Chapter Fifty

Evan pounds on Jared’s door later that night.
After a few moments he finally answers. "What the hell Evan, its two o’clock in the morning." Jared looked like shit, even though he wore only sweatpants with no shirt, his face looked like he was having a rough time of it.
His place consisted of one bedroom floor landing, and it definitely looked like a bachelor pad. Evan doesn’t answer but walks right in. "Is Stacy with you tonight?" He asks looking around the place.
Jared shuts the door behind him. "No, why?"
"We need to talk. What the hell was that all about at the hospital today?" He demands.
Jared scowls at him. "I don't know what you’re talking about.” He crosses his arms.
“I’ve been watching you all day, you couldn’t take you eyes off her and then you go and run after her like that, what’s going on Jared?" Evan wasn't going to back down. He wanted answers.
Jared walks past him into his kitchen and turns on the light. "It’s none of your business, so leave it alone.”
Evan follows him. "What did you do Jared?" he asks suspiciously.
"I didn't do anything." He simply states, getting annoyed at his friend’s probing.
"You know, ever since we were kids you were always on her about something, always breathing down her neck. And it always made me wonder-"
"Wonder about what?” He looks Evan straight in the eyes, his tone hard, also not backing down.
Evan's eyes widen at sudden realization. “You’re in love with her aren’t you?"
“Don’t be a fool." he says quickly.
“Oh come on Jared, it makes total sense now. How you always pushed any guy away from her, including me. All the arguments, the over protectiveness, hell even the time when you walked in on me and her that one day and not talking to either one of us for weeks."
He couldn’t believe it.
Jared looks away not saying anything against his words. Evan thinks for a moment and comes to a decision.
"I don’t know, maybe I'm over thinking it.”
“You are overthinking. I’m engaged do be married to Stacy remember."
Evan nods his head. "Yeah, you’re right." He put his hands in his in pockets and slowly backs up. "It’s good though you know, because I plan to go to Arizona next week, take her out to dinner, court her and such. Then plan on asking her to marry me, have a few kids -"
Evan falls backwards from the sudden punch Jared just gave him. "Don't you dare go near her." He seethes fiercely.
Rubbing his jaw he was hoping to get this kind of reaction, but it didn't stop the anger that follows. He gets up and rushes Jared in the mid-section. Jared grunts as he falls to the ground. Then Evan gave him one good hit. They roll around on the floor and fought. After a good ten minutes they laid there not moving, breathing heavily just staring up at the ceiling.
"Not...in... love with her…huh?" Evan chokes out, trying to catch his breath.
Jared closes his eyes and tries to sit up. His jaw was throbbing, and his lower back was in pain, but he felt good to let out all his frustrations. Sitting up he winces in pain as some spots tensed from where his best friend had hit him. Evan does the same as well, sitting up next to him.
"It never happened you know." He tells him.
"What didn't?" Damn he was tired.
"That day you walked in on us; we didn't do it. Mila was so ashamed she nearly ran out before I stopped her."
Jared rubs his sore jaw. “Yeah, I know.” He sighs heavily.
Evan looks over to him. "Did she tell you? I didn't think you would have believed her."
He scratches the back of his head. "Um.. no she didn't tell me.”
Evan raises an eyebrow at him. "Then how did you find out?"
He gets up and goes to the couch but didn’t sit down. "I...um…physically…found out." He carefully states, not looking at his friend.
"Wait, what?!" Evan gets up too.
"Yeah, last night…after you left her house, it sort of just happened.”
Evan sat down heavily. "Wow." he didn’t know what else to say, he was in complete shock making Jared feet horrible.
"Look, I’m sorry man, I know how you feel about her..." He lets the sentence drop since he really didn’t know what else to say.
"So you do love her?” Evan gives him a hard look. "Right?"
"Of course I love her!" He says with passion.
Then he slams down on the couch next to him. "I'm crazy about her. I can't even stop thinking about her."
Evan smiles sadly. "What about Stacy?"
Jared looks over at him. "Are you judging me now? You, out of all people?" He snaps angrily.
"That’s not what I meant Jared, calm down."
He sighs, his shoulders drooping. "I know what you meant and there was never any thought on it, no decisions because I choose Mila, always have."
Evan cocks his head. "You know, I think I've always known."
Jared frowns in confusion. "Knew what?"
He gives him a look of 'Really’. "Come on Jared I was immature, not stupid."
They sit there in silence for a while. "What are you going to do now?"
Jared grunts at his question. "She thinks I'm just going to let it go and resume my life with Stacy. I’m not letting her go now that I have her."
Evan nods his head in agreement. "Then what the hell are you waiting for?”
Jared looks over to him. "Revenge." He simply says
Evan frowns. "Revenge?"
He smiles. "She’s tortured me since day one. I just want her to feel what I’ve been going through the last eight years."
Evan whistles. "That long huh? You know I don't feel that broken up about it. Now that I know." He smiles causing Jared to grab his shoulder and smiling back.
"Just do me a favor Jared?"
"And what’s that?"
Evan looks at him seriously. "Just make her happy.”
"You don’t need to ask that of me Evan, because I already planned on it. But there’s something I have to do first that can’t wait.”

***

He stands in front of a door, dreading on what was going to happen in just a few moments. He wasn’t sure how any of this was going to go and he hated himself more now than ever for what he was about to do. Lifting his fist he only hesitates for a moment before knocking on the door.
He hears shuffling of feet before the door unlocks and a confused Stacy makes her appearance. When she sees it was him her smile beams but then slightly falters. “Why are you knocking? You normally just come right in.”
He clenches his teeth, heart pounding and a sense of guilt hitting him full force. “Can we talk?”
Her smile completely wipes from her face, her shoulders drooping. “Sure, want to come in?” She moves to the side to indicate just that, but he shakes his head.
“Can we sit on the swing?” he asks instead, turning towards the front yard.
“S-Sure.” She states uncertainly as she steps out and closes the door behind her. “Jared, is everything alright? Is it Cale?”
He sighs heavily and allows her to sit before he sits next to her, but not as close as he used to do. That fact wasn’t lost on her. He stares at the ground, watching as the first light of day was making itself known.
“Stacy, this isn’t easy for me-” He starts, but she interrupts him.
“Jared, stop.” Turning slightly towards him, her face was in a mask of heartbreak. “I know. And it’s okay.”
Confusion overthrows him making his heart slam against his chest even harder. “W-What do you mean?”
“I’m not blind to what I see. Ever since she came home you’ve been acting different. Everyone has. To be honest I wanted to be wrong, but deep down I know you don’t love me as much as you love her.”
“Stac-” He tries again.
“I rushed us.” She interrupts again, swallowing hard to stop the tears from showing. “I was the one that rushed this whole marriage thing. You’re not ready. I don’t even think I am. We’re only twenty three and have only been dating for less than a year.”
She looks back up at him, her eyes shining with the unshed tears. “You’re such an amazing guy and I knew your heart belonged to another even before we started dating. I saw the pictures you always displayed wherever you went. And it only confirmed it when I spoke to your mom about your past. I was setting myself up for heartbreak.”
“I never wanted this to happen. Never meant for things to turn out this way. You deserve the world Stacy.” He says brokenly, hating that he was breaking her.
She nods her head. “I know you didn’t. I’m sure there’s someone out there waiting just for me. Like how Mila is waiting for you. I realized how much we were hurting her, saw her pain when she decided to leave last night. And I knew it was only a matter of time before you went chasing after her.”
“The wedding-”
“Hasn’t even been started. I was afraid to make any plans when Cale had a heart attack and knew Mila would finally come home. I guess I needed justification before we started our lives together.”
He closes his eyes, leaning forward as he put his head into his hands. “I’m such an asshole. I’m so sorry.” A few tears slip out because Stacy was too good to kindhearted to even get mad at him.
“No you’re not. We just can’t help who we fall in love with.” Her voice finally cracks.
He looks up at her, pulling her into a tight hug. “Are you going to be okay?”
“I will be as long as you promise me one thing.” She sniffles.
“Anything.”
“Become happy.”
He closes his eyes tighter, his throat closing in on him as he fights to keep the tears at bay. “Only as long as you become happy too.”