Gym Class Sorrow [Book 2]

These Are The Lessons In Love

Tate's P.O.V.

Chris is taking me out to dinner tonight. I'm really excited for it because we haven't gone out since the time his friend Richard,who I met, and his husband almost saw us at the restaurant. I think it's weird that he won't take me to meet them or let us double date.

Oh well. I'm content with just cuddling on the couch and eating pizza. Maybe I am a little too college minded still....eh, who cares? Chris doesn't seem too. The only thing he cares about is that I don't mention Jesse. I have to say I'm a little intimidated by Jesse.

Chris paints him as a saint. He was a good cook, he laughed a lot, he helped everyone, he was friends with everyone, and he was a kickass teacher from what I heard. I'm just an ex-frat boy college student who got his degree in accounting and occasionally volunteers. It also really doesn't help that he's literally one of the most gorgeous people I've ever seen.

I would kill to be just a little like him. Maybe then I could be adored just as much as Jesse was. I love Chris so much but Jesse is the only one he sees.

But I'm here and he's not. Chris should love me. It's been four years.

"Chris, we've been going out for a couple months now, yea?" I ask turning my head to look at him.
He pulls his arm from my shoulders and looks at me. "Yea...why?" the words fall suspiciously from his lips.
"I was just wondering when we were going to make it official? Like when am I going to meet your friends?" I asked.
He stiffened. "I told you,you didn't need to meet them. They know about you...you know about them. Drop it." It was more of a command than an answer.
"But I-" I began to argue my case but before I could get out more than a couple words I felt a stinging sensation in my face.

Tears were welling in my eyes and as I blinked them away I saw something I never thought I would. Chris had his hand raised in the slap position. He just slapped me. He just slapped me! I got up from the couch as fast as I could and bolted for the door, tears threatening to pour.

I heard Chris yelling behind me but I didn't dare stop. I made it back to my apartment and slammed the door shut. I had never been hit by a boyfriend before and can honestly say I don't know what to do or how to act.

I could hear Chris outside of my apartment. He was begging me to open my door. I can't though. I want to but something is stopping me. It's not because I'm scared of him but, something else.

Chris isn't abusive. He just doesn't love me. He's never loved me. But it's not because he doesn't want to or because he hasn't tried Its because he doesn't know how. He doesn't know how to love someone that isn't Jesse.

With this realization I start crying again. This time it's not for me though. This time it's for Chris and his lost love.
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Kinda hate this chapter
Dedicated to Nicole because she's bae