Chapter 18

 

            “I can’t believe you’re here. Is it really you?” I said aloud, wondering if the moonlight and the hours on the beach had somehow affected my thinking. She smiled her perfect smile. 

            “It is me. Who else would it be?” Her voice had a tinkling laugh in it. The smile that had faded a bit resurfaced. “I’ve missed you. Can we sit and talk?” I nodded and led her out to the terrace, which was my favorite place in the whole place. Suddenly, where I’d been feeling the hugeness of the place, everything felt smaller and closer. Bailey’s warm brown eyes looked me over completely as we both sat in the lounge chairs, and finally settled into looking into my eyes. We sat in silence for a moment, looking at each other, probably both still in some state of disbelief. Ever since Bailey and I had been together, we’d never been apart or not spoken for such an extended amount of time. 

            “Jay, I’m sorry I left like I did.” She started. “I just had to. For me, you know?” I nodded. “And I disappeared for me, too. I did some thinking. I know you called around looking for me, and I’m sorry if you were worried. It was just tearing me up inside to think that you may be marrying me and still in love with Desiree.” She didn’t sound as if she were hurting when she said that but I winced nevertheless. “I realized a lot of things. I know that I am in love with you. These weeks away have been torture for me. I missed you. Missed Jada. Do you know she asked me if I was coming back?” I felt a tear spring to my eye. Jada loved Bailey. When Jada posed that same question to me days after Bailey had left, I didn’t have an answer and I hadn’t wanted to lie to her, so I simply told her that I didn’t know. “I told her I was coming back, Jaylen. And I want to come back. If you’ll have me back.” I had looked down at the mention of Jada, trying to will the tear away. She looked at me, sternly.

            “I never wanted you to leave, B.” I whispered. 

            “Jaylen, I need to know something. Are you in love with me?” Where there had been confusion before concerning that question, the weeks away from her had given me all the clarity I needed. 

            “Yes, Bailey. I am.” I said, and that was the honest answer. “I am in love with you. I love you with my whole heart.” I must have convinced her. She nodded. 

            “I talked to Dre.” She said. I nodded.

            “He told me.” I told her. She nodded.

            “Jaylen. I talked to Desi, too.” I felt as if the earth had dropped out from under me. 

            “Wha-what?” I stammered. “What? When? Why?” I asked. Bailey turned her attention to the ocean, and sat back in the lounge chair, no longer facing me. My heart was threatening to burst out of my chest. I did the same, pushing my back into the plush chair and trying to convince my entire body to calm down. 

            “She loves you, Jay. She really does. And she knows that you love her. But she knows that she doesn’t deserve you.” It had cropped again, the ‘she doesn’t deserve you.’ I took a deep breath. “She wished us well.” 

            “Wait. How did this happen?” Bailey’s jaw seemed to tighten as she began the story.

            “I was at Empire. With Lacy.” A flash of jealousy instantly turned my face red. I was thankful for the dark, so she couldn’t see me. Not that she was looking anyway. She was focused on the turquoise water that had deepened in color in the dark, the crashing waves, the sand that looked like ice cream, and the full moon. “I was trying to see if I could get over you, Jaylen. Nothing happened, just a meal. Anyway…” Her words became real to me, and I was envisioning it all, like I had been there.

            Bailey and Lacy sat at the table and Lacy was excited, talking incessantly. Bailey had tuned her out, nodding every now and again to feign listening. 

            “Hey, Lacy. Hi Bailey.” Desi was there, speaking to them both. Lacy shot Desi a look and Desi grinned haphazardly in return.  She pulled her sagging jeans up and straightened her shirt. “Hey, Lacy, you mind excusing us for a minute? I wanted to talk to Bailey.” Lacy glared at Desi.

            “We are on a date.” She said snidely.

            “You look like you’re on the date alone.” Desi responded smoothly. “Why don’t you go powder your nose? It’ll only take a minute, okay?” Lacy looked to Bailey, who nodded and she huffed as she grabbed her purse and headed away from the table. Bailey looked at Desi coolly, as Desi took Lacy’s seat opposite her. 

            “What do you want?” Bailey’s question was controlled and measured.

            “To talk.” Desi said easily. “It’s weird, the stuff with Mike, and the stuff with Jaylen. You know I love her, right?” Bailey felt herself growing angry. 

            “You order an iced tea?” A waiter came up, interrupting, to ask Desi. She nodded and he sat it on the table and left. Desi took a drink before continuing, her eyes never leaving Bailey’s. 

            “Yeah, I love her, Bailey. I always will. And I know she loves me. You know it too.” Desi said. Bailey’s hands tightened into fists under the table. She hated that Desiree was making her this angry. She forced herself to calm down.

            “What do you want?” Bailey repeated again. Desi sighed.

            “To tell you that you win. Jaylen loves you. She said she wanted to marry you. She means it. I thought she was making a mistake. I told her that in the woods that day. But she knows herself better than anyone. She said it, she meant it. By the way, I heard you were pissed. She really did get lost in the woods alone. We weren’t together.” Desi offered easily. “Not that I would have minded. But she told me that she loved you and wanted to marry you. She told me to leave her alone. I don’t think we should have to leave each other alone forever though, do you, Bailey?” Desi grinned and her grin was almost sarcastic. “You win. Just don’t make her be out of my life forever. She did a lot of great things for me. She’s a wonderful person. She did a lot of fucked up s**t too, s**t she doesn’t even know that I know about. More than just cheating on me with you.” Bailey scoffed.

            “You cheated on her with Mike.” Bailey retorted. Desi made a face.

            “Yeah, but she loved you. I only liked Mike. Anyway. Tell her I know about everything. Tell her I forgive her. Tell her I wish the two of you well. I mean, is there still a two of you?” Desi asked, motioning toward the waiting Lacy. Bailey sighed. “Hey, look, B, seriously, we’re far from friends, but Jaylen loves you and you clearly love her. This s**t with Lacy, it’s the dumbest thing ever. Take it from me, I lost her. You shouldn’t do it. It’s damn near impossible to get her back.” Desi grinned wryly. She pulled a newsboy hat from her back pocket and slid it on. “So, good luck, you know, to you and Jaylen. I just want her to be happy . Thanks for the talk. I appreciate your time.” Desi stood and walked away, breezing past the obviously infuriated Lacy without a second glance. As Lacy walked back to the table, forcing herself to smile alluringly at Bailey while still angry, Bailey stood too. This was over. She wasn’t supposed to be here, with Lacy. She wasn’t supposed to be here, period, in this confused place where her future with Jaylen hung in the balance. She knew what she wanted. She knew who she wanted. 

 

 

Reviews

[D1218]

YAY!!!!!
:)

[Shellie]

Just when I thought Desiree was the biggest b***h of all it all changes again! Still going great missus, I couldnt wait to come back and read all these missed chapters!

[Ruby Moon]

@.@
at least now desi isnt such a b!tch in my book
*smiles warily*