I Can't Help It

Chapter 21: Surprise

An entire week and a half went by and Stan and I still haven't talked. Everyday at work he would lock himself in his office and I tried my best to not show that it bothered me. I tried to focus on my work and keep busy so I don't think about him. But it didn't work much. I wasn't sleeping well because my mind would have too many thoughts racing through it. I would lay awake thinking of different ways we can talk again and different ways we would talk it out. But that's all they were was thoughts, no action.

I wanted so badly to talk to him. To talk things out but then I thought what's the point. He made it pretty clear how he felt. It's almost been 2 weeks since we've talked. I start to wrap up my work and get ready to leave for the day. There's a knock on my door and I get a little irritated.

"I was so close to leaving." I whisper to myself. I take a deep breath and tell whoever it is to come in.

Stan opens the door and walks in. "Hey do you have a minute?"

"Yea I'm just getting ready to leave actually." My heart began to beat really fast and I hoped it didn't show on my face. Stan walked in, but didn't sit down. He also looked uneasy.

"I'll try not to be long."

"It's okay. What is it?"

"Lori these past days have been hard on me, I'm not gonna lie. Not talking to you has been driving me crazy." He holds my eyes in a intense stare.

"Really?"

"Yes. This is hard on me, but nothing is as hard as not having you around."

"Yea you've been heavy on my mind. I've hated this, walking around avoiding each other and not talking like children."

An awkward silence fills the room. I think we were still both waiting for the other to apologize first. As much as I miss Stan, he still really hurt my feelings. I want to know if he thinks the same. The silence continues until Stan decides to change the subject.

"Oh I've been meaning to tell you the good news."

"What's that?"

"Sarah called and said she's letting Jamie attend Iowa state."

"Stan that's great. I'm so happy for her." I stand and hug him for the first time in what feels like forever. We pull away and he has a smile.

"And she said she won't go public anymore. I can't believe Sarah actually had a change of heart."

"That's amazing, I knew she would change her mind."

"Ha! What? You did?" Stan chuckles. "Because I didn't think she ever would. She never admits when she's wrong that's just who Sarah is. How'd you know?"

"I just knew that she needed someone that understood her side of things and helped her realize that Jamie's happiness is more important then the petty past."

Stan looked confused.

"Wait what? How would you know that?"

I debated on telling him that I talked to Sarah. But then again it helped, so it turned out to be a good thing.

"Lori. Tell me what your hiding." Stan grows suspicious.

"Okay well I met up with Sarah and we talked and it went kind of okay. And apparently I got through to her." I said with a smile.

"Lori are you serious." Stan's face grows red. "I told you not to go near her!"

"But if I didn't Jamie-"

"Lori you don't listen. I told you to do something and you do the exact opposite."

"Well I've left being bossed around by a man in the past. I do whatever I feel is best. And what I did solved everything." I don't understand why he can't admit that I made the right decision.