Between the Days and Nights ✔

Chapter 27: Truths & Choices

Damon

I can't stop smiling as I walk into the gym and head toward the weight section. No matter what I see, where I go, I think of Tammy and the feel of her lips on mine, the way she looked when I put on that necklace on her. She's my daylight, my happiness. I'm happiest with her.

"Hey, man. How's it going?" Jake greets me as I approach him.

"Good. Really good. How are things with you and Kim?" He raises an eyebrow at my jubilant tone.

"I see things are going well with Tammy," he sends a knowing smile my way and continues, "Things with Kim are great. I met her parents last week and they love me."

I return his proud grin and we lift our weights on our own for awhile until he speaks up again.

"You know what's weird, though? I came over the other day and I walked in on her hanging out with Natasha. You think she's gonna bully her back into a friendship?"

"Nah," I reassure him, recalling what Tammy had told me about her talk with Natasha, "I think she's probably changed a bit."

"Why? Did something happen?"

"Yeah, but I don't think I should be saying anything."

"That's cool, man. I just needed to know if I have to keep my eye out for another blackmail scheme."

I shake my head with a smile on my face as I turn away to continue my own thing.

I jump onto the treadmill in the middle of a three machine gap between other people who are working out in the same area. I don't like the feeling of working out right next to someone because they tend to stare at my progress, which is really none of their business.

After about 5 minutes of jogging, I feel a presence beside me and I turn to see Dylan's stupid ass grin. I sigh and roll my eyes before I stop my machine and pull out my earbuds.

"What?" I snap a bit too harshly and throw him off his grin.

"I have something to talk to you about before I catch my flight."

I look down at his gray sweatpants and blank blue t-shirt. He has headphones around his neck, which is connected to something in his pocket. He looks half asleep.

It's 2 in the afternoon.

We walk into the locker room, where the noises of the various workout machines are drowned out by the marble walls.

"Okay, listen," he starts while fishing for something in his pocket, "I know you're not fond of my brother and you think that he hurt your girl. But I'm going to give this to you, which would prove that what you think is not the case."

What can he give me that would change the truth? I was there and I saw Silas and Pam. There's nothing to be said that would take away the pain from Tammy that resulted.

"Here," he says as he hands me a flash drive. "I'm not telling Tammy the truth. I'm putting that into your hands. If you feel that it's best if you stay with her, then you never have to show her this. But if you think what I think, which is that she probably still isn't over Silas, you have to let her know and let her go."

I've never spoken to Dylan before. I mean, we've greeted each other on the occasion that we were to have to face each other, but for the most part, our teams are different and we were just different people. I've found myself judging the Cravens brothers harshly over the last two years, but it seemed they didn't care about anything but their selfish lifestyle.

To see him here, pressuring me to leave Tammy, it pisses me off.

But is he pressuring me? Clearly he's given me a choice, albeit a clear one where I lose the one girl I've ever cared this much about.

After I finish my cardio, I skip the rest of my workout and grab my stuff to leave.  

I wrap my fingers around the flash drive as I walk out to my car. As soon as I get in, I pull out my laptop from my bag. Plugging the drive into my port, I suck in a deep breath and press play.

I watch from beginning to end, and then I replay it many times to make sure that what I was hearing was correct. Everytime I finish a play, a rush of panic overwhelms my mind.

This will be the reason I'll lose Tammy.

Do I have to tell her? I can simply live to be with her and move on from this. I'm sure she can move on from this.

No. That would be wrong.

But I want so badly to be with her and have her in my arms. What do I-

There's a sudden knock on my window and I turn around, closing the laptop as I do. I face Natasha, who motions for me to pull down my window.

"What is it?" I sense her urgency.

"Can you help me with something?" She seems sincere enough.

"Why should I," I respond suspiciously, remembering how she used to treat Tammy.

"It's for Tammy."

A/N

Sorry this one's a bit short, but I planned it so that I could post this and the next one at once.

Enjoy! And please remember to vote and comment!

-My