When I was fourteen years old, I went to the beach with my dad. He didn't dip his toes in the water or bury me in the sand. He sat on the sand, hugging his knees as he watched me run around with my arms spread out, trying to fly like the birds.
I ended up wearing myself out and took a seat with him. His eyes were closed and his chest went up and down with each breath. He opened them, then turned to look at me,
"I need you to do something for me, kiddo."
I nod.
"When you fall in love like your old man did, don't give her all of your heart at once. Give her parts of it."
"How do I do that?" I asked, pulling my knees to my chest.
"Take her out one day, call her the next, keep her guessing, in the end, the real one for you won't let you go too long without hearing from you. When you talk to her, look at her lips, then her eyes. Watch what you say."
"Watch what I say?"
"Never say you love her first, not unless you truly mean it."
I nodded, even though I didn't understand what he meant.
"What if she wants to kiss?"
"Kissing is up to the relationship, kiddo." He smiled and looked at the ocean.
"But never give her your whole heart too soon, you have to make sure she'll fight for the small pieces that you started her off with."
I thought my dad was just trying to sound smart at that point, but I felt like it was important, so I let him go on. "I gave your mom my whole heart on our third date. She knew I was in love with her, so she used it as her advantage. She played with my heart, leading me on. She broke up with me then showed up at my doorstep and begged me to take her back."
"Did you?" I asked, which I shouldn't have, because he looked down at me and said, "If I didn't you wouldn't be here."
I nodded and looked at my knees.
"She did that a few times and I let her, she knew I would take her back because I loved her. That's why I'm telling you to never fall in love too quickly, give her a piece of your love and see how she takes it."
If I gave Isabelle pieces of my heart, would she do what Jesse did to me?
Leave?
YOU ARE READING
On Purpose
Romance{Sorry about the mistakes. I'm fixing things, I might even change the cover, but enjoy this version!!} ][}{][ I'm not perfect, I'm nowhere near perfect. I'm not rich, I'm not the hottest man in the world, but I can tell you want I am. I am a man who...
