Page 124 of The Plan

I let out a sigh because I know he’s going to hate that I’m moving out of his place. “No, I didn’t tell him. To be fair, I’m not obligated to.” I sound like I’m trying to convince myself, and Hazel catches on.

“What's going on with you two?” She eyes me suspiciously, and I can’t hold my tongue as I spill everything Sire told me. “Shit.” Hazel stares at me, and I only nod.

“I’m a bad person, right? I mean, he wasn’t even using me, and out of spite, I told the most important person about his addiction? I’m evil.” I cover my face with my hands and shake my head.

“You’re not evil, V. We’re never wrong, remember?” I chuckle softly at how serious she sounds. “Say it with me, babe. Even when we’re wrong, we’re right. Gaslight him.” I throw my head back with a laugh but immediately feel bad all over again, and my face quickly falls.

“Oh, babe.” I look over at Hazel, and she shakes her head softly. “You thought he really did hurt you, and you were mourning on top of that. Sure, it was fucked up, but he was still signed with his dream team, so it cancels out.” She shrugs but then cringes at the look on my face.

“It doesn’t make it okay, though.” I shake my head softly.

“No, but you can’t be stuck on this forever.” She watches me carefully before adding. “Don’t tell Mr. Griffin, but August told me that he ran to him earlier today to tell him you two talked.” I can’t help but smile at the bond he has with his siblings. I’m sure he told all of them we’re getting back together.

“I’m not surprised he did.” I shake my head, but then she gives me a weird look. “What?”

She turns her head to the side, fluffing her big hair. “August said that Sire told him you two aren’t back together because you guys need to work through things? He made it seem like Sire was upset about it, and I know I give him shit, but I’ve always been secretly rooting for him on the off chance that what happened between you two was all a misunderstanding, and it was, so what’s up?”

I let out a sigh and undo my hair tie because I feel a headache forming. “We’re working on it.” She looks confused, but I don’t elaborate.

“And you can’t work on it while being together?” I look down at the ring he bought me and give it a light spin. I watch the four heart-shaped leaves of the clover spin, mesmerized as always. I forget how pretty it is sometimes.

“I guess we can.” It’s really just me that needs the work.Ineed to communicate.Ineed to trust him. I don’t get why even he wants to be with me.

“Stop it.” I look up at Hazel. “You look like you’re overthinking your entire life. Stop it.” I sigh again and rub my hands down my face.

“I don’t deserve him, Hazel.” Her brows crease before she moves her legs from on top of me and turns on the couch to face me fully.

“You don’t think you deserve to be loved the way he loves you?”

“It’s not—”

“Look, I know you feel like shit for what you did, but he clearly wants to be with you either way. You just said you two decided to work past it, sodothat… Get past it if you really want to because that man loves you. A whole lot, like I think he might actually die for you. You deserve to be loved like that.” I don’t answer for a few seconds, then look up at her when she continues.

“I know you, V. You’re just scared to admit it, but you’d die for him too. I know you love him just as much as he loves you. You’re just scared, so you act like you don’t. You’re scared to be hurt, so you act like you don’t care, and you say things you don’t mean.”

I look back down and play with the loose threads of my pillows. She’s right. Everything she said was right. “He’s so patient, Hazel.” I shake my head as I think about how he didn’t get upset once this morning or when I blew him off when he came to visit me at work, but to be fair, I was pissed after what happened at my meeting.

“He’s perfect, and I—”

“Oh, he’sfarfrom perfect.” Hazel laughs but turns more serious when she sees I’m not laughing. “Okay, no one is perfect, but if anyone is, he’s not. He’s arrogant and hates being told what to do. Don’t even get me started on how mean he is to my boyfriend.” I can’t help but laugh at her last part. Sire’s mean to his siblings out of love, but I don’t say that.

“I can list a hundred and one reasons why anyone would want to be with you, Vidia, but it won’t make a difference because you need to hear it from him, sotalkto him.” She nudges me, and I only give her a weak smile.

“Stop being so hard on yourself. People fuck up, especially in relationships. It’s not going to be perfect, but at least you have each other to get through it.”

“True.” I shrug, and I’m starting to feel a lot better.

“Yeah, I’m always right, so just get back with him so he can stop calling August at all hours asking for advice.” I feel a crease grow in my brows, but I can’t help but smile.

“He calls August for advice?” I doubt August gives good advice, but it’s cute that he talks to him about us.

“Yeah, and he’s always at our place, so get back with him so he can be here instead.” I laugh at how annoyed she sounds. Sire and August are inseparable, so even when I do get back with him, he’ll still be there a lot.

“August is at Sire’s house just as much, so don’t act like that.”

“I never said he wasn’t. I swear I don’t get why August thought it was a bright idea for them to be neighbors. Do they not get tired of each other?” I laugh again because she and I are the same way. We always want to hang out together. She just doesn’t see it that way.

“It's because August is clingy as fuck.” I hate clingy boys, but it’s not annoying when August does it. It’s cute, like a puppy. She laughs, and as if on cue, her phone rings. She turns the phoneto me, and it’s a call from August. We both roll our eyes with a smile and then she answers.

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