Drawn To You (GirlxGirl)

Part 58

Allie's P.O.V

As Jessie led me into the apartment building, my heart pounded with anticipation and fear. I followed her silently out of the elevator on the third floor, my eyes tracing the sleek, modern lines of the building's interior.

My nerves were frayed, my chest tight with everything I still needed to say to her. The words I had rehearsed a thousand times since I left Glasgow were ready to spill, but the weight of the moment was almost paralyzing.

When Jessie unlocked the door and we stepped inside, I took a moment to absorb her space. The apartment was beautiful—modern but not cold, with high ceilings and large windows that let in the evening light. It was a blend of luxury and warmth, a perfect reflection of Jessie.

There were splashes of her personality everywhere—art supplies on the kitchen counter, a couple of sketchbooks stacked by the coffee table, a soft, faded plaid blanket draped over the sofa.

I assumed the gallery had set her up here while she worked on her exhibitions, but it felt more permanent than that, like she had already made this place her own. Being here, surrounded by her things, filled me with warmth and a sense of familiarity, but also a deep ache. This was the beginnings of her life without me.

Jessie closed the door softly behind me, her footsteps quiet as she moved across the hardwood floor into the open-plan living room.

The silence between us was thick and heavy, not a word exchanged since we left the gallery. I didn't know what she was thinking, what she was feeling. All I had was the memory of the look in her eyes when she saw me back there—the shock, the confusion, the hurt. The hurt I had caused.

She set her bag down on the kitchen worktop and ran her hand through her hair, her shoulders tense. When she finally turned to face me, her eyes were full of the pain I had left behind months ago. It hit me in waves—the realisation of how deeply I had hurt her, how much she had carried that pain with her.

I took a step toward her, my heart aching to close the distance between us, but she raised a hand, stopping me in my tracks.

"No," she said, her voice quiet but firm. "Please don't come any closer, Allie."

Her words pierced me, and my heart clenched painfully. All I wanted to do was wrap my arms around her, tell her I was sorry, beg for her forgiveness. But I understood why she was keeping me at a distance. She needed an explanation, and I owed her that. I owed her so much more than that.

"Jessie, I..." My voice wavered, and I could feel the tears threatening to spill, but I forced myself to continue.

"I was scared, okay? I was scared of everything. I didn't know how to follow my heart, how to leave behind a life that was already mapped out for me. I spent so much time focusing on what other people would think—what my family, what my friends, what Mark would think—that I didn't focus on what I felt. I was falling in love with another woman, Jessie. With you. And I didn't know how to accept that."

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my voice steady as the tears began to fall.

"I was too scared to be honest with myself, to be honest with you. I was too afraid to admit that what we had was real, that I wanted you, not some life that was planned out for me since I was a teenager. I know I hurt you. I know I messed up. And I know it's probably too late."

I wiped my cheeks with the back of my hand, trying to hold myself together, but my voice was breaking, my heart was breaking.

"I know you have every right to turn me away, Jessie. You have every right to hate me. But I needed you to know. I needed you to know how I feel. How I've felt all along."