Chapter 26

"So, is he your boyfriend?" Clare asked from the back seat, only giving me a minute to take in what had just happened.

   Tess was driving again, after I buckled up.

   "Uh, no, not really," I said, embarrassed.

   "But you were totally kissing him!" she yelled, already laughing.

   Tess smacked my arm closest to her. "You totally were."

   "He... said he loves me," I said, still in disbelief. "We had a fight, the other night. And yesterday was so awkward, then I was supposed to leave last night..."

   "He loves you?!" Tess' eyes were wide. "You must have had some week."

   I nodded, still catching my breath. "We did."

   After a stop for lunch, we got back on the road. Clare fell asleep in the back, so Tess and I got to actually talk. I told her about Thatcher, and the night on the beach with Mateo, and how he was the only thing I really knew after the accident.

   "He said he liked you, after you slept with his best friend?" Tess asked, shaking her head. "Wow."

   "Yeah. I had told him it was a stupid mistake. Oh, and Thatcher had a girlfriend. Has a girlfriend. I didn't know."

   "Oh, shit."

   "I don't know how it all happened so fast with Mateo, but on the beach that night, we just clicked," I went on. "It was so exciting and scary at the same time. We were going to hang out the next day, see what happened... and then the accident happened."

   "And he was there for you."

   "Yeah, he offered to stay at the house with me, because my dad and Jenna left for their honeymoon. He took me to the beach, bought me ice cream and we had this awesome day, like friends This was while I had no idea where I was from, who my family was, you..."

   "Damn."

   "He took care of me, he made me feel like I was okay. And then that night, I kissed him. And we were just all over each other, and everything changed."

   "So, you love him?" she asked, but added, "I can see that you do."

   "I think so. I don't know what will happen now, but..."

   "At least you left on a good note?" she said, smiling at me.

   "Yeah. I was so sure that he just wanted me to leave so he could forget about me."

   "Elena."

   "What? I slept with him best friend, after knowing him like half a day. Then I lost my memories  of everything except him. He was stuck with me for three days, and-"

   "Stuck with you?" Tess let out a laugh. "He offered to stay. He obviously wanted to."

   "Tess... it just seems so unreal. No one has ever looked at me how he did. But he's my dad's wife's son, and-" I was spiraling.

   "You're scared about what people will think?" she asked.

   "Of course I am."

   "Well, I'm all for it. He's freaking hot and you deserve to be that happy... he hold onto you like he didn't want to lose you," Tess grinned, clicking on her turn signal.

   We were back on the highway, heading home. I felt dizzy and overwhelmed, suddenly. Mateo said he loved me. Love. And then I left. Now, we had to figure out if we could even make any of this work.

   When Tess pulled onto my street, I realized I hadn't told her if I wanted to go home. It was about 2P.M and I was tired, but I wasn't sure I was ready to face my mom. I had spent a month after my graduation mostly avoiding her, and then a week in South Haven with no memory of her. How was I going to handle this?

   "Want to come over for dinner?" Tess asked, pulling into my driveway. Clare was just waking up, in the backseat.

   "Um, yeah. I'll call you in a bit. Thank you so much for driving all the way there and back," I answered.

   "That is what best friends are for," she replied, then leaned over to hug me.

   In the front hall of my house, I dropped my two bags and slipped off my shoes. My mom's car wasn't in the driveway, so I relaxed a bit. I was home. It felt like home, even though I hadn't spent a ton of time there over the last few months. I didn't want to feel so angry towards my mom. I wanted us to be better.

   I spent an hour or two unpacking my stuff and doing laundry, ignoring my phone. When I had the dryer going, I went back to the kitchen to grab my phone and check messages. There were a lot. Two from Paige, two from Mateo, and a missed call from my mom. I didn't know what to do first.

   For some reason, I wasn't ready to talk to Mateo. So I called my sister first. She was ridiculously excited to hear from me, and that I told her I would have lunch with her and Keegan the following day. It was a short conversation, but it made me feel better. She was my sister. She was going to have a baby. I needed to put the past behind us and look forward.

   My mom hadn't left a message, so I ignored that for now. That left Mateo. As I was just about to text him, a text came in from Tess.

   MY DAD'S MAKING CHILI AND GARLIC BREAD. HE GOT IN EARLY!

   Her dad was usually out of town until at least Sunday morning. He worked in advertising but his job required him to travel and be here or there, for meetings and whatever. He was the go-to guy.

   OKAY AWESOME. WHAT TIME? I sent back.

   WHENEVER. WE WILL EAT AT 6.

   It was a bit after 4:30P.M., and I was going to walk to her house, since it wasn't far and it was a beautiful day.

   OK, SEE YOU SOON, I sent to her.

   I opened the messages from Mateo, after going up to change my clothes. I took a deep breath.

   HEY. DID ME SAYING I LOVE YOU FREAK YOU OUT? IM SORRY. 

   Then, ELENA, ARE WE COOL?

   HEY, SORRY, JUST BEEN TRYING TO SETTLE BACK IN, I sent back.

   YOU AVOIDED MY QUESTION.

   NO, MATEO, IT DIDN'T FREAK ME OUT. IT SURPRISED ME, BUT I SAID IT, TOO, I reminded him.

   I sat down on my bed as I read his next message.

   I THOUGHT YOU JUST SAID IT BECAUSE I DID.

   YOU WERE WITH ME ALL WEEK, WHEN I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING BUT YOU. WE CONNECTED LIKE IVE NEVER FELT BEFORE, I told him.

   SO, YOU MEAN IT? he asked.

   I MEAN IT.

   GOD, I I WISH YOU DIDN'T LEAVE. THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY WERE SO MESSED UP. WE SHOULD HAVE HAD MORE TIME.

   I KNOW. BUT WE CAN FACETIME TONIGHT? I suggested.

   OKAY COOL, WHAT TIME?

   I'LL CALL WHEN I GET HOME FROM TESS'. IM GOING FOR DINNER.

   OKAY. DID YOU TALK TO YOUR MOM AT ALL?

   NO, SHE'S NOT HERE.

   OH, OK.

   SEE YOU TONIGHT? I asked, feeling nervous and excited. I missed him already. I wanted to see him, even if it was on my phone.

   OK, YEAH.