Kinda hard

Kaylee giggles and grasps a pretzel, sticking it in her mouth and sucking off the salt. 

Cindy grins, allowing Trey to spoil her. "What do you say, Kaylee?" 

Kaylee murmurs before removing the pretzel and scrunching up her nose with another giggle. "Tank oo." 

It wasn't long before Carson brought the jello and breadsticks, then finally the pizza. Cindy didn't bring up Derek again, keeping conversation light. The meal is enjoyed by all three, Kaylee winding up making quite a mess of her bib with pizza sauce, but it wasn't anything that couldn't be cleaned. Too soon though, time was running out. 

Cindy stirs the ice in her glass with her straw, finding herself disappointed that it was time to leave. Sighing, she looks across at Trey and tries to hide the tears that were behind her eyes. "Thank you for having lunch with me again. I've enjoyed getting to know you... truly." 

Justin doesn't complain when his finger stings under Beth's cleaning. She was doing a good job and being so gentle. With her help though, came another wave of guilt for the way Justin had been talking to her. 

When Beth was finished putting on the bandaid, Justin finds himself grasping her hand before she can withdraw. With his fingers curled around hers, he raises his eyes to hers. "I'm sorry," he apologizes quietly. "I guess I've gotten too used to having you around." 

A crooked and rather sheepish grin curls one side of his mouth. "Kinda hard for a guy like me sometimes." His thumb moves within Beth's palm. "I don't wanna hold you back." 

Having Katie pull her hands away, Jason's chest clenches. He couldn't remember a time she'd ever pulled away from him, and all it did was increase his pain. He hated it. He hated not feeling. He hated feeling the things he did. He hated not being able to even figure out everything he was feeling. And in this moment, there was a part of him that wished he'd never woken up.

"Katie, wait, I..." Too late. She was gone. She was actually gone. She had actually walked away from him. When was the last time they had argued like this? Was it as far back as Texas?

Swallowing hard, Jason stares down at the table. He needed to sit here a while lest the tears actually overflow. He wished his knee was strong enough to go for a motorcycle ride. He could use some open air right about now. But he was stuck... in more ways than one.

Eventually he gets up and pays for the half-eaten meal and leaves the restaurant. He takes his time driving back to work, although he kept his mind from wandering too much. He didn't know what to think or do anymore. Once back at TJY, he heads straight to his office without letting his eyes roam the main floor. He didn't know if Katie had come back here or not, but he didn't want to start anything else.

The rest of the afternoon dragged on and Jason talked to as few people as possible, hibernating in his office. And when he left that evening, he spoke to no one.

Getting home, he hit the couch, his mind bouncing from work to Katie to his mom to Texas to his childhood and back again. His hand hung off the couch to absentmindedly appease Trooper with scratches behind the ears. It had been a very long time since he had felt so confused.

His phone buzzing startles him and he pulls it from his pocket to read the text from Sandy.

Jase! Up for last minute late night bowling? 

Guys and me need an extra player. :)

Sighing, Jason's thumb runs over the buttons as he considers his options. Part of him wanted to go. Part of him didn't. Finally he replies.

Sorry. No go for tonight. Bad day. 

Sandy's reply was quick.

Aw. Sorry. Anything I can do?

Nah. Just a rough spot. 

Wanna talk?

Jason sighs again. Yes. But what would he say? "My girlfriend doesn't like me spending time with you guys"?  No...

Im ok. Talk to u soon. 

He knew Sandy would take the hint that he didn't want to continue the conversation. And she did. No more texts came and he found himself falling asleep on the couch for the night.