Inferno Part 2

~26~ Did You Mean It?

Ellie's POV

The lock clicks and my heart thumps. I'm so nervous that I can literally hear my heart beating in my ears. This is Taylor. It's insane that I'm this nervous right now.

Before I lose my nerve, or he rushes over and blocks me from entering, I walk in. He's lying on the bed, glaring at me.

I shut the door and go over to the bed, grabbing the remote off of the bed and shutting the TV off.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He asks, on the verge of raising his voice.

"Are you calmer yet?" I ask, crossing my arms.

"Get out. I'm giving that kid hell for letting you weasel yourself into getting a key" he says, grabbing me by the arm and pushing me towards the door.

I do some footwork Jake taught me, and get out of his grasp.

He just glares at me. "Get out before I throw you out" he snaps.

"Try it" I say, giving him a taunting smile.

He narrows his eyes; I can see it. He's really trying to justify picking me up and throwing me out.

"I don't want you here" he says. I can hear his voice though. Just listening to his voice, I hear anger. But I know him better than I know myself. I hear devastation too.

"So you want me to leave?" I ask him.

He gives me an incredulous look. "What have I said that's been confusing for you?" He asks, raising his voice a little.

"So you're willing to throw this all away? Call lawyers tomorrow, divide up the house, divide up our lives?" I ask, keeping my face neutral.

He just looks at me hard. He's keeping his face angry. But I see his eyes. He's heartbroken. He didn't mean what he said earlier, but he's too hurt to take it back.

"Yes" he says finally. His voice cracks.

"Well that hurts, Taylor" I say, starting to lose my poker face. I turn around and look out the window for a second.

"I never thought you would threaten me with divorce" I say, still looking out the window.

He says nothing.

"You just got done lecturing me about crossing the line" I say, looking back at him. He's starting to crack. His facade is starting to crumble.

"So what's the plan?" I ask.

He just looks at me, confused.

"Are you expecting to divorce me, and then watch as I get with Lance? Are you wanting to give me a big-fat 'I told ya so'?"

He still says nothing.

"Where's the tough guy at? You're not going to say ANYTHING?"

"I've got nothing else to say" he says sadly.

I nod. "Well, I do. I love you, you stupid man. I find Lance attractive. I do. Probably in a different lifetime, he and I would have ended up together. But I'm living this life. This is the life I want. Even if you and I split up, I would never get with Lance. You're my soulmate. If you don't want me anymore, then I'll
have to figure out a way to live with that. But I would live with it alone."

His face is starting to soften. Reason is starting to come back to him.

"Remember that nightmare I had months ago?" He asks after a minute.

I just nod.

"I dreamt that you never got back with me. I was all
alone and my life was shit. You and Lance were getting married." He says, biting his lip to keep from crying.