a heart's end

Thirty Four

Anaelle

    There is only so much I can take. I remember the first night I had suspicions of Donte cheating on me. I laid on my couch, blanket covering me from head to toe on the account that I thought he was doing something to betray me. I later could never find proof, the only guesswork I could come up with was the guilt behind his eyes for the next year.

    But Monty, God Monty, flaunted that girl right in front of my face. I wonder when he met her. I wonder if he told her everything he told me.

    For some reason I knew he didn't. Even though he pisses me off beyond belief, he was always genuine. Until tonight. Until right now, I realize that his feelings have moved on. It's a sharp dagger in the chest, but it's one that I knew was inevitable.

    "Kalena," I cried over the phone, not wanting to step foot in that place again. "I want to go home." I whispered, pinching my eyes shut to stop the tears from messing up my makeup. The wind whipped my curls back and forth, and I could see my breath. It had to be about twenty degrees out here. It was cold, so cold.

    I started walking away from the building after I got off the phone. Kalena told me to give her a minute like it was the easiest thing to do.

    "Anaelle?" I head a voice behind me and I started to run. I knew that voice, the last thing I wanted was for Monty to see me in this emotional state. I was pushing people out of my way and tripping all over the concrete. I hoped people thought I was drunk. I would rather people think I'm on drugs than for them to realize I just had my heart broken.

My tears felt hot against my cheeks. I knelt down and covered my hands with my eyes, it was no use. I could only run so far.

"Anaelle," Monty whispered as he finally caught up to me. "Come here." He led me to these steps as we took a seat.

"Get away from me." I growled between shut teeth. My eyes were still closed, not bringing myself to look him in the face.

"Actually, don't get away from me. Let me ask you a few questions." I stood up.

"I will answer anything you need me to."

"Why would you think it would be acceptable to bring another female as a date to a dinner party when you knew I would be there?"

"I didn't know you would be there. And she's my friend, Anaelle. My friend. One that I needed when you left me in the cold. Again. She was there when you weren't replying to my texts, not answering my calls, and not showing any effort to be together."

"That's still not an excuse."

"I'm not giving you an excuse. I'm giving you a reason!"

I sighed and sniffled. "You know why we can't be together!"

"That's not an excuse either!" Monty yelled and I took a step back. Monty almost never yelled but when he did it always sent a chill down my spine. My stern demeanor hasn't changed.

"You know that you do not love him the way you love me, Anaelle. He's nothing like me and that's why it scares you. This almost, I don't know, worshiping I do towards you, I don't know..." Monty grabbed his head between his hands and a growl like sound came out of his mouth.

"I don't know what, Monty? I don't know what?" I pushed him to get some answers. Because if we are done I won't be done without a fight. Before I knew it he slammed his fist into the brick wall. His hand was busted but he didn't care through the fire in his eyes.

"You don't know how it feels to be left on the side! You don't know how it feels to lay down and try to go to sleep when I know you're with him! I love you, Anaelle! I love you and I will never stop! But you sure do make it damn hard to love you sometimes because you're so irritating! Can't you see that I want to be with you? When you were ignoring me doing god knows what the past couple weeks I was crying like a little girl to Jean-Claire like I was back in high school! Oh wait, I never HAD this problem in high school!" He was crying now, tears were streaming hot down his face. I wanted nothing more to ease this pain he has.

I grabbed his arms and wrapped him in a hug. He sobbed on my shoulder as people stared and walked by.

"It's just so hard to say bye to you." He cried in my shoulder and I rubbed his head. I don't want him to say bye.

At that moment I realized I needed to make a decision. Fast. It's not fair to drag Monty through the mud and it's especially not fair to Donte to be lied to. My anger has substantially subsided into a little irritation.

"Monty, don't say goodbye to me." He looked up with deep, almost swollen eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that I'll get everything figured out soon. I don't ever want you to say goodbye to me. I..." I looked at the ground, then at the sky.

This time it was Monty who grabbed my face. "You what, Anaelle." He whispered.

"I love you." I softly told him and kissed him.

"Monty!" I heard his voice being called by the girl he brought. I already forgot her name and I don't really care to know it. I let him go and she ran to him.

"Monty, are you crying?" She looked so worried for him. It made me sick.

"What did you do to him?!" She yelled towards me and I looked at her in shock.

"Look, I don't know who you're talking to but I know it isn't me. I would definitely back off my boyfriend if you were smart." I was getting mad again.

"It's okay, Jean-Claire." Monty told her and she didn't listen. Her mistake.

"No, Monty! I'm tired of you crying over this girl! Has she not done enough to you? You're literally on the street crying and you don't see it? I didn't realize it before but I see just how toxic she is." She glared at me and my breathing hitched.

"You don't see anything because you weren't here! I would suggest you getting away from here before you regret it big time."

She laughed. "You're such a big talker. You haven't done anything yet."

"Jean-Claire, stop. I've seen Anaelle beat people down to a pulp. You don't want to mess with her, I promise. And as for these tears," he wiped his face, "Yes they were coming from a place of anger at first, but now I couldn't be happier! Because Anaelle loves me." He came over to me and grabbed my hand. I knew he heard me say that. And I knew once I said it I couldn't take it back. I didn't want to take it back.

"She loves me!" He yelled into the crowd of people and I smiled. He grasped me into a hug and dipped me as he kissed me, a long sweet kiss. I looked over at Jean-Claire who had her arms crossed and smirking. I wrapped one arm around Monty's back and flipped her off with the other. She walked away shaking her head and I'm glad the girl was gone.

   Once the kiss was over he looked at me with the biggest grin. "Now what?"

    I smirked and wrapped my fingers in his hair. "Follow me." I grabbed his hand and led him down the sheet, laughing the whole way.