Dear journal,
I want to go home already and find Scott and hug him tightly. I want to cuddle with him and watch a movie and just be happy.
-M

—

A trip into the city was what I needed. A nice shopping spree, where I didn't have to deal with anybody except for myself. And plus, I needed a new look. I'm tired of the same outfits I always wear.

I was walking into the mall when I received a call on my phone. I smiled slightly and brought it up to my ear.

"Scott," I muttered softly. "Hi, I miss you." He sighed.

"I miss you too," he responded softly. His voice sounded tired and drained.

"I didn't cheat on you," I say immediately. "I ran into an old friend, he's annoying. He was just messing around."

"Sounds like a pretty shitty friend."

"Yeah, he isn't really much of a friend, I guess," I answer shyly.

"Mitch," Scott replies. I hummed in response. He was silent for a second, but he kept going. "Was it Brian?" He asks. I took a deep breathe.

"No," I lie. "It wasn't. This kid didn't even go to the same school. Family friend." When he didn't answer, I continued on. "You believe me, right?"

"Sure," He answered. "You're my boyfriend, if you say it wasn't Brian, than I believe you." I sighed as I felt guilt rise in me. "Bye, Mitchy."

"Bye, Scott," I replied, listening to the call trickle to an end. Why is he so good to me?

I️ walked into a clothing store that I️ used to go to all the time, immediately spotting things that I️ wanted to try on. Once I️ had a good amount of clothes, I️ headed to the the dressing room to try them on. The store was a pretty popular one, so there was a line to get a fitting room.

I️ waited for about five minutes before I️ had spotted him. He stood right across from me, and when we made eye contact, he quickly looked away. It was Austin. He never really wasn't the hottest guy, but he was a cutie. He avoided eye contact from there on, but just being in each other's presence was awkward.

"You know you don't have to pretend like you don't know me," I️ say softly. He slowly looked up at me and nodded. "It hasn't even been a year since." I️ heard him sigh.

"It's not just something I️ can get over," he answers. The tone of his voice was so pure and I️ hadn't realized how sweet it sounded until I️ heard it again.

"You know I️ didn't deserve what happened to me," I️ explain. "I'm not going to take the blame anymore."

"Good for you," he answers sassily. It was a bit strange hearing an attitude from him, because of how innocent he was. He was a sweet guy. I️ heard him sigh, and I️ knew he had regretted even the smallest bit of sass. "Where the hell did you go?" He asks, his tone shifting to a more caring one. I️ chuckled.

"Texas," I️ answered. His eyes slightly widened.

"You went to Texas?" He asks. "Why?"

"What was I️ supposed to do?" I️ ask him. "Stay here and face Brian's fucked up version of reality? Everything here was so bad for me, Austin. My mom went to jail, my dad got a new girlfriend, I️ had no one left in my life. We needed a new start." He nodded.

"Do you wanna go grab some coffee?" He asks suddenly. I️ smiled.

"Are you sure you can be seen with me?" I️ tease. He chuckled.

"I'm sure I'll survive."

—

When I️ got my coffee, I️ met Austin at a little table. He smiled at me when I️ sat down.

"So," He starts. "Tell me about your glamorous new life in Texas." He smiles. I chuckled.

"Well, turns out I'm prone to bad shit happening to me," I️ answer jokingly. "Yeah, when I'm around you can just know that drama is somewhere."

"Mitch," he says. "Jokes aside, are you okay?" He asks. "A lot of things happened to you here. When you left, I️ had no idea what happened to you. Is Texas better for you?" I️ thought for a moment before nodding.

"Yeah," I️ answer. "I️ really think it is." I️ say. "I️ never really had true friends here. Like, I️ had "friends", but not friends, you know?" He nods. "I've met some really great people in Texas. Sure, things were messy, but we're fixing them."

"I'm happy for you," he says. "I'm sorry we lost touch."

"We didn't lose touch," I️ chuckle. "You took our connection and threw it out the window, but with good reasoning!" I say. Austin looked down. "Hey, don't fret. For me, I️ think it was best that I️ had nothing to do with Cali when I️ went to Texas." Austin smiled at me. "How's life back in the city?"

"It's okay," he responds. "It isn't the greatest. When you left, Brian had no one to go after so he chose me for a little while, but I️ didn't really put up with it," he chuckles. "He doesn't really come near me anymore."

"How's your love life, you stud?" He chuckles.

"I'm single as fuck, you?" I️ smiled at the thought.

"I️ have a boyfriend," I️ respond happily.

"Do you?" Asks Austin with a smile. "Tell me about you guys. How'd you get together?"

"He's a mess, let's be honest. He was 'straight' for a little while, then I️ came along, then he progressively started acting less straight. He eventually dumped his girlfriend, told everyone he was gay, and then went after me." I️ laughed. "Then we had that whole 'no labels' thing going. He asked me out officially, I stupidly turned him down, and then we sat outside a truck in an old grocery store parking lot in England and officially became boyfriends." Austin blinked slowly.

"Was that a joke or...?"

"Funny enough, no. It isn't," I️ laugh. "His name is Scott and we have the most strange story about getting together. Sometimes I️ don't even believe it," I️ chuckle. He laughed too, a bit of shock still shining on his face.

"What does he look like?" Austin asks. "Show me a picture." He demands. I️ willingly whipped out my phone and searched through my gallery, settling on a photo of me smiling and Scott kissing my cheek. Austin smiled as he looked at it. "Damn, you upgraded!" He exclaims. "He's cuter than me!" I️ chuckled.

"I️ can say that he is a hunk," I️ answer with a chuckle.

Hey guys! Last time I uploaded this chapter there was some weird glitch with the letter "I". I just wanted to know if it was still like that or if I fixed it?