“My friendship?” Jasmine’s eyes went wide. “Are you joking? Is this some kind of practical fucking joke?” She looked around the diner. “Are there hidden cameras somewhere?”

Yep. We deserved that.

We deserved a hell of a lot worse than that, to be honest.

And that was why this whole idea of Axel’s was fucking crazy. And I must have been crazy to follow him out there in the pouring rain.

Still, I hadn’t fully prepared myself for the raw nerves and emotions that seemed to bubble to the surface in all of us.

I was pretty sure Axel—and Jasmine, too, for that matter—hadn’t expected those emotions, either, but when I looked his way, his eyes were glassy with tears and his cheeks slightly red with... well, raw emotion and embarrassment, I guess.

I glanced back at Jas, and she was looking at Axel, waiting for him to say something. This whole thing was his grand fucking idea, a way of atoning for all the shit we’d put her through as if a cup of coffee and a simple apology would erase years of behaving like assholes.

“No hidden cameras,” he answered, looking down at his cup of coffee for a second. “And okay, friendship is too big of a leap from where we are right now. But we want to prove that we’re seriously sorry. We want to be on good terms with you.”

I huffed out a breath and shook my head. “I hate that we bullied you. We were assholes.”

“But Jas, I take full responsibility. Micah just followed my lead most of the time.”

What? The fuck? Was that?

I put up a hand to stop him right there.

Perhaps he wanted to get me out of the heat and take the full blast of her anger himself. But he made me sound like his pathetic lap dog. Like I didn’t decide my destiny.

No fucking way.

I knew he didn't mean it that way, but that was how it sounded, and I couldn’t let it stand unchallenged.

“No, that isn’t true. And even if it was, it’s no excuse. I’m the only one who can be held responsible for my actions. I knew right from wrong back then, just as I do now. But then I was an idiot. I’m not that anymore. What we did was wrong, and I’m sorry.”

Jasmine eased back into her seat and sat in silence for almost a full minute before she spoke again. “I have to admit I’m surprised. Shocked, even. I never expected anything close to an apology from either of you—like, ever. So you’ll have to forgive me for being more than a little suspicious about your motivations.”

“Totally understandable,” Axel nodded. “This is probably all coming out of the blue as far as you’re concerned, but it’s something Micah and I have been talking about for weeks.”

“Months,” I said under my breath. “This asshole hasn’t stopped talking about you, Jasmine. I’d swear on a stack of bibles that we’re both serious. We want to be on better terms with you.”

She took another big sip of her coffee, draining the cup before setting it aside. “I appreciate everything you’ve both said. I’m sure it wasn’t easy. And even though I never imagined it would be possible, I forgive you.” She looked from me to Micah. “I forgive both of you. I’m tired of carrying around all of that hurt and anger inside me. I’m ready to put the past behind us...”

Her words were music to my ears, but the way she lingered at the end made me hesitate.

“I think there’s something you aren’t saying,” Axel offered. “This might be our only chance to clear the air with each other, so if there’s more you want to say—even if you want to yell or cuss or punch me in the face—this is the perfect time.”

“You’re right,” she nodded. “I forgive both of you, but I’m not sure if I’m ready to be on good terms, whatever that means. I’m sure not ready for friendship. Not that it matters, as I live thousands of miles away.”

She started to stand up from the booth, which set in motion a sinking sensation in my stomach because it was finally over. We’d all said everything we’d been bottling up for years until there wasn’t anything left.

Well, almost.

“Wait,” I called out, even reaching for her before deciding against it and letting my hand fall to the table. “Jasmine, please wait before you go.”

She paused but didn’t sit back down. She didn’t even say anything. She just waited while my eyes searched hers.

“I, um...” I coughed to clear my throat. “Fuck it. I’m just going to say it. Do you remember when I stopped teasing you in the ninth grade? There was a reason. It was because I had a crush on you. I liked you, and although I knew I’d already fucked things up between us, I wanted you to like me. I can’t go back and change the past, but I just wanted you to know that now.”

Tags: Stephanie Brother Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net