Chapter 12

Reed

       I really couldn't wait until I was fully healed so I could do horseback riding again. Though because I was quite stubborn and stupid, I decided to get on anyway and I was now a lot more sore.

       Jonah was still mad at Linnea, and didn't even want to share a motel room with her so he has been staying in the motel room I was in. While I did like having the company, I also liked being on my own.

       I was just used to being on my own.

       Being injured was very boring because I couldn't be outside of the motel for too long without being in too much pain. The most I could do was go for a walk, but even then the walks were normally very boring.

       At least this time, Jonah offered to go on a walk with me. I knew he just wanted some fresh air after staying in the motel all day.

       We went for a walk around six at night, first getting some food on the way since I was getting tired of having to eat snacks from the grocery store. We went to the boardwalk on the beach and both got some fish and chips.

       "Are you ever going to forgive Linnea?" I asked while we were walking through the town. "You two haven't talked to each other since yesterday."

       Jonah sighed. "I don't know. She meant well, but... It's weird. We rarely argue or disagree with anything, and she decided to go behind my back and talk to you when I clearly told her that you don't want to talk about anything. What do you think I should do?"

       I shrugged. "It's not my choice."

       "Okay, but it kind of does involve you," Jonah said. "What would you do?"

       "It doesn't matter what I would do," I said. "Linnea is your girlfriend not mine. She's not even really my friend. We've known each other for a few weeks."

       "That really doesn't help me make my decision," Jonah said.

       "And it shouldn't," I said. "It should be your decision in the end. Nothing I say should change your mind."

       Jonah didn't say anything else. Honestly, I didn't know if I would talk to Linnea for a while. Jonah did tell her not to talk to me about what I was going through, and she decided to anyway. I was tired of people always expecting me to talk to people, thinking that it would help.

       Talking never helped at all, at least not for me.

       I wouldn't be mad if Jonah did choose to forgive her, though. That was between him and Linnea.

       I just hoped they would be able to get through whatever problems they had because I could tell they made each other really happy. Every single person deserved to be happy, whether it be the cause of someone else, or any other reason.

       And I hadn't seen anyone in my family be happy for a long time. Jonah was my family now, and seeing him happy would at least start to fill the void I have inside of me.

       While we were walking through the town, I could have sworn I saw someone very familiar turn the corner ahead of us. My heart started beating faster, but part of it also didn't seem real so I kept walking with Jonah.

       Until we turned that same corner, and I actually did see that man. He was standing a few feet away, talking to someone I didn't know, so I quickly went back around the corner and hid against the wall.

       Jonah stopped walking and looked at me. "Are you okay?"

       I could have lied. And I probably would have if I didn't tell him the truth about why I was found unconscious in the alleyway.

       "The man that attacked me is standing right there," I said. "The one that my dad owed money to."

       "The one that you now have to pay back because both of your parents are...?" Jonah began, but he didn't finish, so I did.

       "Dead?" I asked. "Yeah, that's the one. I don't even know what he's doing in Meadowcliff. He lived in the city, where my family life. If he sees me..."

       "Then let's head back to the motel," Jonah said. "What does the man look like, though? Just so I can keep an eye out?"

       "He's the one wearing the grey hat," I said.

       Jonah looked over to see what the man looked like before gesturing for us to head back to the motel. He would occasionally look back, just to make sure that the man didn't see me at all. If he ever saw I was staying at the motel...

       I was hoping that part of my past would just stay in the past. He caused so much harm with my family, almost as much as my dad did. I just needed to start fresh and stay away from all those problems in the past.

       The worst part is I wanted to talk to someone about it, but part of me was too afraid to. Part of me was holding me back so I kept everything a secret. 

       That part of me was killing. I just couldn't bring myself to trusting people, and I hated it.

       As soon as Jonah and I got back to the motel, we saw Linnea, Madison, and Ezra sitting at one of the picnic tables outside. Jonah stopped in his tracks and stared at Linnea for a bit.

       "Just go talk to her," I said. I could tell Jonah wanted to forgive her but at the same time, he didn't.

       I knew how he felt wanting to forgive someone but not being able to.

       Jonah didn't even say anything as he headed over to my motel room. Since I was the one with the keys, I unlocked it and we both walked in.

       "So... Are you ever going to talk to Linnea?" I asked.

       Jonah sighed. "I don't know. We'll see."

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Reed my baby i love you please open up soon. (why do i seriously act like im not the one deciding all of this lol save me)

BUT REED IS A CINNAMON ROLL AND HE WAS ACTUALLY MY FIRST EVER CINNAMON ROLL SINCE I CREATED HIM BEFORE I EVEN CREATED NOLAN. Though Nolan will FOREVER and ALWAYS be the cinnamon roll of all cinnamon rolls.