I Broke You

Chapter 3

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"The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new." -Socrates

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Of course he called Brennan.

Rusty jumps into the back seat, but I don't move. I can't.

"Coming, mon petit chou-fleur?" I've never met someone as hopelessly romantic as this boy I'm in love with. He is always calling me "his little cauliflower". I love how he's not embarrassed to talk to me this way.

Brennan doesn't even glance at me as I climb into the passenger seat. He turns out of the lot and I hear the tires squeal as we drive away. He has his country music playing with all his windows rolled down.

The fresh air smells like summer; fresh-cut grass and suntan oil. My hair is flying back and the breeze is drying my still-soaking bikini.

"Thanks for coming, bro", Rusty mumbles before falling into a light slumber. I can hear his heavy breathing from behind. He never was one to stay up late.

A love song comes on the radio and Brennan moves quick to turn down the already quiet volume.

"I'm sorry, Bren. For everything", I stutter.

He's still not making eye contact. "For what?"

"I'm sorry for what I said to you earlier".

"Don't worry bout it." Somehow something switched. I shouldn't be apologizing for him telling me he has feelings for me. He should be apologizing to me! "Let's just move on. So how are you?", he asks.

"I'm just lovely."

"I know. But I meant how are you doing?" He can't be serious. Im pretty sure he just told me we should "move on" two seconds ago.

Brennan leans in close and whispers "I missed you today". I expect to see him wink at me, or have humor spread across his face. But when I look, he is holding a vacant look. He's serious. I didn't think he meant we should move on with our "relationship" and continue what we are doing. I mean were doing last night.

He removes his hand from the wheel and rests it on mine. I swat his fingers away and hope he gets the message. I'm moving on.

It wasn't all that long ago he acted like he didn't want me anywhere near him. Actually that was last week.

Brennan has always been that stuck up jerk, who cares about nobody but himself. He's one of the guys everyone loved in high school. Every girl wanted a bad boy they could "fix". Although countless tried, he never stopped being the dick he truly is. That's why I was surprised to find him snuggled by me when I woke up this morning. It doesn't fit his image.

The sad face he's wearing sinks my heart. I almost feel sorry for him. Almost.

It's hard to shake the feeling I have that I want him to try something again. I'm not saying I would let him. Before Rusty, I had never felt wanted in my life and now it seems everybody wants me. Many guys always try to get something from me, but I never let them. Until Bren. But I just promised myself I was over this. My boyfriend is only two feet behind us.

I can feel his eyes on me from the corner of mine. "I'm sorry, Em. Really. I know you don't feel the same. I won't try anything." If he only knew. I wish he'd find someone better than me. He deserves a nice girl. If he wouldn't act like such an ass towards everyone, he could meet someone decent. He's had girlfriends in the past, but they were all blond-haired, bitchy snobs. I know he likes me, and it's killing me.