Sorry

D/c: I don't own Just Listen. Rights belong to Sarah Dessen.

I walked out of the courthouse, Whitney and Kirsten on either side of me, and Mom and Dad behind us. I had finally done it, finally. I felt a long awaited sense of relief that Will Cash was finally, finally going to pay for what he had done to me, then to Emily.

If that bruise around his eye and split lip were anything to go by, someone else thought so as well.

But, it wasn't as sweet a victory as it could have been had Owen been there. I glanced at the fountain and stopped in my tracks, simultaneously shocked and pleased to see him sitting on the fountains edge, staring at me.

I mumbled my excuses to my family, hearing my Dad ask where I was going. I smiled to myself, wondering if he would be surprised.

"Hey." I said, sitting beside him.

"Hey yourself." He said, looking at his scuffed boots.

We sat in companionable silence for a few moments, before he hung his head. "I'm sorry." He sighed, running a hand –a bandaged-hand through his hair.

"For what?" I asked slowly, taking his bandaged hand in mine, holding it.

He didn't answer, just stared at me, guilt in his expression.

Suddenly, it hit me. "You didn't…" I trailed off, putting together the pieces.

He gave me a weak grin, slightly sheepish. "I'm sorry?" he offered again.

I expected to feel anger, to feel shock. But a giggle escaped. Followed by another, and soon I was clutching my stomach, laughing as hard as I possibly could. I held on to his hand as I let the waves of relief wash through me, and soon I was crying, a sobbing hysterical mass of laughter, tears, and shaking female.

Owen looked horrified as the tears coursed down my cheeks, not knowing what to do. It was alright though, as my family was surrounding me, crowding around me, asking if I was alright, if anything had happened, glaring at Owen.

I assured them, yes I was fine, no nothing happened, this was Owen, my boyfriend.



My mom seemed charmed to meet a boy in my life, excited even. My dad seemed to size him up, looking at him through narrowed eyes. I didn't expect less, considering what I had gone through.

Whitney gave a small smile, and an imperceptible nod, remembering that they had already met. Kirsten was talking up a storm, asking how we had met, when we had met, if he had any siblings. Irrelevant information, but enough to get everyone to relax some.

An invitation to lunch was extended to Owen, and he seemed surprised, but declined politely. "I'm in trouble, sorry. I may have gone too far on my mother's leash by hitting Will."

That seemed to make him positively shine in my fathers' eyes.

Invitations to family reunions were extended.

Owen Armstrong's wide eyes, filled with what I can only describe as a comic mix of shock and horror, met mine, and I smiled at him and, ignoring my family, pulled him down for a kiss.