Sequel to Broken.
"Memories have the ability of unlocking new emotions. They allow you to relive moments with surfacing feelings you were unable to experience then. It's your choice to let these feelings live and take hold or tragically, or in this...
Atlas stared at Makenna for a moment before he reached to give her hand a shake, "It certainly is."
Their gazes shifted to stare at their hands before they looked back at each other.
"My brother asked me to meet him here." Makenna pulled her hand back,
Atlas went with the flow and feigned confusion, letting her take the lead, "My sister asked me to meet her here."
"Ah," Makenna blinked a few times, "And have you heard anything from her since?"
"No?" Atlas slowly caught on to what she was insinuating, "Let me guess - you haven't heard back from your brother."
Makenna shook her head, "I guess they realised something was going on with us,"
"That seems like the only reasonable explanation,"
Makenna snuck a peek at him and he looked deep in thought. She smiled to herself, liking that he was convincing about their do-over. Atlas chose that moment to look up at her, caught her smile, and flashed one of his own.
Makenna quickly looked away, letting her smile drop, "I want to apologise for the other night."
Atlas waited for her to continue because he had no idea which night she was referring to in their current context.
"I didn't want to threaten to hurt your sister. I just wanted you to feel what I was feeling and I'm sorry for that."
Atlas knew immediately what she was referring to and it was surprising that she brought it up. "What were you feeling?"
Makenna looked at him quietly for a moment, "Scared. For what you would put my brother through if you'd gone ahead with your plan."
Atlas studied her intently trying to understand where she was coming from.
"I see how happy your sister makes him and I wouldn't want anything to jeopardise that, not even you."
"No," Atlas stopped her, "I'm the one who should apologise."
That was not what Makenna had been expecting, but she was curious.
"I was letting my pain cloud my judgement and wanted to protect Thea from ever going through the same thing. But that's not my call to make." Atlas lifted his gaze to meet hers, "My impulse to separate them had nothing to do with your brother. But getting to know him has made me see that he's good for her. So, I am sorry."
Makenna's heart was beating rapidly in her chest as every word left his mouth. She couldn't believe they'd come full circle from wanting to kill him to wanting to be with him.
Be with him? Makenna shook away the question that popped into her head. She didn't mean it that way, just that she wanted to be around him.
She didn't realise that a tiny part of her was still holding on to his behaviour towards their siblings' relationship until now. She was glad to know that it had nothing to do with her brother, but he'd also revealed that his pain was what clouded his judgment.
"How did you get hurt?"
"Excuse me?"
"You said your pain was clouding your judgement and I assume it's from a past relationship, but correct me if I'm wrong."
Atlas stared at her not knowing what to say. He'd mentioned his 'pain' so casually that the pain itself hadn't registered in his brain. It wasn't because he was trying to avoid thinking about it, but because he'd slowly detached himself from it. He replayed the accident in his mind and he wasn't sure what to do with himself when he realised he felt nothing about it. He had ignored it for so long that the memories were like watching someone else's story play out in front of him except that he had the scars.
"Are you alright?"
Atlas wasn't sure, "Have you..." He let out a slow breath, "Have you ever had something happen to you and when you think back on it, it feels like someone else's story or a dream you woke up from?"
Makenna stared into his eyes, looking back and forth between each eye. She shook her head and swallowed.
Atlas smiled slowly and leaned back into his seat, "It's getting too heavy for a coffee stop."
Makenna got a whiplash from how quickly he changed topics. Just then the waiter arrived with their drinks and some side dishes.
"Right. The real reason why we're here." Atlas looked at her, "You said you had a lot on your mind."
"Not anymore," Makenna took a sip of her drink,
"Don't hold out on me,"
Makenna savoured the taste of the drink on her tongue. "With exams coming up, there's just a lot going on."
"I agree," Atlas kept his gaze locked on her face like he knew she wasn't telling him everything and it made Makenna uncomfortable,
"Is that everything?"
Makenna blinked, "Of course."
"You sure this has nothing to do with you scribbling our initials and the kiss?"
"Whoa! Slow down there," Makenna sat up, "One, those were my initials and..."
"Keep telling yourself that darling."
"...two, that kiss was pretty easy to forget." Makenna finished over him
"Ouch."
"Did you just call me darling?"
"Did you just say the kiss was unmemorable?"
Makenna shrugged, loving the look on his face,
Atlas leaned close to the table, no smile in sight. "Would you like a refresher?" He stared right into her soul,
Makenna was transported back to that night in his apartment. She was overcome by the same feeling. "Maybe." She let her answer linger for a moment, "Maybe not,"
Atlas reached for one of her hands that she'd placed on the table. He kept his gaze on her as he brought her hand to his lips. Makenna held her breath when she felt his lips on her knuckles. She let out a shaky breath and told herself that it was nothing. But she couldn't make herself believe that lie.
The smile on Atlas' lips as he pulled back only slightly made her wonder how he did it. How was it that he could make her go from feeling comfortable to nervous in a matter of seconds? It was the same way he'd made her go from wanting to strangle him to wanting to kiss him. Not that she wanted to kiss him now. She didn't.
Or at least that's what she made herself believe.
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Guess whose birthday is coming up? 👀🤭
I've never been this excited for my birthday and I'm loving every second of it. I even gave my YouTube channel a revamp yesterday, slowing preparing for another chapter of my life.
God has been so good to me and everyone around me. I'm in awe of Him and super grateful that I get to enjoy this beautiful gift of life. Even though it's not all peaches and roses, it's still one I'm thankful for. I pray for you, reading this, that you find peace in your current situation. That whatever life throws your way, you're filled with the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome every hardships (amen).
