Ginny Miller sat on her bed, staring at her phone, the messages from her friends lighting up the screen. They were talking about the usual—school drama, weekend plans, and gossip. But Ginny's mind wasn't in the conversation. Instead, she was replaying the argument she'd had with Marcus earlier that day. It was the same old fight, the same old tension. They hadn't been the same since everything that had happened.
The lyrics from Taylor Swift's "betty" ran through her mind: "I'm only seventeen, I don't know anything..." She didn't know how to fix things with Marcus, how to navigate the mess that had become their relationship. She had hurt him, and he had hurt her, and now they were stuck in this cycle of misunderstanding and resentment. But more than anything, Ginny just wanted things to go back to the way they were before.
There was a knock on her door, and before she could respond, Georgia—her ever-energetic, ever-complicated mother—breezed into the room with a wide grin on her face.
"Well, if it isn't my little angsty teenager," Georgia said, flopping down onto the bed beside Ginny. "What's got you staring at your phone like you're trying to set it on fire?"
Ginny rolled her eyes, though she couldn't help but smile a little. "Just... stuff. Life. Marcus."
"Ah, Marcus," Georgia said with a knowing nod. "The boy next door who's simultaneously the love of your life and the bane of your existence. Got it."
Ginny let out a groan, tossing her phone aside. "Mom, I don't know what to do. We're just... ugh. I keep making things worse."
Georgia raised an eyebrow, propping herself up on one elbow. "Worse how?"
"I don't know!" Ginny threw her hands in the air, frustration bubbling up inside her. "I mean, I messed up. I didn't tell him things he should've known, and now he's all distant and mad, and I feel like I can't get through to him anymore."
Georgia sighed, patting Ginny's leg. "You're learning the hard way, kiddo. Relationships are messy, especially when you're young. But you can't spend all your time beating yourself up over the past. If you want to fix things, you gotta own up to your mistakes and talk it out."
Ginny bit her lip, feeling the weight of her mom's words. "I don't even know if he wants to fix things."
"Well, you're not going to find out by sitting here moping, are you?" Georgia said with a pointed look. "Go talk to him. Be honest. Tell him how you feel."
Ginny stared at her mom for a moment, wondering how Georgia could always make things sound so simple. But maybe she was right. Maybe the only way to move forward was to stop being afraid and just... talk.
A few hours later, Ginny stood outside Marcus's house, staring up at his bedroom window. The familiar feeling of nervousness twisted in her stomach as she considered turning around and going home. What if he didn't want to see her? What if he slammed the door in her face?
But then Georgia's words echoed in her mind: "If you want to fix things, you gotta own up to your mistakes."
Taking a deep breath, Ginny made her way to the front door and knocked. A moment later, Marcus's sister Maxine answered, her usual bright energy shining through.
"Ginny!" Max exclaimed, pulling her into a quick hug. "What's up? You here to see Marcus?"
Ginny nodded, trying to smile. "Yeah. Is he home?"
Max rolled her eyes dramatically. "He's always home. Probably brooding in his room or something. You know how he is."
Ginny laughed softly, grateful for Max's lightness. "Thanks, Max."
Max gave her a thumbs-up and disappeared back into the house. Ginny made her way up the familiar stairs to Marcus's room, her heart pounding in her chest. She stood outside his door for a moment, hesitating before finally knocking.
"Come in," Marcus's voice called from inside, sounding tired and distant.
Ginny pushed open the door and stepped inside. Marcus was sitting on his bed, his guitar resting beside him, but he looked up in surprise when he saw her.
"Ginny," he said, his voice neutral.
"Hey," Ginny replied, shifting awkwardly. "Can we talk?"
Marcus shrugged, but he didn't say no, so Ginny took that as a sign to continue. She closed the door behind her and sat down in the chair by his desk, trying to figure out how to start.
"I know I messed up," Ginny said finally, her voice quiet but steady. "I didn't tell you things I should've told you. I wasn't honest, and I hurt you, and... I'm sorry."
Marcus didn't say anything for a long moment, his eyes searching hers as if trying to figure out if she was really being sincere. Finally, he sighed and leaned back against the wall.
"I'm not mad because you weren't honest, Ginny," Marcus said, his voice softer than she expected. "I'm mad because... I thought we were closer than that. I thought you trusted me."
"I do trust you," Ginny said quickly, her heart aching at the vulnerability in his words. "I just... I don't know. I was scared. I didn't want to mess things up with you."
Marcus shook his head, running a hand through his hair. "We've already messed things up. And now, it just feels like we're not on the same page anymore."
Ginny swallowed, her throat tight. "I don't want us to be like this. I miss you."
Marcus looked at her, his expression softening just a little. "I miss you too. But we can't keep going like this, Ginny. We have to be honest with each other."
"I know," Ginny said, her voice breaking. "I'll do better. I promise."
They sat in silence for a long moment, the tension between them slowly easing. Marcus finally stood up and walked over to her, reaching out to take her hand.
"I don't want to lose you," he said quietly.
"You're not going to," Ginny replied, squeezing his hand. "I'm still here. I'm always going to be here."
Marcus smiled faintly, and for the first time in a long time, Ginny felt like they were on the same page again.
The next day, Ginny sat in the kitchen with Georgia, sipping on a cup of coffee while her mom cooked breakfast. The smell of bacon and eggs filled the air, and Ginny couldn't help but feel a sense of relief that things with Marcus were finally starting to feel normal again.
"So," Georgia said, raising an eyebrow as she flipped a pancake. "How did the big talk with Marcus go?"
Ginny smiled, setting down her mug. "It went... better than I expected. We're not totally back to normal, but we're getting there."
Georgia grinned. "See? I told you all you needed was a little honesty."
Ginny laughed, shaking her head. "You make it sound so easy."
"It is easy," Georgia said with a wink. "It's just us adults who complicate things. You and Marcus will be fine, as long as you remember to talk to each other."
Ginny watched her mom for a moment, wondering how Georgia always managed to keep everything together, even when her own life was a mess. But then again, that was Georgia—always one step ahead, always knowing exactly what to say.
"Thanks, Mom," Ginny said softly, her voice full of gratitude.
Georgia winked at her again, sliding a plate of pancakes in front of her. "Anytime, kiddo. Now eat up before I eat them all myself."
As Ginny dug into her breakfast, she realized that for the first time in a long time, things felt... okay. Maybe she didn't have everything figured out yet, and maybe her life was still complicated, but she was learning. She was growing. And with Marcus, her mom, and her friends by her side, she knew she could handle whatever came next.
The lyrics from "betty" played softly in her mind, a reminder that she was still young, still figuring things out. But for now, she was content.
And that was enough.
