i remember that it hurt. looking at her hurt.
"I love you." she confesses and he is taken aback. She was gleaming with happiness and her smile was wide. It was then he knew that Riley wouldn't take the rejection well. Why did she confess now? Not now. Why now?
There's an unbearable silence as she awaits his answer and the blonde purses his lips, forcing down the pain and agony of not being able to accept the feelings of the girl he'd been pinning after for forever.
He was smitten with the brunette the minute he met her. She was different from any of the girls he ever met and he loved all her quirks, from the way she would twirl her fork in a complete circle when eating spaghetti to the way she bobbed her head vigorously when she got excited or was happy.
The girl he was head over heels with finally his feelings but he had to reject her. He couldn't accept her love in the midst of all the family drama he was facing. He was already in a huge mess and he didn't want to drag Riley down with him. More importantly, he couldn't betray Evan, he was like a brother to Lucas. And Lucas could never accept Riley's feelings when he knew his best friend liked her too. It wasn't right.
"I'm sorry." he says finally. The minute he says it, it was like a pile of rocks fell on his chest. He regretted it immediately, but he couldn't throw away 15 years of friendship away.
"What about all the things you told me before? Did.. did they mean nothing?" she stutters and hot tears well up in her eyes. She forcefully bites down on her lower lips to hold on to her tears. Didn't he imply only a few weeks ago that he was interested in her? How could he have the heart to hurt her when she opened up her heart to him.
She felt exposed and vulnerable. She doesn't bother to hold her tears down anymore and glares at the man she loves.
"I'm sorry." he apologises again and he felt terrible to see Riley in such a state. He felt worse to know that he was the reason that she was in that state. His eyes rim with tears and he too tries hard to hold them back.
He succeeds but not for long when he watches the brunette walk away from him. Once she is out of his sight, he lets his tears fall freely.
She wanted to fight back. How could everything he said to her be lies? She wanted to ask him why. But she didn't know how to face him after having her heart shattered. She can only gulp down the bitter taste of rejection and walk away.
