were the only guy who could show any interest in me, Hunter."
"Don't be a bitch, Paisley. Not right now. Don't do that to me. I do not deserve this. Just like I didn't deserve what you did to me four years ago. I loved you. God help me," he said, smiling sadly, roughly wiping away his tears again, "I still fucking love you."
I went to speak. "I'm not done yet," he said, holding up a hand. "Unlike you, Pay, I wasn't able to get over us the second we ended. I had to actually leave so I could get some sort of existence back. Any girl that I saw just reminded me that I didn't have you. I thought that you were doing the same thing. Wishing that I would call you up. Barely existing, just trying to get through each day. But then, I find out you've been with some guy named Braden for three fucking years. How could you do this to me, Pay?"
I was speechless. How was I supposed to respond to something like that? I decided there was nothing I could say. I looked around and remembered that the park was about a block away from the house.
I started walking. "Paisley, where the hell are you going?" Hunter's voice boomed behind me.
I sped up. My heart ached. My vision was starting to blur from my tears. I was so upset on top of being pissed at myself for being upset about Hunter. I had told myself that I would never let him make me cry again. And here I was, engaged to someone else, crying over Hunter.
"Pay, stop!" He said. Like hell, I thought.
I started jogging, but right when I did, I felt a hand grab mine and spin me around.
"STOP!" I yelled, breaking down. "Don't you think I felt like dying when we broke up?" I looked at him, just letting the tears fall. I continued yelling. "You were my FOREVER, Hunter. And then, you just…weren't." He went to talk.
"You got your chance," I said, really crying now, "Let me speak."
He nodded and folded his arms in front of him.
"Every time my phone rang, I wished it was you. It never was. I didn't talk to anyone freshman year. I didn't want to let anyone in again. Hell, when Braden and I met, I didn't even let him in. Not at first. All I wanted was you. But you weren't there, Hunter. You had left. You walked out of my room when I told you that I wasn't giving you another chance. Hell," I said, finding it hard to breathe and it was probably hard to understand me, "you walked out of my life when I told you that I was done.
And I hate myself for feeling the way I do. I LOVE YOU, Hunter. I always have. But," I said, willing the tears to stop, "I'm getting married to Braden. He was there when you weren't. He loves me. He makes me feel whole."
"Do you love him?" He asked.
I went to yell again. But he stopped me. "Or do you just love the way he makes you feel?"
"I," I started, and then thought about it, "love him?"
"Was that a statement or a question?" He asked, not in a mean way, but in a curious way.
I went to walk away. I turned my head for a second so I could answer him.
I cleared my throat and literally put my foot down. "I. love. him. Statement."
CHAPTER 12:
ALL FOR YOU
"Paisley? Paiiiisseeee? Goooood morrrrrning, sweeeeethearttt."
I felt someone kissing my cheek. I had finally gotten to sleep what felt like five minutes ago. I tried to open my eyes, but couldn't. I settled with squinting again. "Good morning?" I asked, not fully comprehending what was going on.
In my squint-induced blurred vision, I could make out a face very close to mine. I think there was some blonde hair.
Blonde.
Braden.
"Hey, sleepyhead," he was saying, rubbing my back. He was lying down next to me. I sat up quickly.
"Braden!" I'm sure I had severe bed head, but I just didn't care. My Braden was here.
I was hugging him when I realized that he was here early. Like a whole day early.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, squeezing him. "Not that I'm complaining," I added, kissing him on the
Thomas F. Monteleone, David Bischoff