Tempting /A Jordan Knight fanfic ✔️

53

Chapter 53: Second Chances

I thought I'd had my Great Something already.

In fact, I was certain of it. At the time, nothing seemed more life-altering than not spending the rest of mine with Daniel. My life was made up of what Daniel allowed me to build it with, and when he left, it crumbled around me, and I realized he was the sole brick holding my world together.

The derailment of my entire life at the heartbreak of one man felt like my life's pivotal moment.

But I'd been wrong.

As I passed through the doors in front of me, I thought about how miniscule Daniel was to me now. Losing him felt big, but had actually been only one small domino in the chain reaction of my life.

It led me here, to the moment of moments.

This was what I'd always look back on that changed everything for better or worse.

The door sealed us in behind me, and I meant to be the first one to speak, but my words got off at the legs.

Crystal—it was everywhere, and so was my gobsmacked expression staring back at me through their clear cut beauty. The massive ballroom was lined with crystalized sculptures and immaculate designs, both small and large. The room shimmered without even trying, every color of the rainbow awake and winking at me on the walls in support.

"It's for a show tomorrow."

Jordan's voice pulled my stare across the unintended mirrors until it reached his back.

"It's beautiful."

He nodded thoughtfully before handing his focus back to his shoes. I swallowed, stealing myself to his silence. In our past, he'd done most of the talking, professing, and pursuing when we found ourselves in love with each other.

Now it was my turn.

"Jordan—" He sucked in a breath heard across the room. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry," I started, my pulse thumping against my neck. "I never should have left without telling you. I never should have left you like that."

A strangled breath came from his side of the room, and his head dropped even lower.

My heart had the urge to drop along with it, but I held it up, refusing to give in. Of course he was hurting. Of course this was hard to hear. We were in the trenches of his pain right now, and the only way to get to the other side was straight through. No more excuses. No more escapes.

"I don't know what you've been going through or what you've been up to this last year, but... I think about you all the time. Apparently, I even talk about you in my sleep."

The honesty poured out of me with such ease, I even surprised myself. But he deserved it.

Every single vulnerable drop of it.

"Besides dance, you're pretty much all I think about. Even as pathetic as that might make me sound, I don't care because—" I stopped, gulping down a stabilizing breath. "Because you never cared about being judged about how you felt about me. You were always just honest..."

And unapologetic. So hopelessly, romantically, stubbornly, unapologetically in love with me.

And I'd screwed it all up.

"I know you don't want to talk to me. I know that's why you never responded to any of my calls or messages, and I get that, and I don't blame you at all. You have every right to never want to talk to me again after how I treated you, and if you tell me to leave right now, I will."