Worlds Apart

Chapter 27

"Fate..."

~

Alessia was on the other end of the couch. The only words we had exchanged were 'thank you' and 'sure' since she'd finished her shower.

The 'thank you' was for food and the 'sure' was for the movie I was paying zero attention to. I just watched my ex's face to familiarize myself with her again. Her lips were slightly parted and when she laughed, I smiled, trying to remember how I used to make her laugh.

"Well," I blinked and realized her eyes were on me. I looked away. "I should go to bed."

I slowly nodded. "I'll clean up the food. Don't worry about it."

"Are you sure?" I nodded. "Okay," I heard her get up. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Less—Goodnight, Alessia."

I sighed, almost giving up on her. I wanted her so much. I wanted to marry her, have kids, watch us succeed individually and together...all of it. But I felt like I had to give up on her sooner rather than later.

After cleaning, I walked upstairs. On my way to my room—the guest room—I could hear sniffling in Alessia's room. I laid my hand on the door. I wanted to knock but fuck, I couldn't. I started to walk away, but the wood flooring gave me away.

"Brooklyn?"

Shit. "Yeah?" I laid my hand on the door. "I was just walking past—to my room...Are you okay?"

"Can you come in here?" I pushed the door open. "I just—I can't lay here knowing you're in the other room."

"I shouldn't be in here."

"Can you please just hold me? For a little while?" I sighed and gave in. I laid down and wrapped an arm around her. Her back pressed into the front of my body. "It's strange being here with you after all this time. I never thought we'd be sharing a house as exes."

"Yeah, it is. A lot has changed since we last saw each other. I never imagined we'd be laying here either."

"It's silly but I guess fate has a way of bringing people together, even when it feels like they're not meant to be in the same room."

I let my lips graze her covered shoulder. "Fate...it's hard to believe in it sometimes. I was raised to believe in God, and yeah, I still believe that, but sometimes it's hard. Especially after what happened between us. I still can't wrap my head around it. It was a nightmare. Being accused of cheating, losing you...it felt like my world was collapsing. I didn't do it, Less. I never betrayed you like that."

"I want to believe you, Brooke. But everything was so convincing. The articles, the photos...I didn't know what to think. I still don't."

"I understand. It was a setup, a cruel one. Someone wanted to tear us apart. I've spent countless nights trying to figure out why. Was it the universe telling us we weren't..." I wanted to cry. "Telling us we're not meant for each other."

"Sometimes I wonder if it was meant to happen, to test us or to teach us something. Maybe it was the universe's way of showing us we're stronger than we think."

"Maybe. But you've always been strong. Why would the universe put us through such pain if we were meant to be together? Or was it to show us we weren't right for each other?"

"I don't know. I've had a lot of time to think, and I keep coming back to the idea that everything happens for a reason. Maybe it was meant to help us grow, to learn who we really are."

"Yeah, maybe. Despite the pain, I've learned a lot about myself. And about trust, and forgiveness. I've missed you, Less. But I also know we can't just pick up where we left off."