cardigan, a. butler

ninety-one

ninety-one, the end of a chapter

anger. disbelief. that was what coursed through austin's veins once he had read the comment over and over again.

why would kaia comment something like that when she was the reason him and elsie broke up?

was she trying to prove to elsie that she won?

austin sat in the living room of his apartment in disbelief as kaia made her way out of their bedroom and into the kitchen.

"did you see what elsie posted?" she asked as she opened the fridge to grab a bottle of water.

"yeah, i did." he answered, trying to not blow up.

"i can't believe she'd go on a podcast and talk about what happened as if it hadn't been months since you two broke up." kaia remarked as she closed the door to the fridge.

"i mean, i see the reason why everyone's hating her. she's just using our relationship to gain fame." kaia ranted as austin tried to keep his cool to the best of his abilities.

"and don't even get me started on the sob story she had came up with. does she seriously think we believe that she's not pregnant by harry? obviously she was cheating on you with him when we started hanging out." kaia continued to rant.

"not to mention that she's gained a significant amount of weight." that last remark was enough for austin to slam his hand on the table causing kaia to jolt as she turned to face him.

"how can you sit there and talk so badly about her after everything we put her through? huh?" he yelled angrily.

"i hurt someone just so i could see if what i felt for you was real. she could tell i was conflicted and she told me to figure things out before she even found out i cheated on her! she was considerate of me when i wasn't of her and yet you sit here and accuse her of cheating when i cheated on her with you!" he yelled angrily as kaia sat and listened in disbelief.

"you don't even know what she has gone through and what she's going through and you have the nerve to claim that she lied? you don't know her, kaia!"

"and you do?" kaia retorted angrily.

"i knew her like the back of my hand and she knew me." he sighed as he felt himself tear up at the mention of elsie.

"i loved her. i loved her more than i have ever loved anyone. i loved her so much that it hurt when i started to feel something for you. it hurt knowing that i wasn't 100% faithful to her like she was to me. she was good to me and i didn't have the decency to tell her i had cheated until we went public with our relationship."

"do you still love her?" kaia asked after a few moments of silence.

"i'll always love her." he replied simply.

"do you love me?" she asked sadly.

austin stared at her for a moment before sighing.

"i thought i did. i thought that what i was feeling for you was love but the more time i spent away from elsie, i realized that i don't love you. not even half as much as i love elsie. i planned a future with elsie. we were planning on moving in together and we talked about having kids together and i threw that all away for you."

"and i didn't realize i still loved her until today when you showed your true colors. how could you attack her like that when she hasn't done anything towards you? she hasn't said a negative word towards you when you went after her own boyfriend." austin exclaimed.

"you're painting me out to be this awful person when i'm not." kaia whispered sadly.

"your actions say otherwise, kaia. elsie was only saying the truth and you had the nerve to comment on it when you simply could have scrolled past it. you proved to not only me but to everyone that you're childish."

"we caused elsie a great deal of pain and for you to do that when she was telling the truth was wrong."

"and what about my truth? huh? i didn't know you two were still together when we kissed."

"that's bullshit kaia because you asked me that night to not tell her about us and i did. there's no truth other than the one elsie had stated." austin sighed.

"i've caused elsie a great amount of pain and i'll never forgive myself for what i did to her but i won't sit here and act like what you did was okay because it wasn't. why could you just leave it alone?"

"because im sick and tired of her playing the victim when she is to blame for your relationship ending. she pushed you away and she was hanging around other guys instead of with her boyfriend."

"she is the victim, kaia! she never pushed me away, i pushed her away. i chose you over her and i've beaten myself up over it everyday since then because i hurt her in order to do that. if i could go back in time and change everything, i would!"

"so, this is it? you're breaking up with me over a comment?" she remarked in disbelief.

"no. i'm breaking up with you because even after everything we put her through, you still feel the need to attack her and i don't want to be with someone that attacks elsie."

"you're so in love with her that you don't see what she's done wrong, austin. she ruined your name and luke's."

"we deserved it. we put her through hell and she didn't deserve that. she has the right to tell her side of the story." austin nodded.

"i'm gonna stay at a hotel tonight and i want you gone by morning. i don't want to be with someone who attacks someone when they're at their lowest." austin scoffed before he left the room and entered the bedroom.

he began to pack a bag and all he could think about was elsie.

how could he have let her go so easily?

how could he not fight for her when he was in love with her?

he wanted to do everything he could to make things up for what he did.

which is why austin would do everything he can to win elsie back.

not knowing that she was slowly slipping away from him and towards another.

BELLA'S CORNER

austin defending elsie >>>

can't wait for elsie and austin to run into each other at the met

kaia and austin are offcially over

will austin win elsie back?