Finding My Way Back

Chapter 5

Aria 

 Walking into the restaurant, I wave as soon as I see Bella and Roy, so I make my way to them. I smiled at them and then introduced Garrett to them and saying that he was new to town. They both smiled at him and said hello, tho I can’t help noticing Roy giving him a once over. As we take our seats Bella starts spewing questions and I can’t help smiling as Bella has always been the more outgoing of us. 

“So, Garrett how old are you?” she asks 

"I’m 23,” he answers 

She decides to ask another question. "Where did you go before coming here?”  

"I went to Ball State University, but it was too big for my tastes and I decided to come go to Ivy Tech instead.” he answers not looking one bit uncomfortable with her asking these questions. 

"Where did you grow up at? Are your parents still around? Got any siblings?” she asks eagerly. 

I laugh before telling Bella, “What is this? 21 questions? You do know that just cause you ask multiple questions in one go doesn’t count as one question, right?” 

She answers, “Oh, hush you! Of course, I know that and that’s not what this is. He is the first one from any classes you bring to our lunches all these years we have been doing it. I’m just curious at who he is.” 

Roy glances at Bella and then lovely touches her hand and laughs saying, “Bella you so protective of your friend, but you do have all lunch to ask your questions so let him breath.” Bella gave her husband a loving look and agrees with him and gives Garrett a I’m sorry look. 

Garrett doesn’t look like he is uncomfortable at all and responds, “It’s oh ok and I don’t mind. I’m glad Aria has friends in her life that care for her and to answer your question I was born in Washington State, yes my parents are still around and no I don’t have any siblings.” 

By this time the waiter comes back to grab our drink orders and also our food orders since we all knew what we wanted. Knowing Bella will start her round of more her questioning I turn to Garrett slightly and say, “Washington state is so far, do you get home sick being in the land of farmland?” 

Garrett smiles at me like he was glad I was asking the questions now. He responds, “It can be lonely when you're in a place without any friends or family in the area, but I’m not overly homesick. I find moving around gives me a chance to make new friends wherever I go.” 

“Will you ever go back to your home state?” Bella jumps in. 

“I go back every holiday and during summer breaks sometimes.” he responses 

“Sometimes that’s the best when you are trying to find your place in this world,” Roy jumps in. 

“Yeah, you seem to know how it is. How did you and Bella meet?” he asks. 

“We met when I moved here in middle school and have been together ever since. We have a 3-year-old daughter the same as Aria, in fact they were only born a few days apart.” Roy laughs, “It's almost like they planned when their children would be born. Tho it's unfortunate I wasn’t able to stop what happened to Aria that night and that the guy was able to get off without responsibility.” Glances at Aria sadly. 

“It is what it is and of course he got off scotch free he was the beloved football star who says he doesn’t remember it ever happening and the Judge wouldn’t even make him take a DNA test to prove it was his. Besides I got my beautiful daughter out of it and Melody has a best friend for life,” I laugh 

“Yes, those two are just like their mothers two peas in a pod.” he says. 

Our food arrives and we all start chowing down. We continue to ask questions about this and that and eventually the lunch comes to an end. Garrett and Roy excuses themselves to the bathroom and Bella jumps in, “He is super-hot, well not as hot as Roy but still and he seems very nice.” 

“So was Walter, but we both know how that turned out. Plus, he is new and doesn’t know anyone of course he is going to be nice to make friends.” I said. 

“Oh, don’t give me that b.s. He is totally digging you and just came to spend more time with you. Speaking of Walter what he did was horrible but not every guy is like him.” she said sadly. 

“I know that, but there is something about him that makes me want to be so comfortable with him and I really don’t know what it is about him. It's like I’ve known him all my life and what’s crazy is I dreamt of him last night.” I said admitting to someone about my dreams from last night. 

“What? Why didn’t you text me about it as soon as you seen him in your class?” She asks excitedly. 

“Umm because I was in class and listening to what the teacher was saying.” I say a little sarcastically. 

Bella glances up and quickly says, “They are coming back, call me tonight and tell me all about your dream. I want to hear it all.” 

I look behind me to see in fact the boys were coming back. I looked back at Bella and shake my head at her that I would. She has been my best friend since forever, her and I both don’t know how long it's been, tho our parents both are friends so probably since we were both. The boys get back to the table and announce that we can leave. I look confused and say, “We didn’t pay yet. How can we leave?” Roy speaks up, “We have taken care of that, we are good to go.” Still looking confused I get up and gather up my stuff and thank Roy for paying for my meal and he shakes his head that he didn’t and points to Garrett. Garrett jumps in, “I just wanted to thank you for inviting me to join you and your friends for lunch that I wanted to pay it back, so I paid for your meal. I’m sorry if I over stepped.”  

“Thank you, but I could have paid for my lunch myself. I do have my own money.” I respond a little defensive. 

Roy claps Garrett on the back like they were old friends and says, “good luck on the ride back, told she would react this way.” grabbing his wife’s coat and puts it on and then hands her, her purse. 

I stuck my tongue out at Roy. Yeah, sometimes I can still be a little kid but the fact he knows me warms my heart that he would care to know Bella’s best friend as well as he knows his wife. We start making our way back out of the building and Bella gasps. Thinking something is wrong I turn around and she looked to be deep in thought or an idea just hit her and I wasn’t going to like it. 

“Hey Aria, why don’t you and Avia come over sleep over our house Friday. That way we can have a girl's night and Roy can watch the girls while they have their own girl's night.” Bella asks me with big puppy eyes.  

I couldn’t refuse Bella’s puppy eyes, never could. “Sure, I would love that and I know so would Avia.” I said. 

Bella jumps up and down excitedly and then she turns to Garrett and asks, “Why don’t you join us for dinner at our place?”  

I stared openly at Bella with my mouth hanging open and then turn to Garrett who was looking at me, so I gave him a shrug. 

“I would love too; Roy can text me the address.” He says. 

Their bathroom break must have been a strong bonding moment for the boys as Roy has always been overly protective of the guys around me, not that there were many guys around me to begin with. 

We said our goodbyes and Garrett and I head back to my car. Once in the car I look at him still finding it funny seeing this big guy to look comfortable in my small car, but I had to say something about my friends’ offer. “You know you don’t have to go to dinner if you don’t want to.”  

“It's oh ok, they seem like fun people to be around and I wouldn’t mind getting to know you more in the process and your daughter. I also think it would be the best setup meeting your daughter around people you are comfortable with and who she is comfortable with.” He says like he truly cares about My daughter and I being comfortable when she meets him. I have no clue why I’m not telling that it is too soon for him to meet her, but I feel so comfortable with him that I just can’t put words to it. So instead of voice all that I just ask him if he had another class that he needed to get to or should I drop him off at his apartment. He tells me his apartment will be fine, he wanted to get to some of the classwork before he goes to his next class.  

I drop him off at these really fancy apartments that were not too far from the college and think wow he must come from a well-off family and that why would he want to be friends with him. I then thank him for the meal he paid for and that I would see him Wednesday when the class met next.