The honesty in his voice steals my breath away and, for one devastating second, I almost cave completely.
Almost begged him anyway.
Because I want him too.
I want his mouth on mine. His hands on my body, and his heart beating against my chest like before.
I want my Hayden back.
But he isn’t mine anymore, and maybe I’m not his either.
That thought crushes me, so I take a step back, slowly wiping my tears with shaky hands.
“Firefly—” he says, his expression panicked.
“No,” I say, shaking my head. “I can’t do this.”
“Ophelia.”
“You being this close…” I press a hand against my chest. “It hurts too much,” I cry out, and his face softens and, somehow, that makes it worse.
Because now I know he feels it too.
The tragedy of us stands right here in the cold night air between unfinished kisses and unsaid truths.
I love him and he loves me but somehow we still keep destroying each other. “I hate that I still want you,” I whisper, and he takes a step closer.
“You think I don’t?”
Fresh tears slide down my face.
Then, before I lose all self control completely… I bend down, pick up Brayden’s ring, and I leave him standing outside the warehouse looking just as shattered as I feel, and the worst part?
Every step away from Hayden Marks feels exactly like losing him all over again.
Hayden
“Meant To Live-Switchfoot”
One month later…
Thirty fucking days since I last saw my Firefly standing outside that warehouse with tears in her eyes and my name breaking apart on her lips.
And I’m losing my goddamn mind.
I haven’t seen her since that night.
Not at the races.
Not at school.
Not anywhere.
It’s like she vanished into thin air.
I tried finding her.
Christ, I tried harder than I should’ve.
