How could I not have known I have everything I need right here? That these people wouldn't be my friend if I wasn't as incredible as they are?
I'm awesome. Does it sound cocky? Yep, but it's true.
I'm awesome because of them and they just might be the way they are because of me.
I have a girl I love.
I have my friends, who I love as well.
Courtney and Roger and maybe even the person who lives on the address in my pocket. One day, I might go there. Or not. I don't think it really matters. I know who I am. These people know who I am. I have everything I need right here.
"I hope this doesn't mean we plan on hugging all the time, Jay. I mean, you're my boy but..."
"You're so stupid." I shake my head. "You're my boy too, but you're definitely not pretty enough to keep hugging."
But none of us let go right away.
I remember something Sebastian said before. Something I rolled my eyes at, at the time. "A package deal."
"All for one, or whatever," he adds.
Epilogue
"New York is way too freaking cold in the winter." I blow on the coffee in my hand. My gloved hand. Priscilla is sitting next to me in the brown leather booth.
"It's not that bad. You're such a baby."
"Your baby." Leaning over I nuzzle her neck. I don't even care that the words are cheesy. I would have made fun of Sebastian for saying them a few months ago. I would probably still make fun of him if he said the same thing, just for a laugh. It's different when I say stuff like that though.
"I don't know whether to roll my eyes at you or swoon."
I love that my girl speaks her mind and is tough as nails. So hot.
"How about you roll your eyes now just because you're sexy when you're frustrated and you can swoon when we're alone?"
This really makes her roll her eyes and I even get a swat on the arm for it. Totally worth it.
Priscilla, Sebastian, and Aspen are all on winter break from school. We went home for a bit, but came back because school starts again in a few days. For all of us. It'll be my first semester and I'm only taking a few classes, but I'm cool with that. I'll owe a ton in loans when I'm done, but I'm cool with that, too. Feels good that I'm going to start at all, and that I'm doing it on my own, so the rest of it doesn't matter. I'm thinking Engineering.
"What time do you work tomorrow?" I kiss her neck. She works at this coffee shop. Loves it. Her dad wasn't too happy about it, but she doesn't really care what he's happy about. She's who she is and he can take it or leave it. Her mom seems pretty proud though. And she comes out to visit often, too. Their divorce will be final in a few weeks, I think.
"Nine. Listen, are you sure you want me here, Jay? I totally understand if you want to do this by yourself. I mean, you're meeting your dad for the first time. I don't want to intrude."
I pull my face out of her neck and look at her. "You never intrude." Pushing her hair out of her face, I tuck a strand behind her ear. "I need you here."
She cocks her head. "You don't need me, Jay."
"Fine, then I want you here. I know I can do it on my own, but I don't want to."
"Are you nervous?"
"No. Yeah. Kind of. I mean, it's a big thing, ya know?" I called him for the first time mid-September. Seriously hard, let me tell you.
But he didn't know about me. He'd never known. I knew him and my mom were young and I don't even know how she still knew where he was or found him again to give me the info, but what matters is he never didn't want me—he didn't know I was out there.
We've talked for over three months. Every friggin' week. He calls a lot. He's an architect. Loves old buildings and his wife said he takes half the stuff around their house apart all the time. Apparently he's not as good as me at putting it back together again.
I'm the man, what can I say?
"It's a huge thing. I totally understand. You'll be great though, and he'll love you."
I think about all our phone calls. All the things he's said to me. How he's wanted to meet me from the first day I called him, but waited until I was ready. I offered to come to him, but he wouldn't have it. He wanted to come to me. No one in my life but my four best friends and Sebastian's mom have ever given a shit about me like that.
It feels awesome.
"He already does, Priscilla. I think he already does." And if things don't work out, I'll still be okay. I don't need anyone else to prove to me who I am.
She leans forward and kisses me.
"What was that for?"
"For being you...and because you're hot."
I wink at her. "Well, we know that."
"I love you."
"I love you, too."
"Jaden?" A voice says from next to the booth. I look over to see my dad. My real dad. His hair is light brown like mine. And he's smiling.
"Umm...yeah. Hey. It's me."
I stand up and he pulls me into a hug and cries. Tension seeps out of my body.
It's at this moment I realize Priscilla and I have exactly what we wanted. With or without him, we're exactly what we wanted to be...happy. Having a dad is a pretty cool bonus, though. I can’t wait to see just how cool it can be.