When it poured in Huntsville (BWWM)

19

Jayde's POV

Logan's truck felt stifling, like the air had been sucked out, leaving only tension behind. I sat with my back pressed against the passenger door, staring at the dashboard, trying to keep my thoughts from spiraling.

He was gripping the steering wheel so tight, his chest rising and falling with heavy breaths. The silence between us was deafening, but I needed it—needed the space to think, to find the words to explain what I felt. The faint country music of Jason Aldean filled the car with a little light.

Finally, Logan turned to me, his jaw clenched. "You're not serious about this, Jayde." His voice was low, but there was an edge to it, a warning I couldn't ignore.

I didn't look at him. "Logan, I've thought about it. It wasn't just some care free decision." I mean I thought about it all night

"A care free decision?" His voice rose, anger all in it. "You're throwing everything away because of them. Because my mom doesn't like you? Because your dad doesn't want us together? Who cares? Since when do they decide what we do? Honestly fuck both of them"

I finally turned to face him, meeting his fiery gaze with one of my own. "Logan don't even do that. This isn't about them deciding. It's about me, Logan. I can't do this if it's tearing apart my family and yours. I'm not selfish enough to keep fighting when the people we're supposed to love the most are breaking us down because of it."

"Well obviously it is about them cuz you sure had no doubts about us a week ago"he yelled
"You're stronger than this," he said, his voice sharp, almost accusing. "I know you are. You don't back down from anything, so why are you backing down from us?"

I shook my head, my voice steady even though my heart was racing. "I'm not backing down. I'm stepping back because this—" I gestured between us, my voice faltering slightly. "This is too much. I'm tired of feeling like I have to prove myself to your mom, like I have to live up to some impossible standard. And my dad—" My voice cracked, but I forced myself to go on. "He's never going to see us as anything but a mistake."

Logan slammed his hand against the steering wheel, the loud thud making me jump. "And what about me, Jayde? Don't I get a say in this? Don't I matter?"

"You matter," I said firmly, holding his gaze. "You matter more than anything. But maybe they're right. Maybe we're—"

"Don't say it," he cut me off, his voice dangerously low. "Don't you say we're a mistake."

I blinked back the sting in my eyes, my resolve faltering for just a moment. "I didn't say that."

"You're thinking it," he said blankly I didn't know if he was right though. "You're letting them get in your head, and now you're questioning us? And that's the type of shit that's pissin me off cus' it ain't you"

"It's not just them!" I shot back, my frustration boiling over. "You think it's easy for me? Watching your mom tear me apart? Watching my dad act like I'm some rebellious kid throwing my life away? Im a good kid logan but everyone treats me like I'm so terrible."

"So what? You're just done?" He leaned toward me, his voice rising looking like he was more than mad at me. "You're going to let them win? Let them tell us how we're supposed to live our lives? That's not you, Jayde. That's not the girl I—"

I interrupted, my voice shaking. "Don't try to make me feel guilty for wanting to protect what we have."

His eyes burned with anger, his body tense. Then his voice softened, almost pleading. "What do you want, Jayde? Seriously. If you want to be with me, then you'll figure out how. But if you're doing this because you actually doubt us, then walk out. But I ain't gonna let nobody else influence you. I know the girl I fell in love with is doing this because of how she feels. I know you love me. I'm more sure of that than anything else."