11| Commence

                                    

                                          
Chapter 11: Commence (Hope's POV)
                          
"Let me get this straight," I said, turning my body to face him. 
                          
We've been here the whole day talking about things. We talked about our memories here, he was asking me questions about New York. It was like for once he wasn't totally against the idea of me living there. And now, the sun has started to set and we're back to talking about what to do. 
                          
"You want to keep hating each other?" I asked. 
                          
He sighed, "I want to keep pretending to hate each other," he corrected. 
                          
"Why?" Can someone explain to me in what world that makes sense? 
                          
"So Jonah doesn't get hurt. If he thinks we hate each other, he won't think there's something going on between us, which we know there isn't, but when people see us, for some reason everyone assumes we're together." True. "So, if he thinks we hate each other, he won't think we're dating behind his back, and therefore, he won't get hurt." 
                          
"So, whenever Jonah's around we can't hang out, we can't talk, we just have to argue and go down each other's throats about every little thing?" 
                          
"Yes," he nodded. 
                          
"And you think we can do that?" 
                          
He hesitated. "Kind of. Just think about what a dick I've been and I'll think about what a bitch you were for leaving," he shrugged. I rolled my eyes. He's just using this as an excuse to call me a bitch repeatedly. 
                          
"Okay, what about when Jonah isn't around?" 
                          
"Why won't he be around?" 
                          
"Uh, hello? He's in Florida right now. What about times like now?" I questioned. 
                          
"Then we can hang out. Like we are right now," he shrugged. "But I doubt that's gonna happen. You'll be with your boyfriend every day," he rolled his eyes. 
                          
"I'm sorry, but he's not boyfriend enough for me to hang out with him every single day. He's a sweetheart, all right? But I can't spend every single day with him." 
                          
"But you will. Because now your friend group is common." He shot me a pointed look. 
                          
I sighed, into my palms, running my hands over my face. I'm just gonna have to deal with it. This would have been easier if I didn't want a relationship with Jonah. But I want to give this a shot. He's exactly the kind of guy I need in my life right now. The kind who cares, who's good for me, who's a sweetheart. So, I'm willing to give this a real shot. "Okay," I shrugged. "The plan can... commence once he's back." 
                          
"Commence?" he chuckled. 
                          
"Shut up," I rolled my eyes, leaning my head against the side of the wall and watching the sunset. "When was the last time you went swimming in that lake?" I asked. 
                          
He thought for a moment. "I think last summer. All three of us went swimming there. It's safe to say we were tipsy." 
                          
"I kind of want to go right now," I mumbled more to myself than to him. 
                          
"The water is freezing, I'm afraid you'll have to wait till at least spring break," he scoffed. 
                          
"I bet I can handle it." 
                          
"You catch a cold if you come out of the shower and your hair is too wet." 
                          
I turned to him in confusion. "Why do you remember that?" I laughed. 
                          
"Cause you're the one person I know who suffers from a cold in the summer as much as you do in the winter," he shrugged in response. 
                          
"Sounds like you remember everything," I teased.