Stay With Me

2. Bittersweet Reunion

Memories of the two of them flood back to her the moment her eyes meet his. The brightest blue she's ever seen, with speck of green around the iris. She used to love his eyes, now she feels nauseous.

Juliette suddenly feels everything at once, emotions she's forced herself to no longer feel. Anger, sadness, heartache, betrayal, joy, and unconditional love. So much damn love, she hates him for it. Hates him for making her love him so much. Tears burn in her eyes as she chokes on the lump forming in her throat, stopping the words from coming out.

Steve's hands move to cradle her face, his thumbs caressing her cheekbones. The corner of his lips pull into a small smile, but he looks down at her with so much sadness and sorrow. His eyes drop to her mouth.

He wants to kiss to her and hold her, he wants to take her bed and rediscover her — show her that he never stopped loving her.

Juliette watches his eyes fall, she's seen that look on his face so many times. He's about to kiss her. As if he has the right to do that. He shouldn't be here, touching her so intimately. He left, he disappeared, he doesn't get to come back and act like he wants her. That everything is alright.

She pushes away from him, brushing his hands off her face and stepping back. Hurt flashes across his face as he drops his hands. He knew this wasn't going to be easy. But didn't think she would push him away.

Juliette shakes her head and takes another step back.

"Jules. I'm sorry. I'm —"

She lifts a trembling hand, stopping him from continuing. "No."

Steve steps closer to her, holding his arms out. Desperate for her to come back into his embrace. "Please, let me explain."

A tear falls from her eye, falling down her cheek. "I... I can't." She chokes back the sob threatening to burst through her. She doesn't want him see her break.

"Jules, please ... just listen." He begs.

The way he says the nickname he gave her breaks her heart almost as much as standing in front of him and not having him. She loved him so much. "No. I was fine without you." Lie. "I moved on, figured out how to get over you," another lie. "You should have stayed away."

"Don't say that." Steve's heart races as he begs, he's about to lose her — His eyes drift to her left hand as she raises it to push the tears off her delicate cheeks — again. He's about to lose her again.

Gone is the tear drop diamond he put there three years ago. Of course she would have taken it off. She thought he left her, and she moved on. Keeping it on means she was waiting for him.

What he doesn't know is that she only recently took the ring off her finger. When she promised to love him forever she meant it. But seeing his token of love was a constant reminder of the broken promise to love her until his last breath. A reminder she didn't want.

"You don't mean that." Steve searches her face, desperate for a sigh that she doesn't mean what she said. "You love me. I know do you."

Juliette shrugs, and lifts her chin. "I did."

"You still do. I'll prove it. Just give me a chance."

She clenches her jaw and sighs. "I have to go. Someone is waiting for me."

Steve grinds his teeth, his eyebrows pulling together hard, as he nods. "That guy from the bar."

Juliette crosses her arms, her chest rising and falling quickly as she realizes he's been watching her. "How long?" Tears threaten her eyes again, only this time they're angry tears.