Fate's Cruelty

Chapter Thirty Six: Fate's Cruelty

Chapter Thirty Six: Fate’s Cruelty

Adam’s POV

                I watched as the girl I loved, the girl that I had grown up with, waddled her way towards the front door as quickly as she could. Her dark brown hair swaying side to side as she walked towards the guy she loved. Her fiancé and father to her children.

                As I watched her walk away, I knew that I would never stop loving her. I had been there since the beginning of it all and somewhere along those moments when I held her as she cried, when I held her hand as she entered school for the first time after losing Ezra, I fell in love.

                She loved him and she’ll always love him. I knew she loved me too, just not the way I loved her and even though I promised that my love for her wouldn’t get in the way of our friendship it was difficult to keep that vow because there were times when I wanted nothing more than to shut her complaining up by smashing my lips against hers.

                But I couldn’t.

                I wouldn’t.

                I would keep acting as if I didn’t love her for as long as it took, just so I wouldn’t lose her friendship, because I could go on knowing that she’ll never love me back the way I love her but I couldn’t go on without her in my life.

                I knew that taking care of her was only going to worsen things for me in the end since Ethan was gone but this time he was gone for a good reason. He was protecting his country; making it better place for the family he had created.

                I didn’t hate him. He was a good guy and at one point he was my best friend. That was before he left and broke Carmen into pieces long ago, long before I fell in love with her. I was sure that now, I couldn’t go back to being his best friend because at the end of the day I was in love with his fiancé and that wasn’t right.

                I knew he knew, but I also knew he wouldn’t say anything unless he knew I was going to try something and I wasn’t. I wouldn’t do that because if I ever did that, I’d lose Carmen and I couldn’t lose her.

                “You still love her don’t you?” Paisley’s soft voice said bringing me back into reality.

                I looked away from the empty passage that Carmen had disappeared through and looked down at the only other girl that I would do anything for. Her blonde hair in messy curls, her eyes piercing up through mine; I nodded not being able to speak. She was the first and only one to notice the way I looked at Carmen back in high school. But she never said anything she never questioned me or told anybody anything, she simply knew.

                Nick was silent besides her but he too didn’t say anything, he just nodded his head once when my eyes met his. Through the window behind them I saw Carmen slowly walking down the steps striding towards Ethan. None of us moved, we knew that they needed their privacy, a moment to themselves as they had been apart for seven months.

                I sat down and run my hands up and down my thighs, breathing in slowly as I tried to ignore the ache in my chest. I still loved her but for her and her happiness I would give mine up. I would do anything for her. So I turned and watched as Ethan scooped her up in his arms and kissed her, a kiss that you knew was full of love and longing, before setting her back on her feet and going to his knees to talk to his baby girl for the first time.