I Choose You

16. Redemption (Edited)

Edited 

The girls and I had decided that today we wanted to have a girls' day. One that doesn't involve three particular boys who sometimes annoy us, while also managing to make us laugh our heads off. And I had vowed that today I would in no way think about anything that involved Aiden, especially what had happened that night.

You can't ignore it forever.

Shut up! Nothing happened!

Riley and Autumn were coming over in an hour or two, so we could do some girl things. Gossip, talk, maybe watch sappy romance movies. I'm not really sure what the plan was. I'd decided that while I was waiting for them I'd go ahead and whip up this week's food for me and Dad, that way he didn't have to spend money eating out all the time. Plus, I'm determined to make him eat healthier even if he's a sour puss about it all the time.

So, while I was calmly and happily cooking away in the kitchen I barely heard the knock on the door. I furrowed my eyebrows, wondering who it could be, since Riley and Autumn weren't supposed to be here for another hour. So, when I opened the door, I can't exactly describe how I was feeling when I saw him standing there on my front porch. It was such a mix of emotions that I wasn't sure which one to let myself feel first.

Evan was standing there, in all his wonderful, attractive, hot, glory. He had fixed his hair perfectly, in its usual swoop up-do, and his eyes were twinkling particularly bright in that moment. He had dressed in a simple pair of jeans, and a plaid button down, but that wasn't what had me throwing all my anger at him right out the window. In his hands, was a beautiful bouquet of daffodils and red and white carnations.

"Hi," he whispered as my mouth dropped open in amazement.

No words would come out of my mouth as I stood and stared at him. A part of me wanted to rip the stupid flowers out of his hands and stomp on them with my feet; the part of me that was still angry at him. But then, that other part of me, that messed up part of me that still loved him even after everything he had done to me, was melting. I was melting, my heart was beating so fast, and I couldn't help but remember how many times I had dreamed of this moment. How many times had I dreamed that Evan Andrews would be standing on my front porch, offering me a bouquet of flowers?

I blew out a nervous breath. "Hi,"

He stood there for a moment, like he was unsure of what to say and unsure of what I would do, before he finally spoke.

"These are for you," he said, holding the flowers out to me.

I glanced at them for a moment, before looking back into his eyes. He brought me flowers... flowers? Did he think that flowers could fix everything he had said about me? My stomach was doing flips and while a part of me wanted to be mad at him, that other part of me was fighting all my feelings of anger. My feelings for Evan, for all his kindness, and his goodness, were starting to surface again.

How could someone who is bringing me flowers right now, have said all those things he did about me? I took the flowers from him, my stomach twisting into nervous knots as we stood there, staring at each other, both of us unsure of what to say.

"Look, Emery, I know that I don't deserve for you to listen to me right now, especially after what I said about you, but if you could just let me explain—"

"Why?" I whispered, the angry side of me taking over. "Why should I?"

He opened his mouth, like he wanted desperately to say something. Wanted desperately for me to know something, but instead he sighed. "Because I care about you. And I know that you might not think so, but please. Please, just let me explain, and I promise you can do whatever you want with my explanation, but I just have to know that I at least tried." he whispered, the desperation so evident in his voice.