Isabelle P.O.V

What the hell am I doing? It's clear that he still loved her, the sparks that were flying between them could have lit an entire city. But I want him, I want him for myself. Am I being selfish? Should I let them be together? After all they do have a child together, but for some reason I don't want to give him up. He is the perfect guy, and I loved him. I know I'm being selfish but I want him to be with me, to love me, to choose me. Is that so bad, to want to be love by this perfect guy? I'm not giving him up without a fight, he's mine now.

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"Surely you're not going to like, continue seeing him? Not after what we saw in the club?"

Hillary was standing over me, blocking my morning sun. I might not have time to go to the beach to work on my tan, but the sun streamed right into my bedroom window so I kinda made it my thing to lie in it for a while.

I removed my sleeping mask from over my face and squinted up at my best friend, it was barely six in the morning and her make-up was flawless. I must say that ever since she started college mornings has become her thing.

"Hill, you're kinda blocking my sun, and I'm kinda trying to work on my tan."

I deliberately ignored her questions. I did not feel like talking about my boyfriend and his ex. I pulled the mask back over my face and waited for her to move. After a while I felt the heat of the sun and I sighed, but my relief was short lived. Hillary plopped herself down on the bed beside me and I groaned. I should have known that she was never going to let it go.

"Izzy, I know you saw the way he was holding her, and heard the things he said to her."

She was right, I did see and it broke my heart, but he hadn't seen her in a year and he was just trying to protect her from Jaxson.

"Hill," I said, sitting up, "What do you want me to do, I love him? I can't just give him up, he's my perfect guy."

Her face soften, and she put her arms around me, drawing me into a hug, which I returned. I'm always the one who comforts her when she's having boyfriend problems, but now it looked like the roles are reversed. As if reading my thoughts, Hillary said.

"I never thought I'd see the day when I'd be the one giving you advice on your love life."

We both chuckled, but then mine turned into sobs.

"I should let him go, I know I should but I can't. I don't want to, Hill...does that make me a bad person?"

"No it doesn't honey, but you're going to be the one with a broken heart if you don't let him go now. Don't invest any more into this relationship, when you clearly know that it isn't going to go anywhere. He might by a perfect guy, but he's not your perfect guy...he hers."

God, I hate her for being right, but I still couldn't find it in me to just walk away from him. I pulled away from her and jump from the bed. I heard her sighed behind me but I didn't turn to look. Walking over to my wardrobe I grabbed a blue skinny jeans and a red tank top and walked into the bathroom to get change.

When I emerged sometime late Hillary was still sitting on my bed. I avoided looking at her and grab my back pack with my books and headed for the door.

"I've got a paper due soon, I'm going to go down to the library and do some research."

I turned the knob and was about to walk out, but Hillary called my name. I stopped but I didn't turn around.

"I just don't want you to get your heart broken, you're my best friend and I love you, if you hurt I hurt."

"I know." I said then I walked out. I felt the sting of tears pricking at my eyes and I tried my best to push them away, but it was hopeless. I made my way to the library with blurred vision and a heavy heart.

+++++++++++++++++

"I'm really looking forward to relaxing and doing nothing."

Oswaldo threw his hand around my shoulders as we exited his car and walked the short distance to his front door. I smiled leaning into him.

"We're not here to relax, mister, we're here to study."

He groaned and I chuckled. It's been two week since Hillary and I had our little talk and things have been great between Oswaldo and I. He's been spending a lot more time with me and taking me out quite a bit.

Although I do see Melody more than I'd like to, she never stays around when we're together. She would leave and give us privacy.

Oswaldo put the keys in the door and unlock it, we were just about to walk in when the sound of a car engine being shut off made us turn. I felt Oswaldo tensed up as a very good looking guy exited the car, the same guy he was talking to in the hospital that day that he caught me hiding in the corner. He paused and looked at us for a while, his eyes going to where Oswaldo had his hand around my shoulders. I could see the shock that was registered on his face.

"Max, what are you doing here?"

Max snapped out of his confusion and was about to answer, but then a bright smile lit up his face as Melody came rushing out of the house.

"Max!"

She squealed, running and jumping into his arms. He caught her, laughing he span her around.

"Nice to see you too, lil mama."

He set her back on her feet, smiling down at her. I smiled, because I could clearly see in his eyes that he loved her and that she felt something for her. I was starting to do a little happy dance inside, but it came to an abrupt end when he asked her a question.

"So," he said, looking pass her to Oswaldo and I, "Does this mean you're a free agent?"

I held my breath waiting for her to answer. I felt Oswaldo tensed up even more as he too waited for her to answer. She slowly turned to face us, her eyes went to me then stayed locked with Oswaldo's. This pissed me off.

Without looking away from him, she said, "Freedom ain't for me, I'll always be taken." Then she turned back to Max who had a confused look on his face and smiled at him.

"Besides, I've got a child who takes up a lot of my time, do you wanna see her?"

Max nodded and she grabbed his hand, half dragging him into the house. We waited for them to pass then followed them in.

When we entered the house, Megan was sitting on the rug with lots of toys around her, playing happily. Melody stooped and scooped her up in her arms, the resemblance between the two was remarkable. When I first met Melody I knew that there was something familiar about her, but I never would have guessed that she was Megan's mother.

She turned the happy little girl to face Max. "Meg, this is your Uncle Max, say hello Uncle Max."

Max chuckled and Oswaldo snorted. I didn't understand why he was acting so weird, but then I remember the conversation they had in the hospital room that day. I remembered Oswaldo saying that Max had tried to steal Melody away from him. Was it evil of me to hope that he was there to sweep her off of her feet?

"Hey there, beautiful girl, you're just as gorgeous as your mommy."

Melody rolled her eyes but giggled anyway.

"What are you doing here, Max?"

Oswaldo asked his earlier question. Both Max and Melody turned to look at him. Max looked amused but Melody looked pissed off. She was staring daggers into Oswaldo, but he ignored her. His eyes solely on Max, waiting for him to answer.

"Connor called, he told me what happened and thought that Melody might need a friend. Harmony gave me the address, said I should drop by and surprise her."

I could tell that there was more to it by the way Max and Oswaldo was facing off each other, I really wanted to know what the hell happened between them. To break the tension in the room, I stepped forward and introduce myself, since it looked like no one was going to do it.

"Hi, I'm Isabelle, Oswaldo's girlfriend."

Max brow shot up but he smiled and shook my hand.

"I'm Max, Oswaldo's ex best friend and Mel's best friend."

I saw Melody smile, but when I look at Oswaldo he was frowning. I couldn't believe that they stopped being friends because of her, I was started to realise that those two had more history than I first thought.

Jessa came into the room, she smiled at everyone then took Megan to have a bath. I don't know if she felt the tension in the room and thought that it would be better if Megan wasn't a part of it. Max grabbed Melody's hand, lacing their fingers together, when Jessa walked off with Megan.

"You made a promised to me back in that hospital room, Max."

Both Melody and I had confused looks on our faces. What the hell was he talking about, what did Max promise him? I couldn't really remember much of what was said back in the hospital nursery. Now I wished I'd pay more attention.

"Yeah well, that was before your circumstance changed."

Melody pulled her hand away from Max, understanding donning in her eyes. She looked from Oswaldo to Max then to Oswaldo again, tears clouding her eyes.

"You two were making decisions for me when I was in a coma? Will this shit between y'all ever end? Just like before I ain't want no part of it!"

She stormed off running out of the house. Oswaldo cursed under his breath and Max made to follow her, but Oswaldo stopped him.

"Leave her, I'll go talk to her."

He walked off then turned back and said, "You might think you're good for her, Max, but you're not. We both know that she'll never be happy with you."

With that he ran out of the house after her. I stood there confused and heartbroken. I tried my best to hold back my tears but it was very hard.

"Look, you seems like a very nice girl, but if I were you I'd get the hell away from those two. You're only going to end up getting hurt when the earthquake is over and the earth decide to kiss again."

I turned to face him, I felt this urge to defend my relationship.

"You don't know anything about our relationship, so I'd kindly like it if you stay the hell out."

He chuckled and looked at me with pride and what looked like pity. Without saying anything, he grabbed my hand and pulled me in the direction of Oswaldo and Melody. I was so shock I just let him, but as we were nearing the door I came to my senses and snatched my hand away from him.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Showing you what you're getting in between and trust me, you're not gonna like what you see."

Before I could protest he grabbed my hand and pulled me the rest of the way. I stood by the door watching Melody and Oswaldo argue with each other, they were so loud some of the neighbours' were peeking through their windows.

"You had no right, I ain't yours anymore. Stop trying to control everything I do."

"Well if you stop running every time things get a little too complicated, I wouldn't have to try and control everything you do. And you and I both know that Max is not who you want."

She narrowed her eyes at him, and moved in a little closer.

"Yeah well, maybe I change my mind. You done moved on, so why the hell shouldn't I?"

Both of them were breathing hard. He narrowed his eyes right back at her.

"Don't test me Mel, I'm not in the mood for any of your bullshit today."

It was said so low and steady, but the warning in his voice could clearly be heard. This was a new side of him that I've never seen before.

All the fight left Melody and she cast her eyes to the ground. Closing her eyes, her voice shook when she spoke.

"You said you don't hate me, but sometimes I feel like you do...like you're just punishing me for what I did. Please...please can you...can you just stop hating me."

Oswaldo stepped even closer to her, he used his hand to tilt her chin up then he ran the back of his hand down her face, caressing it.

"Hey, look at me."

When she didn't respond, he spoke softer. "Please."

My heart broke at the tenderness in his voice. She slowly opened her eyes and looked at him.

"I don't hate you, Mel, I could never hate you."

Her eyes widen, "Really?"

He smiled, "Really, it physically impossible for me to hate you, you're too god damn perfect."

Her breath hitched and she pushed herself into his arms, burying her face into his shirt. Her hands were wrapped tight around his waist and he engulfed her in a hug of his own. Rubbing her hair with one of his hand, he leaned down and kissed her head tenderly.

He then whispered something to her. I'm not sure what I heard, but it sounded dangerously close to, I love you.

I sucked in a breath, feeling like I've been hit with a ton of rocks. I felt Max standing behind me, holding me from falling.

"Take my advice and get the hell out while your heart is still intact, those two will never be over. If you knew the history those two have, you'll understand better."

I didn't say anything, I just stood here feeling like I couldn't breathe and like my world was falling apart.