Page 44 of Not Your Enemy

“Did you get evicted?” Dad asked, his bushy gray brows lowering in concern this time.

We were eating breakfast together before they both left for work, sitting around the dining table again. I had the seat that was squished against the china cabinet, another spot in the house that felt way more cramped than I remembered.

“No, Dad, I did not get evicted. Is it so wrong that I just wanted to spend time with you guys?” Their confidence in me was truly overwhelming. I cut a bite of my pancake before stuffingmy mouth full.

“Of course not, honey,” Mom added. “We just want to make sure you’re alright.” She rubbed her mouth with her napkin, shifting in her seat.

It wasn’t like I could be that offended. I mean, I wasn't actually here just to see them. I’d been sitting on pins and needles at all hours of the day hoping to hear the doorbell ring. Deciding that if I was truly going to change, stop doing things or saying things because I knew they'd make people more comfortable, I could start here. Start by telling them what was actually going on.

"I, um…I came to Riley because I wanted to see someone. Someone I dated that I ended up treating poorly." I gulped down a sip of my coffee before continuing. "She lives here, and I saw her Saturday night before I came over. I've been hanging around hoping she will come see me before I head back to Hale."

"What'd you do?" Dad asked.

I expected them to look upset. They'd known I was gay, but I'd never talked openly about dating a girl with them before. Seeing their calm expressions settled my nerves in a way I hadn't expected. I did my best to explain briefly what happened between us. They, of course, knew Jana and had already known about the non-relationship she had with her sister.

"Well, I can make one of my chocolate pies tonight if you want to try inviting her for dinner."

My jaw dropped at my mom's words. She wanted me to invite Jade over for dinner with them? Suddenly I felt bad for keeping so much from them. Clearly, they accepted me more than I thought they did.

"No, that's okay. Thank you though, Mom. That actually means a lot." I smiled warmly, trying to show that I meant it. "Why'd you bring up that church lady's son if you don't have a problem with me being gay?" I asked.

"Well, you are almost thirty, Libby, and as far as I knew, you were still single. I just thought maybe it wouldn't hurt." I laughed at her words, feeling lighter than I had in a long time.

Chapter 30

I’d told myself if I still hadn’t heard from Jade by Friday morning, I’d accept my fate and head back home. But then Friday morning turned into Saturday morning, and then here we were, Sunday morning. And I think it was time for me to accept that she wasn’t coming. I packed my work stuff and the clothes Mom had washed for me while I stayed here. My parents and I exchanged goodbyes before they left for church, and for the first time in years, I was actually excited to come back and visit them soon.

Locking the front door behind me, I stumbled over to my car. By the time I was in the driver’s seat, the car cranked up and my seatbelt on, it took everything in me not to break out into fresh tears. I was giving up on the dream of her coming here.

Giving up on us.

My heart was breaking again, just sitting here thinking about driving away. How did someone who was supposed to be my enemy become the greatest love of my life? I put the car in drive and made it out onto the street. With a deep exhale, I tried my best to calm myracing heart. It didn’t help that a Mustang passed me. One that looked exactly like Jade’s, and when I looked in my rearview mirror, it turned into my parents’ drive.

…

Okay, so not my proudest moment, but I made an illegal U-turn and went back down my parents’ driveway faster than I knew possible. But when I made it without causing any accidents, and saw that it was in fact Jade stepping out of her car, I almost started crying again. This time it was tears of joy, just being able to see her again, even if she only came to chew me out, it was so worth breaking those traffic laws. I put my car in park and tried to jump out of my car gracefully, even though I wanted to run to her. I knew I needed to let her lead this interaction, tell me exactly what made her come here before I assumed anything.

She looked so pretty in one of her oversized band tees and jeans with her long dark hair up in her signature messy bun. I’d missed seeing her like this. My sweetheart, my love.

“You came,” I stated, realizing begging for her forgiveness on my knees was too much.

“I didn’t think you’d still be here. But I hoped—,” she cut off then, her words making me feel both overjoyed and embarrassed. I’d been here just waiting for her for way too long. I knew it, she knew it, hell, even Britney knew it.

“I was on my way out actually, but then I saw your car and I…” I let my sentence die there, thinking the rest was pretty obvious. “I’m glad you came, Jade.” My voice was shaky, but I got the words out.

"I’m still pissed at you, Libby." She crossed her arms over her chest and gave me a stern look. Her mossy green eyes looked glassy in the mid-morning sunlight.

“You have every right to be. I’m still mad at me, too.” So fucking mad!

“I need you to promise me something,” she said cryptically, making me feel anxious and flushed.

“Anything,” I said without thought. I would do anything for her—no regrets, no second thoughts.

“You can’t hurt me again. I don’t care what Jana says about us or whatever bullshit she makes you feel guilty about. I need to know that I can trust you with my heart. Because despite how mad I am at you, I still love you. And I know that you’re a fucking people-pleasing, self-deprecating, bleeding heart, but you have to think about yourself. You have to think about us before you just agree to things. I need you to put your feelings and my feelings above others’. Do you think you could do that for me, princess?”

I wanted to fucking kiss her, to explode with the overwhelming, overstimulating combination of feelings flying through me in this moment. I started nodding aggressively, unable to speak after hearing her call me princess, after hearing her say that she still wanted to be an us with me. Fuck, I was about to sob again.

“Use your words,” she ordered me, brows rising as if in challenge.