This is officially the half-way point in the story. Just thought you might like to know 😉

Song of the chapter - The Last Time by Taylor Swift

After Matt came to my window trying to talk to me, I had had it. I was done. There was nothing left to surprise me.

Garrett had spilled his guts to me. I couldn't believe how open and honest he had been with me and was shocked he would even trust me as much as he did.

But then I felt him pull away and I had no idea why. Maybe he regretted confiding in me. Maybe he didn't trust me the way he should. Maybe he was scared. I wasn't sure why, but I knew that there was a wall between us that hadn't been there before.

Then Matt showed up and wanted to talk to me too. I just couldn't handle it, so I pushed him off until today. I was half hoping he'd just give up. The other half of me was trying to build up enough frustration to blow him off.

But it just wasn't in me to be so cruel, so I went to the park to hear him out.

The swings. Was there any other way Matt could have possibly made himself seem more vulnerable? It was kind of obvious when he didn't want to go sit at a table. I was so irritated that I had even walked to meet him, especially after that phony display.

He tried to divert my attention a couple of times, but something gave me the courage to push him, make him talk. I could tell he was hesitating. He hated to seem weak or to give anyone else the upper hand. Luckily for me, I wasn't the timid pushover I had been a month ago.

And of course he noticed. But I wasn't there to talk about me and all the changes I was going through. This was about him.

Nothing could have prepared me for what came next. I felt my irritation start to melt away as he talked about his dad. I know all about the pressure parents put on you to be what they want. But his dad sounded much worse than what I was going through.

Is that why I never went to his house, never met his family? Although I thought about asking, I decided to just keep listening as he talked. Asking would be too...familiar, close. I wanted to keep my distance emotionally. At least I was trying, but it wasn't going that well.

I did challenge him on a few facts, namely the way he would man handle me. He seemed genuinely shocked that I would say he physically hurt me. But he also seemed truly sorry when I convinced him he had in fact done so.

My confusion multiplied at each statement he made. My earlier thoughts of how things could have been if I was more like April came flooding back. What if I had been strong? Matt was able to handle my questions and challenges, but he also seemed to be in a much different place than before. He was open, vulnerable.

Maybe sitting on the swings hadn't been an act after all.

Listen," he got up and turned to kneel in front of my swing, holding the chain to keep me steady. My heart started to race with him so close to me, just like it did when we first started dating , "I want to do things right with you." He spoke while looking right in my eyes, "You are the best thing that's ever happened to me. Please, let me make this up to you."

I looked down at me, the feelings I had for him bubbling to the surface. Could I forgive him? Should I?

"Matt..." I started, not certain how he would take what I was about to say, "I can't."

He took a deep breath and let go of the chains, sitting right in the dirt. Shaking his head, he muttered something to himself that I couldn't quite hear.

"Matt, listen to me." I demanded. "Look at me." I wasn't going to let him walk away without hearing every word I planned to say. No more quiet surrender.

I leaned forward and grabbed his chin gently, forcing him to look me in the eye. "I'm not done." He nodded his head, indicating his willingness to listen.

"You broke something in me. It's taking so much for me to put the pieces back together. I can't just let that happen again.

"I gave everything to you, I gave up everything for you. I will never do that again, not for anyone. I was scared of what would happen if we ever broke up, but I'm surprised that nothing I imagined you doing came true. You have handled things so differently than I expected, and I'm glad for that."

I saw Matt sit up a little straighter, leaning towards me with a look of hope in his eyes.

"You can't just get me back. I don't trust you anymore."

"Let me earn your trust. Please." he said quietly.

"You do seem more honest and open then before..." I said, mostly thinking outloud.

Barely in a whisper, Matt continued to plead, "Amber..."

"I'm not going to date you, but I think we could attempt friendship at this point." I felt good saying that. He needed a friend that he could trust. His crew was, well, not the type to open up to.

"Friendship? Like hanging out?" He cocked one eyebrow at me.

"At this point, more like I won't ignore your texts. Let's keep talking, and see how that goes."

He didn't look convinced, or particularly excited about my suggestion.

"Look, you said you wanted to earn my trust, right?" He nodded. "So do it, prove that I can trust you. This is a start." I was proud of my firmness.

He just looked down and shook his head, "You are different, Amber. But, okay, friends." He reached out to shake my hand. I actually laughed a little, which I hadn't done with him in a long time.

"Well, I should start back home now." I got up from the swing and wiped my hands on my jeans.

"Let me give you a ride." Matt suggested.

"It's not far, as you know. I can walk."

"Friends don't let friends walk home. Come on, it's the least I can do."

"Fine" I said with another little laugh.

We walked over to his car and both got in for the short ride. It was strange sitting in his car again, I was much more comfortable in Garrett's car now. Or April's. I was surprised that her car wasn't the first that came to mind.

I shook off the thoughts, and buckled the seatbelt, remembering Matt's love of speeding. "Hey, keep it under the limit this time, kay?" I teased.

"Sure thing, buddy." Matt grinned.

We drove to my house in comfortable silence, which was another first time in a long time kind of thing. As we pulled up to my place, I unbuckled and grabbed the handle to open the door.

"Amber?" Matt called to me.

I looked at him, "yeah?"

"Thanks. You won't regret this." He replied quietly.

"I hope not, Matt." I said, equally quietly, then got out of the car and headed into my house. I was hanging with April and the guys that evening and I had something to finish before she came to get me.

*****

"So, how was your weekend, Doll?" April asked as we headed to Nico's place. It was Saturday, but the guys were in the final stages of their restoration on a Camero, so they were getting ready to pull an all nighter.

"Emotionally draining. I honestly don't think I could handle one more thing thrown my way."

Her eyebrows shot up. "Care to elaborate?"

"Well, I can't give all the details, but of course you know Garrett talked about Lisa, that was so heartbreaking, I can't..."

"I know, Doll. Is that still hanging with you? You know, Garrett would probably talk to you more now."

I laughed. "I don't think so. He put a huge wall up right away. Like I might attack him or something. I mean, I get it, he's a mess from all that." And boy did he mask it well. He comes off so tough but, inside he's still broken.

"Yeah, that's Garrett. I have a feeling he'd put down those walls for you. Give it time."

I wasn't sure if she really knew what she was talking about, but decided to let it go.

"And then Matt showed up at my window."

My body lurched forward as April slammed on the breaks.

"WHAT?! Why didn't you call for back up? Imma kill that little bitch!"

"Calm down! It wasn't what you're thinking!"

"What I'm thinking is that punk is delusional, that's what I'm thinking."

Well, she wasn't way off base with that one. After all, Matt thought he could get me back so quickly.

"He told me his side of things. Things I had no idea about, no one does really. It made me understand him a little better."

"Shit. He's worked his magic on you. You're under his spell now. Fuck."

"No. I'm not that easily persuaded. I told him we could try friendship."

April threw her hands up. "Great"

"Trust me. I'm not letting him control me, I told him so."

"Okay. But when he turns back into a werewolf, don't act surprised."

I had to laugh at that one. "Right, with the fangs and claws and no self-control."

That got April laughing too, "say goodbye to your new outfit. Shredded."

I blushed at her suggestion and the images it brought to mind, "no... we never... I haven't... um." Yikes.

"Oh, shit! Sorry, I was just going with the claws and no self-control thing, I didn't mean...." she stopped talking for a second. "But, really? Never?"

"Nope and that's not changing anytime soon."

"Good for you, Doll. Wait for your prince." She smiled at me.

At that point we had pulled up to Nico's house. I smiled to myself at how comfortable I was now, in sharp contrast to my first day here. Nico and April's infatuation with each other was even a normal occurrence. I hadn't blushed around them in weeks.

April and I walked arm in arm, our usual formation, and went directly to the garage. She was still laughing about Matt as a werewolf as we entered through the side door.

"He'd actually make a perfect werewolf! I could totally see it.." she laughed.

"You know you'd love me anyway." Nico called from under the car. Then he growled. Those two were something else.

"Not you, Bitch!" April laughed, "Matt"

"Oh, fuck! Why are you talking about that d-bag?" Garrett interjected from behind the raised hood.

"Because said D-bag paid a little visit to our doll." April confessed for me. I really hadn't planned on bringing that up with Garrett. For some reason I felt uncomfortable telling him.

There was no sound from either of the guys. Garrett just slowly peeked around the hood and looked at me. I couldn't read the exact expression on his face. It was somewhere between just generally pissed and insanely murderous. I was voting for pissed.

"It wasn't that big of a deal" I said quietly, now no longer sure of myself. My nerves had just gone crazy looking at Garrett.

He walked over to me, slowly, watching me the entire time. As he got closer, breathing became more difficult. It wasn't that I was scared of his reaction, but I couldn't tell what I was feeling. Or what he was thinking.

"Come outside with me" he said quietly. Then he grabbed me by the hand and gently led me outside. My fingers were warmed at his touch and I looked down to confirm that he actually was holding my hand. It did strange things to my stomach.

Nico's backyard was small, consisting of one tree near the garage, a couple of patio chairs and a square of grass that was covered with a sparing mat.

When we got outside, Garrett stopped by the tree and turned to face me again.

"Will you tell me what he wanted?"

"To talk. So I let him." I answered simply.

"And that was it?" He pressed me further.

"Sort of." He stepped closer to me as I said that. He looked in the eyes with such intensity that I almost had to look away.

"He wants you back." He stated rather than asked.

"Yes" I confessed.

"And what did you say?" His voice had gotten quieter.

"No" As I answered, I noticed his shoulders relax a bit. I hesitated saying more, but I thought he should know what was going on. "I only agreed to keep talking with him, as friends."

Garrett shook his head, running his hand through his hair, the hand that just moments before had been holding my own. "Why?"

"Everyone needs someone to talk to. He doesn't really have anyone else." I shrugged as I replied.

"Who cares!" Garrett's volume increased, causing me to grimace. He stepped closer to me, his face now only inches away from mine. "He doesn't deserve it. He doesn't deserve you."

His voice had returned to the quiet near-whisper it had been. He continued to look at me, pleading with his eyes. I shivered nervously and my mouth fell open, not knowing how to respond.

But before I could come to any coherent thought, Garrett closed the distance between us, his lips landing squarely on mine.

Garrett was kissing me. I was kissing Garrett.

^^^^^^

Ta Da!! He kissed her!!! What do you think my friends?!?!

Garrett is up next, and his part will rewind a bit then pick up where we left off. Yeet!! I can hardly wait for you to read it!! TBH I'm having some minor plot problems for parts 8 and 9 so send all your good writing vibes my way. Don't worry, it's not major stuff. Mostly what order things need to happen... meh.

How bout some song notes. The Last Time is such a sad song to me. When I hear it, I think of Matt and Amber and their disfunction. This song always makes me think of Harry and Tessa from the After series by Anna Todd. I don't think Matt is as messed up as Harry but, I guess we'll see 😉

https://youtu.be/QuijXg8wm28