The Secret (Book 2 in The Deception Series)

Chapter 36: letting go

Jules

~~~~~

"Staying"- Lizzy McAlpine

I sit in the living room of Taylor and Lily's apartment. It was quiet, they both were at school. And I was here, my life was just paused. I didn't know how to resume it again. I haven't talked to Brennen in days, I haven't seen Norah in days. I haven't done anything in days.

Did Brennen and I break up? Were me and Norah ever gonna make up again? Would she ever forgive me? Would Brennen ever tell me the truth about what happened?

I didn't know anything anymore.

I closed my eyes and leaned back on the couch but all I could picture was his face, his eyes, his lips.

I open my eyes and stare at the ceiling. Fuck my life.

The doorbell rings and I force myself to get up. I open the door and see Brennen staring at me.

"Not now, Brennen." I say as I go to close the door but he stops me.

"Let me explain." He says.

I stare at him.

"Explain what?" I snap at him.

"The whole story." He says.

I look at him, not sure what to even say. I didn't want to see him, I was angry and upset. All these years I've wondered where I went wrong? What could've changed the whole thing? And I never got the answers to those questions.

"You have 5 minutes." I tell him.

He nods before he walks in.

"Sit." He says, pointing to the couch.

I roll my eyes as I sit down and watch him pace back and forth in front of me.

"Are you having a seizure?" I ask.

He stops and looks at me.

I smirk and he sighs.

"It was a few weeks after you came back, I came to your house with flowers. I wanted to surprise you with them, so I rang the doorbell and your dad answered." He says.

My dad.

Oh god.

"He stood with me outside, and told me to leave. I was confused at first but then he told me that I was gonna hold you back. That everything that happened that night was my fault. And my dumbass believed him, he told me to break up with you. So I did, I pushed you away. And I've kicked myself every day since, because of it." He tells me.

I look at him in shock.

"I loved you, Julianna. I loved you so much. I still love you, I'll love you for the rest of my goddamn life." He says.

"My dad made you?" I ask, I didn't want to believe it.

He nods.

I close my eyes as I run my fingers through my hair.

"Jules?" he asks.

I open my eyes as he crouches down in front of me and takes my hands into his.

"Do you believe me?" He asks.

I nod.

"I'm so sorry, Julianna." He whispers before placing a kiss on my hands.

"I know." I say.

He looks at me and smiles before he digs his hand into his pocket and pulls out a small silver necklace with a heart on it. I've seen that before.

I stare at the textbooks in front of me, trying to understand anything that I was reading. But I just couldn't. I hated it.