"I don't even want to talk to you, Austin." tears were streaming down my face and I was breathing horribly.
"Baeley, just listen to me!" he grabbed my arm.
"Stop! I can't fucking believe you would even think about talking to her the way you were." I pulled my arm away and ran into the bathroom.
I tried to shut him out, but he was stronger than me and he pushed through. "Look, baby girl. You're taking this all the wrong way. Just shut up and listen to me. Alex gave me her number because yes, I asked for it. But I only wanted to see how she was doing. I promise you, that's the only reason I unblocked her number. Look at me. I love you. More than anything. I'd never talk to Hailey that way again. I have you. I've loved you since the first day I saw you, remember? That meet and greet? I haven't forgotten the coffee shop, or our first date. I fell in love with you. I love you. So much. Please just listen to me... I know what I said to her was wrong, but it won't happen again."
"Yeah, it won't happen again." I scoffed.
I was still crying, and he turned away and ran a hand through his hair. He looked up at me and I rolled my eyes.
"How could you do this to me?" I asked him quietly.
He came over, but I pushed him away. "No. Don't talk to me."
"Fine. I'll go. But you aren't allowed in here. So leave. You know why, too."
I shoved past him and sat on the bed. Tears were still pouring out of my eyes but I couldn't stop.
"You're not even going to talk to me?" he asked quietly, sitting on the bed.
"I don't want to. The messages say enough."
"Baby stop." his voice cracked as if he were about to cry.
I suddenly felt compassionate and had an urge to hug him. Then I remembered the text messages and the heart emojis and I let that thought slip away.
"I don't care if you're mad at me." he said before pulling me up off the bed and into his comforting arms.
I cried into his shoulder, and he held me tighter. I didn't realize he was crying too until he reached up and wiped his tears away before wiping mine. "Stop crying baby girl. You're too good for that baby."
I was still mad at him, but when he kissed me I kissed him back. "Give me your phone."
He handed it to me and I went to his messages. "I'm telling her to leave you alone and then you're re-blocking her number. Okay?"
"Yes babe. I'm sorry I even did it. I hate seeing you cry. You're too beautiful to be crying."
"Shut up. I'm still mad at you so stop trying to be cute."
Alex came in then, and looked at me. "Look, Baels, I'm really sorry that I gave him her number. I wasn't thinking that it was going to go the way it did. I'm sorry." he hugged me.
"It's okay, Alex. He knows better now. I just can't believe she'd do that, especially knowing that he and I are happy."
"I don't know. But he almost lost you and I think he knows not to fuck up again." Alex smiled, and he was so... Alex that I had to smile.
"I do, baby. I do realize that I almost lost you. I'm sorry, baby girl. I love you."
"I love you too, but I lost a lot of trust..."
The look in his eyes was pure torture. "I know, and it's okay."
"Maybe... maybe we should just..." I couldn't say it.
"Don't. Baby, please." he begged, and I started crying again.
"Austin... You know I love you, but this hurt like hell. I don't know what to do."
"I never did this when you talked to Jordan."
I almost threw something at him. "I wasn't telling him that I loved him and sending him heart emojis, was I?"
He didn't answer. I was getting angry now, and Alex hugged me again and left. "So where do we go from here?" he looked at me.
"I'm not going to sit around and try to be in a good mood when we both know that we're angry with each other."
He sat down in the chair and stared out the window. "Do we take a break?"
I looked at him. "Do we?"
He looked at me and nodded slightly. When he got up and walked out, I let tears fall silently.
"I didn't think it was going to be this hard..." I picked up Oreo and cried into her fur.
