Say I Love You

Chapter 23- Tough Choices

       DECISION TIME!!!!

I hope you guys don't hate me for this :P

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                       Chapter 23- Tough Choices

                                          Nathaniel

“Clea!” I shouted after her desperately.

 “Leave me alone Jessica,” I turned to  Jessica with a snarl.

Jessica let me go in shock. Taking a step back, she hung her head in shame.

 I stopped calling out Clea's name and looked at Jessica.

“Jessica..” I called her name again until she looked at me. “I'm sorry.. But I'll never love you again.”

Jessica watched me silently, letting my words sink in, and then she gave me a single nod. She was finally letting go.

“Thank you,” I whispered and then ran after Clea.

The momentary distraction with Jessica had made me lose track of the direction Clea had run off in. Finally, after going off track a couple of times, I saw her ahead of me. Just when I was about to call her name, I saw her slam into someone. That someone being Adrian.

I cursed my bad luck but made no indication of moving. I stood where I was and watched them, desperately wishing that I could reverse time.

Why... Why was I always the cause of her tears?

Like yesterday, I watched Adrian comfort Clea, and though Clea's anger towards me yesterday had taught me never to spy on her, I couldn't resist the urge. So I stood still and watched. After a couple of minutes, Clea had finally stopped crying and I exhaled, not realizing that I was holding my breath for so long.

Clea looked into Adrian's eyes and then suddenly she ran away like a startled rabbit. I forced myself off the attempt to chase her and watched Adrian call her name, just as I had done only moments ago.

I held my breath as Clea tripped and Adrian cushioned her fall. In their distraction, I made my move. I moved close enough to hear everything they said, hiding like a predator waiting to pounce. No.. No more like a crook with everything to hide.

“No Adrian, I wanted to return this. Thank you, but I don't need it anymore,” Clea told Adrian quietly, handing back the jacket he had wrapped around her shoulders. I recognized it as the one which instigated such jealousy in me when I had first spotted it lying on Clea's bed.

I looked at Adrian, trying to gauge his reaction.

Adrian nodded his head and took it back. Then both of them looked deep into each other's eyes, unspoken thoughts traversing between them.

Why? Why was she giving it back? After he proposed his love for her through a song. Why now?

I then realized the answer. Why Clea had come looking for me and why she was handing back the jacket to Adrian.

She was going to pick me.

Not Adrian, but me.

After all that had happened, she was actually going to choose me. She was always mine, but I had just been stupid enough to not realize it.

I groaned as I sunk to the ground. Biting the inside of my mouth, I threw my head back and looked at the moon.

So stupid.