I Blame Wattpad for My High Expectations of Men

Chapter 74 - I'd never truly move on from her.

~Monday, February 22, 2021 - The Day My World Came Crashing Down~

~Ace Rivers's Point of View~

I've been waiting for Lola to send me her flight information, so I know when to pick her up, but it's already late in the afternoon and I've yet to receive a single thing. For some odd reason, the nap I took yesterday morning lasted a lot longer than I expected, so my goodnight text to her was sent later than usual. Still, I never received a response back, not even when I went to text her the next morning. We never miss each other's first and last daily texts, so I was initially surprised when she did for the first time in years. Nevertheless, I quickly pushed it off to the side knowing how busy she must be. She already went out her way to get here, the least I wanted to do was burden her even more.

But now, I'm officially worried.

I'm so worried that I've started to pace back and forth in our living room, wondering what to do next.

Should I call someone? The airline? Her publicist? Our friends and family? Maybe...But what if it's nothing? What if she just hasn't been able to return any of my texts or calls for a completely valid reason and I'm just overreacting? But then again, it's been over twenty-four hours.

Fuck, I don't know want to do!

I pace some more before I finally grow some balls and grab my phone to dial the most important man in Lola's life, when suddenly, his caller ID starts blaring across the screen. I immediately pick up.

"Luca, thank God you-"

"You have ten seconds to tell me what the hell is going on before I drag your ass back here and lock you two in a room until you've kissed and made up."

I blink once, removing the phone from my ear to make sure that I'm talking to the right person. It says 'Luca,' alright.

"What?" I finally ask him, completely and utterly confused.

"What do you mean 'what?'" He all but hisses in a whisper. I then hear him shut a door behind him, followed by the sound of busy city streets, indicating that he's most likely stepped outside to talk to me. No longer whispering, he says, "I fly back home to visit Mom and Noah, and next thing I know, I'm opening up the door for my crying sister in the middle of the fucking night. What the fuck happened, Ace?"

Lola? Crying? Fuck, my heart aches just at the thought of that, despite the fact that I have no idea what could've possibly caused any of it.

Shit, how long was I out yesterday? And more importantly, what the fuck happened in the meantime that led to all of this?!

"Luca, I don't have a single fucking clue to what's going on but whatever you do, don't let Lola out of your sight. I'll be on the next flight to Chicago, just don't let her leave!"

I don't even wait for him to respond before I'm grabbing my passport, wallet and keys, soon speeding down the streets of LA to get to the airport on time. Hell, I'm currently experiencing life at the speed of eighty WTFs an hour, so I have to make that last flight!

I am so totally, completely, overwhelmingly, eye-poppingly, life-changingly, spectacularly, passionately, deliciously in love with Lola Dino, that I don't even begin to realize how cringy these words might sound...all I care about is getting the love of my life back, and I will, even if it's the last thing I do.

***

The first thing I do when I reach Lola's mother's door is knock the shit out of it. I bang my fists so fast and hard that I nearly hit Luca in the face when he finally opens it.

"Where is she?"

"Okay, first of all, why don't you take a breather, yeah?" He advises, and I don't blame the guy. With my rasped breathing and blaring red face, you'd think I just got done running a fucking marathon. But I don't have time for any of this right now, I need to see her.

"Luca, I'm fine, bro. Just let me talk to her."

Luca opens his mouth to respond, but another all too familiar voice takes his place. Her face no better than mine, even though she still looks absolutely beautiful, Lola emerges from behind Luca with her arms folded across her chest.

My heart sinks when I notice that her engagement ring is no longer on her left hand. 

"It's okay, Luca," she tells him, her voice all but cracking. Luca looks down at his sister, then back up at me before focusing on her once more.

"You sure?" She nods her head, her puffy eyes just about ready to gauge mine out. Seriously, what the fuck happened in the last twenty-four hours?! "Alright," Luca sighs, kissing her temple before leaving us alone outside.

I don't waste a single second in trying to engulf her in a hug...keyword being 'trying' because she immediately pushes me back when she sees my intention.

"Don't!" She yells, tears streaming down her face. She vigorously wipes them away with the back of her hand, but that does nothing to stop my own from slowly forming. "I- I have no idea why you'd fucking come here after everything," she breathes heavily, her voice strained, "but you need to leave. Leave me the fuck alone, Ace, and don't ever come back."

"Baby, what the fuck are you talking about?" I plead to know, taking another step forward, only for her to take one back. "Lo, please talk to me. You weren't answering any of my texts or calls. You never sent me your flight information. Baby, what's going on? What did I miss in the last twenty-four hours?"

I'm so fucking confused at all that's happened that I don't even acknowledge the shiny piece of rose gold flying towards my chest until it's landed on the ground. I look down in complete disbelief, my eyes darting up to hers in record time.

"Figure it out, I already have."

"Lola-"

"I was dumb enough to fall for you. I was dumb enough to think we would actually make it. But mark my words, Ace Rivers," she warns, nothing but pure anger and coldness lacing her tone, "I will not be dumb enough to stand here and believe any other word that leaves your God damn mouth." She nods at the engagement ring with pure disgust before her eyes meet mine again. I admit, I love getting lost in those deep brown pools of hers, but not when they're looking at me like this. "Just know that I was originally going to sell the fucking thing, but now I realize that the less remaining ties I have with you, the better."

And with that, she shuts the door in my face, leaving me absolutely speechless.

I must've stood there for at least an hour with a million different thoughts racing through my mind, but only one ever seemed to remain longer than thirty seconds...the one that was telling me that this wasn't over.

So, I fought.

I fought for six months straight until I physically and emotionally couldn't anymore. I loved and would love Lola Dino until my very last breath, but it eventually got to the point where I was done fighting for her attention.

        It finally came time to move on with my life, even though I already knew that I'd never truly move on from her.

---

*Author's Note: I tried to visualize this heartbreaking scene in my mind, and nearly started crying myself. I know this was a short chapter, but more about the breakup will be revealed in Ace's final chapter that'll eventually lead back up to present day. That being said, those would be my two cents regarding this chapter, what are yours? Please share your comments below, and as always, don't forget to vote, share, etc. if you're feeling like it. Stay blessed! :)*