”

“It’s his fault, I have no sympathy.”

“He’s not good with his words.”

“He’s a grown-ass man,” Avery retorts. “Stop defending him.”

I let out a loud grown and hide my face behind my hands. “I get it, Ave, I fucked up. Trust me, I know, and if I could take it back, I would. Because I hate how I reacted and how my actions fucked things up with my favourite person, but I can’t. If I was her, I wouldn’t answer me either. I’m getting what I deserve.”

Isobel, Oscar, and Avery all share a look.

“Elias,” Isobel says softly. “This isn’t beyond repair, you know that, right? Nothing you said isn’t fixable. Relationships aren’t black and white. There are always obstacles and hurdles, but you get through it together. I’m sure Bridget has had her fair share of fights in previous relationships, and I’m sure she knows that sometimes letting the dust settle can be the best thing.”

“You think she’s letting things cool off?”

“I can’t be completely sure, but it seems likely. From the times we’ve spent with her, she doesn’t strike me as the type to give up so easily. I’m sure she’s just hurting. I can’t imagine how shitty it must feel to hear someone you love, tell you that they don’t know if they want to be with you anymore.”

“I didn’t say those exact words.”

“No, but you might as well have.”

Avery nods in agreement. “It’s not necessarily the words but sometimes the insinuation. If that was me, I’d have thought the same thing.”

“I think you’ve just gotta bite the bullet and reach out,” Oscar says. “I think if you leave this argument hanging over your heads for too long, neither one of you will want to reach out and you risk it being bigger than it already is.”

“Since when are you so wise?” I grumble.

Oscar shrugs. “Always, you’ve just never noticed,” he replies. “I think you need to come up with a way to extend an olive branch and mend things with her.”

Just as I’m about to respond, there’s a knock at the door.

Avery jumps up and rushes to it and I narrow my eyes at my brother, who won’t look at me. “That better not be who I think it is.”

He shrugs and stands. “Sorry, bro, I had to call reinforcements.”