As the two of you stare at the distance, a somber silence envelops the room. You can feel the weight of unspoken emotions pressing down on your shoulders. But then, the dam bursts—

"I'm sorry—I'm so sorry to hear that Evie—" your voice cracks as you reach out and pull her into a tight embrace, seeking solace in each other's arms.

"I just—" Eve's gaze drifts upwards, her eyes wanders through the skies as she lets out a frustrated sigh. "Why..?" her voice trails off, choking with emotion as a tear trickled down her cheek—seemingly unable to cry any further, as if she had already emptied all her tears.

Gently, you begin to pat her back, offering any little comfort you can give. "The fact that I thought my life's burden were—I didn't know.. I'm sorry—"

"I'm sorry too, Emily.." Eve's voice wavers as she sniffles, her own tears mingling with yours.

A smile suddenly breaks off on your face while you praise, "You know—the poem was so—good though. I never—knew nerdy Evie could make something—quite touching like that—"

Letting out a light chuckle, Reed boasts, "I guess grief has its perks, huh?"

You both exchange a half-hearted laugh. As you rest your head on her shoulders, your expression hardens, whimpering softly, "But no Eve—I already knew anyway."

"What.." Eve's expression shifts to one of surprise as she turns to look at you, "you finally—"

"He chose someone else," you declare, voice barely above a whisper, "again. And it's ok, I'm used to it anyway. And—when I think about it—it's for the best. We shouldn't say it out loud. Our rules are—there for a reason, anyway. He really is clever that one."

There's a bitter edge to your words, a hint of resignation in the face of repeated disappointment. Eve rolls her head away in disbelief, releasing a sharp sigh. However, a look of curiosity crosses Reed's face as she asks,

"Wait, but what about—"

"Hunt! Come here!"

The coach's voice booms across the baseball field. Dominic was called from the field after his stellar play. Under these blue skies, you and Tara are sitting side by side on the upper section, watching the game intently as cheers and shouts of the crowd fill the air. As the game progresses, Tara suddenly nudges you, her eyes widening with excitement.

"Your bestie's time~"

You follow her gaze to notice Tyler being called out to the field. As he goes, his teammates shout, 'Hit some logs, bro!' as he smirks and jogs onto the field with a confident stride, athleticism evident in every step. However, what you also notice.. is the way his stride falters ever so slightly..

When Dominic's glare pierces through him as they pass each other.

Time seems to slow down as their eyes lock. For a moment, it feels like the entire stadium holds its breath.. but not as tense as you, gripping the edges of your seat. Dominic's glare pierces through him—and for a heartbeat, it feels like the tension could snap at any moment.

Just as suddenly as it began, they awkwardly looked away from each other, leaving one with an uncomfortable gesture.. and one.. with a protruded tongue on his cheek. As they continue on their separate paths, you can't shake off the feeling of guilt choking you.

Completely clueless, Tara leans over and comments, "I still can't understand how people can be so into someone that bad—look. Look at them," she points to the girls jumping up and down near the field, each clutching pamphlets with their favorite players decorated on them—ignoring whatever drama she just missed.

However, you understand what she means as you notice Tyler's name almost occupying every single one of them. "But Tyler's fans—man. He has lots of them. He's The King for a reason, though," she shrugs. Then, glancing back at you, she leans in to whisper, "Well, let's be honest," as you reluctantly turn to her.. to slowly lean in.. only for her to say—

"He is so hot! Especially with that baseball cap—damn!" Tara fangirls, before nudging you playfully, saying, "You're such a lucky bestie~"

You glance at Tara with an awkward, disgusted expression—silently questioning her taste in men—before finally turning your gaze back to the field forcefully. However.. observing him from afar as he prepares on the base.. you find yourself unable to tear your eyes away from the gorgeous boy.

His hands weigh the baseball bat skillfully, throwing it up and down with practiced ease—it's a motion you've seen countless times before, ever since you were kids. The way he handles the bat.. shows how he loves the way it fits him like a glove. So—despite your judgmental mentality.. you can't help but be fair.

Well.. can't disagree though. Yes, him with his baseball cap.. the way he holds his maple wood bat.. his sculpted face.. and once he swings..

I could watch him swing that bat for hours and never get bored.

He could hit me 500 feet and the only regret that I have is the moonshot's distance between us as I flew into the Sierra Mountains.

Yeah, fuck my taste in men—

"Lucky bestie indeed," you reply bitterly—not moving your eyes from your gorgeous bestfriend as he hits the ball in a beautiful straight line.

"Did you say something?"

However, it seems like the crowd thankfully drowned your petty comment—because in beaming confusion, Tara turns to you, asking you to repeat them one more time. Quickly plastering a smile on your face, you shake your head. "Nothing," you lie, finally tearing your gaze away from Tyler, back to Tara.

Yeah, it's been a while. Months passing.. seasons change. Feelings change.. but I don't know about mine, though. Anyway, falling in love is like.. giving someone a loaded gun pointed at your heart and trusting them not to pull the trigger, right? And someone definitely pulled the trigger alright.

Wait—love? Like hell I'd be falling in love with—put your mind in place, Emilia Winters.

Oh, and you're asking about Dom? Yeah, well. He seems to be holding well. He's going to Stanford too! I guess the three musketeers would be together in college again. Oh, and his fanclub grew wider too—

"Wait—is that.. Dom.. flirting with some low life over there?!"

Tara exclaims, her eyes glued to the zoomed-in camera on her phone, asking you to join in. Down on the field, near the net, Dom leans over the railing with his killer grin, while a girl stands beside him, seemingly asking for his autograph—

On her waist.

Hesitatingly, he tilts his head—but shrugs and grabs the pen from the girl. As he signs upon her smooth waist bone, she giggles like a maniac—eliciting a disgusted curl on your lips. However, your attention is drawn to another scene not far from them.

Lucy Burns. Standing eagerly behind the net, waving her pamphlet that has a giant 'Tyler Cavill' decorated on them.

Pursing your lips at the scene, you helplessly mutters, "It's okay.. let him be—it's his fans anyway—"

"Sorry I'm late! Mr. Hall was so annoying—wait. What did I miss?"

Eve arrives with popcorn, fulfilling her duty as always. Noticing the somber look on your faces puts her cheerful demeanor into a halt as she slowly.. sits beside Tara.

"There! See how Dom is acting?!" Tara points, intending to give Eve the fresh juice of gossip.

However, Eve just slowly darts her glare to you.. and as she finds the sorry look on your face, she tilts her head in acknowledgment.

"Why the hell is he being—" but then with a resolute expression, Tara cuts herself off. Instead, she folds her arms in front of her, blurting out quote of the day,

"Then again, boys are little assholes. We're having our expectations too high."

Eyes bulging out of the sockets, you and Reed find your jaws drop to the floor—before bursting into a fit of laughter, "Oh My God! How could you say that so casually?!"

Nonchalantly, Tara shrugs and adds, "You know, Brad cheated on me."

"WHAT?! And how the hell could you say that so casually?!" both you and Eve shouted in a loud scream, causing nearby spectators to glance in your direction.

Sensing the attention, you quickly leaned away from Tara, trying to maintain some semblance of normalcy in the midst of the chaos. "Then how are you still watching him play?!" you blurt out, unable to contain your astonishment.

"Because I'm still his girlfriend." Tara responds nonchalantly, as if it's the most logical thing in the world.

"What—"

"Let me get this straight."

You begin to protest, but Eve jumps in with a certain firmness in her voice before you can finish. She gestures her palms in front of Tara, trying to comprehend while sitting on the tip of her seat. "He cheated on you. And you're still his girlfriend." shaking her head in disbelief, she pesters, "How does that make sense again?!"

"Listen, with graduation around the corner, we'll soon be having our 'long distance relationship', right? And by the time I go into college,"

Tara pauses, building anticipation as you and Eve lean in eagerly, gripping the edges of your seat, eager for hearing the 'acceptable answer.'

"I'll have myself some hot college guys that's so much better than him, then I'll dump his sorry ass!"

In an instant, both Eve's and your eyes sparkle as you exchange an approving look.. before shooting her a proud nod. "You go girl—!"

However, your shout echoes along with the stadium's winning cheers as Tyler hits a home run, securing the win for the team. Everyone jumps to their feet, waving banners and shouting at the top of their lungs. Tara, Eve, and you join in the celebration—cheering and clapping with the rest of the crowd.

As Tyler rounds the bases, you catch his eye from the stands, and he flashes you that charming grin of his and winks before returning his focus to his team's cheers. Lowering your gaze, you can feel a lopsided smile form on your lips, can't help feeling giddy.

After the game, the three of you descend to the ground level.. to find the team already gathered in the dugout, exchanging high-fives and congratulating each other on their victory. You notice Eve.. who catches sight of Wyatt. Awkwardness lingering between them before eventually, they stride to meet. Meanwhile, you notice Tara switching on her acting debut as she makes a beeline for Brad.. and plants a kiss on him. Despite the knowledge from the earlier exchange, you can't help but chuckle inwardly at the scene.

Eventually.. your attention shifts to Lucy Burns.. who's standing next to Tyler. He looks radiant as he accepts praise from his teammates, and you can't help but feel a swell of pride. As if your gaze slices through, Cavill finally notices you looking.

His demeanor shifts, and in an instant, you find him smiling warmly towards you—causing the girl to glance in your direction as her expression immediately turns somber. From your stand, you offer a brief 'Congratulations' from afar, to which Tyler simply nods. However.. just as you're about to turn your gaze forward..

You spot Dominic standing in front of you—and you freeze.

You approach him—tension between you slowly rising. Wanting to cut off the tension with a knife, you immediately extend the pink roses you've brought in front of you.. and offer your congratulations.

"Congratulations, baby~" you say softly, meeting his dark gaze. His blue eyes hold the shadow of the waves, his expression unreadable. Perhaps.. only God knows what he's thinking right now. However, eventually.. he takes the flowers, scoops you up by the waist—and kisses you!

From behind you, you can see Tyler's piercing gaze. Helplessly.. your eyes grow hazy, and you close them, kissing him back. Once he notices your surrender, his kiss grows fierce! His other hand moves to support the back of your head, pulling you closer as yours grip on his waist and arm. You feel adrenaline coursing through your veins as you cup his cheeks. His lips soft yet demanding against yours, igniting fire that burns hotter with each passing second. The kiss feels endless. A sweet sweet torment heaven sent specially for you.

He kisses you.

and kisses you.

and kisses you—

You hear the sound of applause from everyone around you, and following his lead, you pull away. But as his face nears your ear, he stops. Your heart pounds, and for a moment, the pause feels like an eternity. Until with a low bated breath.. he whispers,

"Good act, huh?"

The cafe was bathed in warm.. golden light. Soft pop music floated through the air, mingling with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods. You and Dom found yourselves seated across from each other in a very secluded corner.

A reversal image of the cafe's environment, the two of you drowned in silence, unspoken tension hung thick in the air. Dominic's gaze shifted uncomfortably, avoiding any direct eye contact. He fidgeted with the spoon in his coffee cup, spinning it absentmindedly.

"Dom, there's something I need to say—"

"I know,"

Dom cut in softly. His dark blue eyes bore into yours, drowning in the seas of disappointment—his fingers no longer twirling the spoon in his coffee cup. "He told me. I wished you told me first, though," he added, words carrying a finality that left a bitter taste in your mouth. Even saying his bestfriend's name seemed like a distant memory now.

"I—I know.. I'm so sorry, DomDom.. I never wanted the two of you to fight either—I never knew this would happen—" you bury your head in your hands, feeling guilt punching your conscience over, and over again. With a heavy sigh, you struggled to find the right thing to say—until you lowered your hands and remarked, "I'm not asking for your forgiveness.. but I'm so sorry, Dom.. there really isn't any excuse for what I did."

"What? You have nothing to say except sorry?"

The hurt seemed like it tripled as Dom's sharp glare cut you to the core. You fell silent, still unable to find any words to ease his pain.

"You know, at least—maybe it'll be much better if you beg for my forgiveness—to have me back—anything—" he ranted, his voice cracking, "then why? Why did you ask to meet?"

However, you remained silent. Your eyebrows knitted, a look of anguish painted your face.

A surge of unease washed over him as he observed you. His brows furrowed with concern, eyes searched for any hint of what was going through your mind. He couldn't shake the feeling of impending dread as he waited.. and waited.. and with each passing moment of silence, it felt as if he was standing on the edge of a precipice. Suddenly he paused, weighing on his own mind. Not wanting to believe his rough prediction, his body goes rigid.

"No. Anything but that, Em—"

"You think we can continue after all of this—?"

"I'm forgiving you, Em!"

His words came out in a rush—desperately trying to convince himself as much as you. Your heart ached, but you just couldn't. bring yourself to.. grace yourself with his forgiveness. "I'm not here to force you to forgive me, Dom—I knew what I did was irreversible—"

"Yes but I forgive you!" Dom insisted. "That—that was just something I knew could happen—that was just a delay—I could shrug it off—"

"Dommy.. Please don't do this—I care about you—"

"I love you!"

Dom's declaration hung heavy in the air, leaving you stunned. You covered your mouth with your hand, shutting your eyes tightly. However, he waited.

After all that has happened, he still waited.

The moments have passed.. but the words he expected won't seem to come. In disappointment.. Dominic looked away from you before he whispered, "You can't even say it now, do you?" turning back to you, his gaze meeting yours as a tear ran down his face.

"Now.. you can't even lie to me."

Looking down, you held back your tears as your hands trembled, attempting to hide your whimpers. Hunt buried his face behind his hands as he whispered, "We haven't even started, have we?" Then, as if a steely resolve took over him, he corrected himself as he wiped away his tears. "Right, you haven't even started with me. I've always been the one liking you since—"

"That's not true. We were like fireworks, weren't we?"

That day.. the pool looked so clear under the moonlight. The timing. The petals. His eyes that sparkled like the seas.. everything. Everything was just. perfect. Like destiny. Like the universe actually conspired us to be together that way.

Oh how we got burned. And it's all because of me.

"I just.. I think.. it's always been him—"

"So you're choosing him over me?" Dom's voice cracked, his eyes avoiding yours. Shaking his head, he struggled to hold back his tears, refusing to show any sign of weakness in front of you.

"No I'm not, Dom. I chose you—"

Sorry Mom, but I might have to disagree with you, again.

"but we don't choose who we love, do we?"

Dom immediately snapped his head back to you, eyes filled with fury. "For fuck's sake, Em—we're still in highschool! You're stupid if you think you'll always love him!"

"Dom—this isn't about so I could be with him. It's not about that. It's about me." you explained, heart pounding in your chest. "I need to sort out my feelings first—or at least—even if I already know—" trying to find the right explanation, you answered with determination, "I have to make it disappear."

"I still don't understand why I couldn't be with you while you do that."

His eyes searching yours for more answers that even you couldn't fully comprehend either. With a deep breath, you tried gathering your thoughts—when you got reminded of something—something really important.

"I know it's so shameless of me to ask for this but—can I.. can I ask you a favor?" you pleaded, voice faltering with desperation. "Please Dom, about us—can you please not tell anyone—especially Tyler?"

Confusion washed over Dom's features as he retracted his head. "What—why?"

"Cos it will bother him. And for the time being.. at least until highschool ends, I want him to just.. live—and not worry about us." you replied reluctantly, feeling like you were shattering your own heart into a million pieces with every word.

"This—what—I really don't understand—why?!" Dom's squinted eyes were filled with frustration as he asked, "Why—then why are we breaking up?!"

Looking down, you think of your last reason.

A reason.. you knew deep down should be the one you hold onto from the start.

A reason.. to prevent you from ruining everything.

"Because it won't be fair to you."

You answered weakly, your heart breaking as you saw the helplessness in his eyes. He could only watch in defeat as you turned your head and looked away.. when a thought swirls in his mind..

And because you just love him that much, huh?

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Cecylia Costania @rcpcswrites

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The song that matches this Chapter's vibe:

https://youtu.be/Cslqqo5OSQ0