Over the Years

Chapter 16.

Sweat begins to trickle down my face. My chest begins to burn. My head begins to pound.

My mother?!?!

"Mom!" I yell, my voice booming a little louder than expected. 

"Yes, sweetheart? What is i-?" She stops when she sees the tear-stained card I hold in my hand.

"Oh, honey! You didn't like my card?" She chuckled. My face remained stone cold. This was not a joke. 

"Don't act innocent mom! This is the exact same writing that was on the note that Wes gave me!" My face relays an expression of pure disgust. "That wasn't Wes, was it? That was you." I begin to back away slowly, as realization sets in within her. She sighs.

"Yes, honey. That was me. But I can explain-"

"Mom! You ruined the best thing that has ever happened to me! And because of you, I drove Wes away from me! How could you do that?!"

"Because I don't want to see you get hurt like me!" She bursts. "I've never found happiness with anyone, Leia, and I'm scared you won't either! I told him to get out and to never contact you again. I wanted to stop anything before it ever happened. But apparently, I was too late. He already loves you." She heaved in disappointment.

"Are you serious! You think that protecting me from love is right? I love him back, and because of you, I almost lost him. That's right mom. Almost. Because I am going to get him back."

I stormed out of the house.

I needed to find Wes.

___________________________________________________________________________

I gently knocked on Wes' door. 

Please answer the door, Wes. Please answer the door. 

The door slowly creaked open. I glanced up to see a distraught Wes. He looked absolutely terrible. I could have sworn I saw a gleam of light flash through his eyes when he saw me, but it quickly faded, as he likely assumed I was here to pick up any belongings I might have ever left at his place. 

"Hi" I croaked.

"Hi" He feigned a smile. 

"Wes, I need to talk to you."

I grabbed his hand and pulled him outside, where it was just me, him, and the stars. 

"Wes, I know you are probably never going to forgive me. I know that, and I'm sorry. It's just that my mom gave me this note and it said it was from you, and it was saying how you couldn't handle whatever it was that was going on between us anymore, and that you left, and-" His lips crashed into mine, interrupting my verbal spiel. 

I looked up at him, where I met his deep blue eyes, filled with some sort of emotion. It wasn't happiness, but it wasn't sadness either. It looked like something much deeper. It looked like love. 

"Ley, I need you to know that I'm sorry. I left because your mom went on this rant, saying that I would never be good enough for you and that it would be better if I just left. I stupidly believed her, thinking that I was doing it for you. But it's not. God, I was so brokenhearted I even turned to some other girl, which I know wasn't right, but I needed something to numb the pain. As soon as I saw you, I immediately knew I made the wrong decision. I couldn't stand to see you in so much pain. But I'm here now, and I promise I will never let anyone get in the way of that anymore. I realize that I'm not in the process of falling in love with you, I'm already there. Please forgive me."

I smiled, and whispered in his ear. 

"I'm there too Wes."