Please Don't Say You Love Me

Chapter 7

June 15, 2021・Jai

"Excuse me, Mr. Mehra? Isabella Spencer, The American Literary Magazine. Can you tell us where you got the idea to write about Jason and Arden?" A petite, well dressed woman in the front row held her recorder out, sweeping the short blonde hair out of her face.

I gave her an easy smile. "That's an easy question. The idea behind Please Don't Say You Love Me comes from personal experience. Jason and Arden's story is a reflection of one of mine."

A man around my age raised his hand. "Nate Blackwood. How were you able to finish writing in just five short months?"

I forced a laugh. "Well, after the events of what you find in the book, I made writing my outlet for my emotions, writing in every moment I could spare, and I'm incredibly proud of what came from it. I'm really lucky everything fell into place at the right time."

Another reporter from a few seats down piped up. "What made you want to write down your story?"

I looked down at my microphone, pretending to think about it, but I knew the answer. I looked up, wondering how well I was masking my feelings. "I wrote this story because the connection between my real-life Arden and I was so strong and the story we had was definitely unlike one I've ever heard, so I just had to pen it down. And, as crazy and lovesick as it sounds, it gave me the chance to create a world where we got our happy ending."

There was a collective sigh from the crowd, and I chuckled. "Anyways, thank you so much everyone for coming to the book release, you have no idea how much it means to me. This is, honestly, a dream come true. Thank you everyone, and good night!" I gave a friendly wave to the cameras before exiting the stage as the next panelist came on.

I walked outside of the convention center, unzipping my jacket and letting the cool night air envelop me. I reached the car, just barely hearing a pair of footsteps behind me.

"Excuse me, I just had one more question about the book." A voice spoke.

"I'm sorry, I'm just tired and--" I paused after turning around to look at the woman, my heart stopping in its tracks. My eyes brimmed with tears, and I hastily swiped at them with the back of my hand.

She smiled at me, eyes threatening to spill with tears of her own. "Hi, lover boy." She said, her voice breaking.

"I thought I was never going to see you again." I told her, my voice coming out in a hoarse whisper.

"That makes two of us. But I had a question about your book."

"What is it?"

"If this girl came back into your life, what would you do?"

Without missing a beat, I answered. "I would never let her go this time. Why did you leave, Anaya?"

"Because I had to. Why didn't you look for me?"

"Because you said not to. If that's what made you happy, then..."

"Idiot. You make me happy. You should've looked."

"You should've stayed."

"I should have."

"Are you saying I'm right?" I stepped forward grinning, suddenly noticing her hand drifting to her enlarged stomach.

"Are you-- is it--" I stammered, not getting in a single, comprehensible word.

"Yeah, I am."

"Oh my god."

"The doctors told me that I'm six months along." She cleared her throat. "I haven't slept with anyone else in that time." A hint of smile played on her face, almost like she wasn't sure if the news she was implying was good or bad.

"So we're..."

She nodded, crying and laughing at the same time. "We're pregnant, Jai."

I stepped forward and pulled her face to mine, kissing her eagerly. "We're pregnant?"

After we broke apart, she spoke again. "I was so stupid, and I said some thing, things I didn't mean. I was confused, and I was scared of what might have happened if I let this go further, even though that's all I ever wanted. Jai, I love you. And I know we never had a chance to talk about it, or how we got to this point, and that was my fault," She averted her eyes before looking back at me. "And we have a baby now. But I won't force you to come back because of it. I just--"

"I love you. I've loved you before I even knew what I was feeling."

"I told you not to."

"What?"

"That night in my apartment in Sydney. 'Please don't say you love me.' I warned you, remember?"

"Are you going to change your mind?"

"I couldn't if I tried."

I kissed her again, letting everything around us fall away, because I had Anaya and she had me, and nothing else mattered beyond that.