Page 112 of Damaged Boys Don't Fall For Bubbly Girls

I shrug. “She’s happy with him.”

“Is she?”

I don’t say anything.

A few seconds tick by.

“He’s good to her,” I finally say.

“Well, yeah. He’s a good dude and everything, but he’s not you.”

I turn to him. “What does that mean?”

“I think you know.”

I puff out my cheeks. “What do you want from me, Dean? You know very well that I’d only hurt her in the end.”

“No.”

“I’m messed up. You even admitted she was a mess after I left. The best thing for me is to be her friend. Nothing else. She chose him, man.”

“Because you’ve given up.”

“No, I haven’t. I’m just not the right one for her.”

He rests his hand on my arm. “We all care about Lexi. We’re protective of her and want her to be happy. But I don’t think she’ll be happy with him.”

“Dean, we can’t make that decision for her. Only she knows who makes her happy and clearly that’s Finn.”

He’s about to respond, but I say, “Look, I appreciate you coming here to talk to me, but I’d like to be alone.”

“So you’re not going to fight for her?”

I shake my head. “She chose him and I need to accept that. And so do you. Please don’t try to convince her otherwise. Don’t mess this up for them.”

He holds up his hands. “Of course I won’t. You’re right that she chose him and only she knows what’s best for her. But I alsothink she chose him because she thinks you don’t want to be with her.”

I release a heavy breath. “No, she chose him because he’s the guy I can’t be.”

He stands. “I disagree. I think youarethe right one for her, but it’s not up to me.” He pats my shoulder again. “Will you be okay, man?”

My lips shake as I force a smile. “All that matters is that she’s happy, so yeah, I’ll be okay.”

He nods reluctantly and leaves me alone with my thoughts. I can’t bear to return to the cafeteria, so I remain out here and try to read. But it’s hard when my mind keeps drifting to Lexi and Finn. And to what Dean said.

Fight for her? I have no right.

Perhaps in another time and place, it’d be Lexi and me announcing to the guys that we’re together. But that’s not the case. Things are how they’re supposed to be.

Maybe the more times I say it, the more I’ll believe it.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Lexi

I’m glad the guys know Finn and I are dating. I don’t like keeping secrets from them, especially a huge one like this. And I appreciate their encouragement so much. I was worried things would be weird, but they’re not.

It’s Friday morning, and I find myself waking up an hour early. I roll over to my other side and squeeze my eyes shut, hoping to get in the last hour of sleep. But I know it’s no use.