Reality

Chapter 26

Ethan's POV:

I light the candle on the table and back up, to admire my work.

I hung up lights in the trees nearby and set up the table in the middle.

When Catherine shows up, she's going to love this.

If Catherine shows up.

Damn it.

I check my watch and look at the time. I sent her a text telling her to meet me here at 3pm and it's already 2:55.

I groan.

It's going to be okay. She's going to show up, and I can play her a song on my guitar, and-

I run my hands through my hair. I need to stop overthinking this. It's either she shows up or she doesn't.

But it's so much more than that.

I sit down on one of the chairs I brought and wait.

It's 3pm.

I stand up and walk around, analyzing my surroundings.

It's 3:30pm.

Maybe there's traffic.

I sit back down and tap my fingers on the table.

By 4:30pm, I'm too hungry and I decide to eat some of the chicken I brought.

I check my phone to see if she called or texted and I somehow missed it, but I have no notifications.

By 6pm only one thing is clear: She's not showing up.

I kick a tree angrily, but it hurt me a lot more than it hurt the tree.

I begin to clean everything up carelessly, and carry them back to my car.

When I come back to get the rest of my things though, there is a figure standing in the middle.

My muscles tense. "Hello?" I ask.

No answer.

I walk closer and begin to recognize the figure standing in front of me in the light of the sunset.

"Cath," I whisper, not sure if it was in amazement that she did show up.

She looks so beautiful, without even trying. Her green eyes full of hurt and longing, but none the less gorgeous. Her pink lips are a weak frown on her face, and her hair loose down her shoulders.

"I thought you weren't coming," I say. "I was just about to leave."

"I wasn't going to come," Cath replies, a serious tone in her voice. "Will convinced me."

Her gaurd's up.

My jaw hardens. I can feel anger, no, pain, flash through my face.

"Oh," is all I can say. She didn't come her because she wanted to.

"Yeah. Only now that I'm here, I realize there's nothing for me to do, Ethan."

I look down at the grass.

"You can forgive me," I suggest, shrugging.

Cath rolls her eyes and shakes her head.

"If I came," she begins. "Is to tell you that you can move on. You're not getting anything from me anymore. I don't want you to use me."

"I'm not using you," I argue

"Really?"

I shake my head. "You don't understand. In the beginning it was a dare, I admit that, but the inviting you to starbucks that first day I met you? That was me. Me telling you about my mom? Nobody else knows about that. Taking you out to dinner at that steakhouse? It was ME Catherine. ME! I don't understand how you can think that was all a lie."

"You don't understand either!" she shouts. "You want me to trust you? After I got all excited because I thought I found someone who actually cared about me but in the end I find out it was all part a dare? If you actually cared about me since the beginning, why didn't you tell me then, huh? Why didn't you warn me before my feelings for you grew?!"

I stare at her. She's right. She's always right.

I don't have an argument. I clench my fists and run my hands down my face.

"What if we forget the past," I say, more to myself than to Cath.

She shakes her head. "I don't want to forget. I shouldn't have come. It's the same thing everytime we see each other, Ethan. Just arguing and blaming and it's not fixing anything."

She begins to walk away, and without turning around, she peaks again. "And leave me alone. You promised."

I stare at her in disbelief, and as soon as I reply, she stands still. "No. The deal was that I would leave you alone if you didn't show up. You're here. Sorry."

I see her body tense as she begins to walk away again. I can't let her walk away. I look around, and my eyes set on my guitar.

When I look into your eyes, I begin to play and sing.

Catherine stops walking.

I've always loved the strumming of this song.

It's like watching the night sky
Or a beautiful sunrise
Well, there's so much they hold
And just like them old stars
I see that you've come so far
To be right where you are
How old is your soul?

Well, I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up

And when you're needing your space
To do some navigating
I'll be here patiently waiting
To see what you find

'Cause even the stars they burn
Some even fall to the earth
We've got a lot to learn
God knows we're worth it
No, I won't give up

I look up from my guitar and realize Catherine is in front of me, her cheeks streaked with tears and her eyes full of excitement, yet still unforgiving.

That wasn't the song I was planning to play for her, but it really fit in with the moment.

I took Catherine's hands between mine and placed them on my heart. "As long as this is beating," I say softly, "My love for you is still burning."

She lets her hands fall to her sides. "I just... I need time. Give me time to put myself back together."

I nod.

She wipes her eyes and walks away, leaving me alone, in the darkness, confused about whether this was successful.
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Hey guys, sorry it's been a while since I've updated, but homework is taking up most of time. Anyways, here it is :)

I'll try to make up a schedule for myself, so like I did in my early chapters, I will give you guys a date for when I post my next chapter, and it is Monday
-Isabel