Just A Step Away

Chapter 23

Katherine's POV:

As soon as those words escaped from Adam's lips, my heart started sinking in misery. I knew what was going to happen then. After what I tried to explain him about my love of life and about my choices, he still said this. Now there was only one thing which was going to happen now. And I'm so not happy with my decision but I've no option left.

I cherished our friendship but I hated this love triangle. I've tried to safe our friendship but by seeing his eyes, I can bet that nothing is going to remain the same.

I could see possessiveness, desperation, urgency, need and all the extreme emotions in his eyes.

After what seem like eternity, I decided to speak.

"Adam, I respect your feelings and I totally understand you but you do know that I love Darwin, right? Can't you just move on to save our friendship? I know I'm asking a lot but- please?" I pleaded because I seriously didn't want to lose our friendship. We don't even know each other from that long so I think it must be easy for him than me to forget love.

I watched him with an expectant look but he was showing no emotion. Again he stood there numb but I needed answers from him. Like immediately.

"Adam?" I snapped my fingers to call him back from his thought to face the reality.

Finally he looked me in my eyes for a minute and then spoke.

"I can't. I just can't ignore my feelings or be with you for playing "just friends" tag. I love you dammit and I want you. You are leaving me for whom? That Darwin? Who doesn't even care about you. Who never said sorry and has always been jerk head. Who never respected you. You are going to keep loving him?"

"Adam-"

"No! stop Kathie. Listen to me and get this very straight. Darwin doesn't love you. He doesn't even care for you. I love you and I CAN keep you happy. I will give you every happiness of this world, just name it. I'll take you to shopping daily. I'll do anything you say. I will cook for us too. Just please say yes to me. Please." he grabbed my hands and put them close to his lips while crying like a baby. My heart ached by seeing this side of him but he was wrong. I know Darwin was behaving strange previously but that doesn't mean that he doesn't love me or have stopped caring for me. I know Darwin since childhood and I had faith in him. On our friendship. On our love. I don't care what other people suggested, I know what he is and how much I matter to him. Adam needed to understand this. I freed my hands from his grip before speaking.

"Adam please try to understand. I can't be with-" he again stopped me. By putting his index finger on my lips.

"Ssh. Don't. Don't Say that word. Please. Ok wait. I have a deal. You keep loving Darwin but please- let me love you. I don't want your love back but let me praise you, let me do things which will make you happy. Let- Let me love you." he looked at me with expectation. How could I explain this to him that I simply can't do this.

"Adam stop now. You are going too far with these emotions of yours. You don't even know me completely and you are ready to ruin your whole life for me? Don't do this please. And plus, I can't even let you love me. I know Darwin really well, if he got any hint that you love me and we are still friends then I swear he'll go crazy. You don't know him. He is way too possessive. He can't even see me with anyone. And I will not hurt him by doing this because I love him and I simply cannot afford to lose him."

I was seriously done with this topic and I just wanted to go to my room and hug Darwin tightly. I desperately needed him by my side now.

"Katherine why don't you understand? He is so not worth it because he is a fucking asshole and a son of a *****-" without letting him continue, my fingers met with his cheek with a loud thud. I slapped him. Very hard.