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Peyton
“Table five,”Cal rang the bell, and I made my way over to the service counter, loading my hands full of plates.
“Thanks,” I said, winding through the tables. “Okay, I’ve got the cheeseburger no pickles, and the chicken salad with the sauce on the side.” I placed them down. “Enjoy your meals.”
“You know, you haven’t stopped smiling,” Cindy said.
“I’m just happy to be here.”
It was my first day working a full shift at the diner. I had officially graduated and entered the world of full-time employment.
It had been a hard few weeks. I’d spent most of it heartbroken over Xander, reliving every moment we’d spent together, trying to figure out where it had gone so wrong. But when I’d finally got the green light to graduate, it felt like a weight had been lifted.
Maybe Xander and I weren’t meant to be. But this, taking control of my life the only way I knew how, was a step in the right direction.
Jason had really dug in his heels at first, refusing to even contemplate signing the permission form, but Felicity—with a little help from Lily—managed to persuade him. He had agreed with the stipulation that I didn’t rush to find my own place, which was fine by me. The longer I saved up, the better choices I’d have.
Things were good.
I was good.
Sure, it still hurt to think about Xander, but I’d accepted he wasn’t coming back. Moving on was going to take some time. Not that I suspected I’d ever truly move on from him. But I was determined to get there.
Somewhere in the last month, I’d realized that I hadn’t survived everything I’d been through to just give up all because I got my heart broken. I was better than that.
I was more deserving than that.
Counseling has helped a lot. We’d worked through the trauma of my mom’s suicide and now we were slowly unpicking all my unresolved feelings around my childhood and the neglect I suffered at her hands.
I had a long way to go, but it was a start.
A group of people filed into the diner, and I smiled. “This is a surprise,” I said, greeting my friends.
“Yeah, well, we couldn’t very well let you start your first day of full-time employment without coming by to wish you good luck.” Lily produced a small box from behind her back. “Congratulations.”
I flipped the lid and sniffed the chocolate cupcake from Sprinkles. “It smells so good. I’ll eat it on my break.” I’d already had my lunch break, but I’d get another fifteen minutes later.
“If you find a booth, I’ll bring over your menus.”
Kaiden led Lily away; and Bryan, Poppy, and Sofia followed. But Ashleigh hovered.
“Hey,” she said.
“Hey.”
“Listen, are we okay? I know you said we are,”—I had, numerous times—“but I can’t—”
“Leigh, relax.” I smiled. “We’re fine. I promise.”
“Okay.” Her shoulders sank, relief etched in her expression. “Because you’re one of my best friends, Peyton, and I hate that things have been weird between us. I know what you had with Xander—”
“Not here.” I shook my head.
I couldn’t fall apart, not here. Not now. Although I was in a better place, it was easier to keep him locked away in a box than talk about him.
I’d found that out the hard way, when a couple of weeks ago we’d had a girl’s night at the Bennet’s house and gotten drunk on Mrs. Bennet’s wine collection. Lily and Ashleigh had started asking me about Xander, and before I knew it, I’d been sitting in a puddle of my tears, trembling as I tried to put into words what had happened between us.
They didn’t ask again after that, and I never brought it up. But I think they realized then, the depth of what I’d felt for him.
