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Chapter 15
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Hatred. That's the feeling that settled in when the morning came. I spent this entire vacation feeling awful like I was some sort of bad person for being engaged to Matt, when the man I'm suppose to be in love with is in the exact same boat that I'm in.

This is hatred on a new level.

I chew slowly on my piece of toast, not daring to make eye contact with anyone. Emma, is nervously bouncing her leg besides me as Logan, keeps flashing me sympathetic, concerned smile every once in a while.

At least my best friend found a good guy.

I truly was unsure with how Logan and Emma's relationship was gonna play out when they first started dating, he didn't really seem like her type but now I know that he's the most perfect person for her.

He understands her in ways that guys like her
ex-boyfriend's didn't, Gabriel who she met in high school was a complete jerk. He seemed so cocky and only in it for himself, cheating, drinking, pressuring her into becoming someone she wasn't.

Logan isn't like that and I'm glad we've become friends over these last few years because I use to judge him way to harshly back in school for hanging out with the wrong crowd.

"So, it's Diarrhea right?" Emma questions innocently, flashing her a bright smile as she casually offends the girl's pride that she clearly holds onto so dearly.

Especially since her face is plastered on every billboard in New York City.

Luke, bit back a laugh as his brother, Mason choked on his water. Heat floods to my cheeks as I realize this is my fault for running into the cabin with tears streaming down my face late last night.

Emma, is my best friend and will always be on my side, no matter the circumstance, and this is her way of showing that.

I bite the inside of my cheek hardly as I see Sierra, who happens to be sitting right across from me with a very annoyed expression. And I know the only reason she's sitting with us is because of Liam. He probably forced her to, not because that's what she truly wanted. She would probably much rather be at some exclusive restaurant on the ship.

She doesn't reply as her face is in a twisted expression.

Liam bumps his knee under the table with hers, warning her without any spoken words to not cross the line again like last night, making her jerk and answer right away.

"Sierra Summers, obviously."

"Right, diarrhea it is!" Emma chirps. "So, how exactly did you get here?" She questions curiously.

Sierra rolls her eyes at her comment but surprisingly chooses to ignore it. "My manager got me on board when the ship docked at the last port. I wanted to surprise, Liam."

"Sure as hell surprised me." Logan mutters underneath his breath.

I sigh lowly, my eyes very focused on the ground below me not wanting to see the two in front of me.

"I'm gonna go use the bathroom." I whisper to Emma and she looks up at me with a nod as she sees me stand up from my seat.

"Want me to come with you?" She asks.

Yes.

"No, no, don't worry about it." I wave off with a forced grin, not wanting to ruin her trip anymore than I've already have.

I know that she doesn't believe me but that doesn't stop me from running out of there.

As soon as my body meets the fresh air from outside I feel myself calm down almost instantly, inhaling the ocean air, and feeling the nausea settle down that was building in my throat.

"Why won't you look at me?" A voice behind me breaks.

Deep breaths, Giana, deep breaths.

Everything is going to be okay, don't let this affect you.

I turn on my heel and as soon as my eyes take in his face, all my anger fades and is replaced with emotions that I never wanted to experience ever again.

"No, you don't get to do that to me." My voice weak as if I'm about to burst into tears at any moment makes me want to slap myself at how I'm letting him get to me, again.

"Why are you acting like this?" His chocolate eyes so soft yet so confused is making me sick to my stomach.

He's engaged and is out here concerned about me? He sends more mixed signals than anyone I've ever met, but that's not me, and I'm not going to intervene in someone else's relationship. I know how it feels to be in the position and I'm not going to be that girl.

Even if that means respecting Sierra Summers. . . Because I would want someone to do the same for me.

"Why am I acting like this?" I blow out a hot, frustrated deep breath of air in disbelief. "Are you serious?" I point my finger harshly into his chest.

"I broke off my engagement because of you!" I yell, letting my anger and tears mix and become one. Finally admitting the truth to him about why I wasn't wearing my ring last night.

His face falls, clearly taken back from what I'm saying. "I'm sor-"

"No, you're not, Liam." I shake my head, not wanting to hear another word from him.

His eyes flash pain as he holds onto my hand that landed onto his chest when I pushed him, making my tears only stream harder down my face.

"I felt like shit about being with Matt because I was still in love with you—" I'm practically gasping for air at this point as I see his eyes burning with what seemed like tears underneath the sunlight. "And you made me think— you made me think there was something still there between us when in reality you were engaged yourself."

His brown hair falls messily into his face from running his hands through it, noticeably gulping hardly at the words I'm saying.

Liam's POV

"I didn't mean for this to happen, Giana." I swear and her face morphs into disgust as she pushes against my chest so I can get my hands off her, but I don't let go, scared that I'll loose her forever if I do.

"Not between us! I mean between Sierra and I." I corrected and she immediately glares up at me with those mesmerizing eyes, her cheeks red from anger and heat.

I hate seeing her cry, I hate it even more when I'm the reason for it.

I can't let this go on anymore, I need to tell her the truth, and I don't care who hears. "The engagement, the dating, none of its been real."

"Liar!" She cries, pushing her mid-length hair up into a high ponytail so she can get some air on herself.

Of course she doesn't believe me, why would she? All I've ever done is hurt her.

"W-Why would you fake a relationship for years? Get engaged? I don't believe you." She stutters out, her tears drying up as she continues to glare up at me.

Her pink, plump lips slouched into a frown as she sees me just staring at her.

"My coach owed her manager a favor, and I had nothing to loose at that point because I already lost you from my life." I admit, only for her frown to deepen.

"I tried to reach out to you for over a year, Giana. I wanted to fix my mistake and make things right between us, I called and texted you practically everyday, the last voicemail I sent you was on your birthday a year after we broke up— and when you never responded— It was clear that you didn't want anything to do with me." I choke out, feeling the pain resurface in my chest as memories from just staring down at my phone hopelessly for over a year flash through my brain.

I spent a year trying to fix things between us, I wanted her, I wanted to make things right with her, and when she cut things off between us I knew I should stop, I was only being annoying and I wasn't getting anywhere.

"I even came to your house before graduation and your parents—"

"You came to my house?" She whispers, her eyebrows furrowing together in shock and confusion.

"Yeah, your dad said he would tell you but thought it was best for me to go." I confess but by the looks she's giving me, its clear her dad never told her. Probably knowing I would only grow up to break her heart over and over again. I guess he was right, cause here we are agin.

"I came to talk to you, Giana, I never gave up on us."

She stares down at the ground, fiddling with something in the pocket of her white skirt. The white strands of blonde shining underneath the hundred degree hot sun. 

She questions. "What did you get out of it?"

My hands goes underneath her chin, tiling her face up so I can see her gorgeous feature, and surprisingly she lets me.

I scan her eyes that are now softer than before and cup her cheek, brushing away the leftover tears.

"Guaranteed scholarship, guaranteed spot on the team. It would get the fame and publicity, Sierra needed and the spot I needed." I explained and she nods lightly, trying to wrap her brain around this entire crazy situation that I created for myself.

"And once people noticed her movie, noticed her, our fake relationship was next, and the rates instantly skyrocketed for college football. She came to all my games and faked her support by being there." I vent, letting her in on my biggest burden.

Only Logan knows the truth and I'm assuming Emma does too by this point, but if I'm being honest, my parents don't even know about any of this. I don't think they would be proud of my decisions.

"I-I want to believe you. I really do." She croaks.

My heart is racing in fear as I realize my confession didn't help our situation whatsoever.

Her eyes dart everywhere but me as she nervously speaks up."Why would you fake your engagement? Are you actually going though with this?"

Truth is, I was.

I was going to go through with all of it, because if I wasn't going to be with Giana, I didn't care about love. I didn't care about relationships, I didn't care if I didn't get to love again because all I wanted is to give my love to her.

Because I'm unconditionally, crazy in love with her.

"Before this trip, before running into you back home, before all of this— I was." I concede. "But not anymore."

No game is worth more than her.

"I don't care about football, I don't care about that stupid scholarship, because none of it is worth it without you in my life."

Giana's POV

"What are you doing?" I caution hesitantly, seeing the serious look on his face as he pulls out his phone. He taps on a few apps before settling on a very important looking 'upload' button in red bold letters.

"What I should've done a really long time ago." He responds firmly, handing me the expensive phone, and almost making my eyes pop out of my head as I view the video playing in front of me.

(A/n- Chapter fifteen is officially out!

- What are your thoughts on this chapter?
- Did you like it?
- Can you believe Liam finally told Giana the truth?
- What do you think is going to happen next?

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