Overcoming Fear (Growing Pains #2)(71)

Oh yeah, buddy, poke the hornet’s nest just to see how mad they are. Great idea.

“What do you mean, that’s it?”

“You...you aren’t going to say anything? You are just going to...I don’t know... It’s just... Look, I care about you a lot. I want to be with you. It’s just... I’m not good enough...”

“I know. I heard all that. If you’re asking if I’m going to try and plead, or if I’m going to get angry and throw a tantrum, what’s the point? You’ve made up your mind. Anything I say won’t change it. Let’s just take this as a lesson in life, another level to our friendship, another secret to our working relationship, and move on.”

Krista’s resolve was ebbing. Her heart was being ripped out of her chest, flung around the conversation, and stepped on repeatedly. There was only so much time she could invest in stopping the blood flow before she gave in and simply bled out.

She leaned over, gave him a kiss on the cheek, and got out of the car. He didn’t try to stop her. That was always the worst part--the part where one had to walk away.

Especially when it was you, and the guy didn’t try and stop you.

Halfway home, Krista calmly called Kate and told her what happened. She was told Kate would call Jasmine and they’d meet at Krista’s house as fast as she possible.

It was then that the uncontrollable tears started. By the time Krista made it home she was a mess. She walked past a bewildered Ben, and huddled on her bed until Kate and Jasmine showed up sometime later to drag her out so Ben, Jasmine and Kate could listen to the whole, though short, story of the brief, but intense, love affair. They sat in contemplation for a minute while Krista sipped tea. She hadn’t been allowed alcohol.

After a while Ben said, “Well, it is obvious he does like you. A lot, I think.”

“Yeah, he isn’t using you,” Kate said. “And he isn’t doing that womanizer bullshit because he didn’t have sex with you.”

“That was a shocker, actually, but I agree,” Jasmine nodded, taking a sip of wine. Krista was the only one not allowed to drink.

Krista nodded to that, fresh tears coming to her eyes.

“I also don’t see a way around his issues, though,” Ben said softly.

Jasmine and Kate nodded in unison. Krista had come to the same conclusion.

“But he has to get over them sometime,” Kate said, looking at Ben. “Right? No one wants to go through life alone. And he’s old enough to know that, right?”

“True. But you would think he would try to get over it with Krista. Maybe he isn’t ready...”

“Hmm,” Kate answered.

“What did his sister say?” Jasmine asked.

“I didn’t call her. It hadn’t even occurred to me.”

“Well call her, f**k-head!” Kate yelled, going to get Krista’s phone. “Call her right now. She liked you. She wanted it to work out with you and Sean. She knows him best, maybe she can help?”

Krista took the phone. “But I only just saw her. It’s kind of weird to call.”

“Call, bitch!” Kate said hostilely.

Ben and Jasmine nodded when Krista looked to them for a second and third opinion.

Cassie picked up on the third ring, “Hello?”

“Hi, Cassie?”

“Krista?”

“Yeah, it’s me.”

“Oh hi! Missed me already?” she laughed.

“Desperately,” Krista forced a laugh to let her know she was joking. “Listen, I’ve run into a bit of a snag and was wondering if the advice center was open?”

“Oh God, already?” Her laughed immediately turned solemn.

“Unfortunately, yeah...”

Krista gave her the G rated version of what happened, and what he said to her a couple hours ago. Cassie listened with various noises in response to the story and then fell silent.

“Well, good news is that he is really hung up on you. I think he really does love you. I can only think of one other person he has loved. So that’s good. Bad news is, he totally messed it up with that other girl as well—she was a jerk, though—but it means we only have hope to go off of now. He doesn’t fall in love easily.”

“Hmmm.”

“Okay, your reaction to his news was surprisingly perfect. He was probably expecting tears or anger, so I am sure he is unsettled. What he will also expect is you to either get clingy or hate him. So you can’t do either of those.”

“I want to at least stay in his life. Friends, work buddies, whatever, you know?”

“It is obvious you really love him, too, so that’s good. Man, this sucks.” She was flabbergasted.

As tears leaked down Krista’s face, she nodded.

“Okay,” Cassie continued, strategy in her voice. “Here’s what I think you should do. I think you should be the same old Krista. Flirt, be funny, act like nothing is the matter. But don’t ask him to do anything, don’t get rides home, and don’t spend any personal time with him. Keep it light, keep it friendly, show no hard feelings, but keep it distant. Without pressure or hatred he’ll have to think of what he’s missing. It will be right in front of him, but he won’t be able to get it. That should drive him crazy.”

“But what if he then just wants me until he gets me, then freaks out again?”