Don't Love Me ✓

26

“Did I stand by your standards of being a man?” He asked, one arm on the steering wheel and other by the window. It was a little more than ten right now and the streets were eerily quiet. The dinner went by smoothly and we talked about here’s and there’s throughout, not catching any awkward moments. He did not make any sexual innuendo after that and I did no such thing to give him blue balls.  

Right now, we were parked outside my house, sitting inside the car in comfortable silence. Suddenly I remembered my bag that I left inside his car this afternoon, so I turned around and leaned back to grab the bag before I could forget all about it and get locked out of my own house.  I heard Caden intake a sharp breath and I knew why he did, so not wanting to actually leave him with a hard on, I quickly sat back in my original place.

“Hmm, I’d say you were a nine out of ten.” I replied to his earlier question and smiled mischievously at him to which he smiled back, something he did a lot in less than twenty four hours and something that I had taken a liking over.

Men are really the prettiest when they smile.

I didn’t know what gave them the idea that smirking all day through would get them girls because smiling was the way, atleast for me.

“Let me take you out on another date then and I can show you a ten.” He winked and I shook my head, chuckling at him.

“Another date?”

“You didn’t think it was a casual hangout today, now did you?”

“I really enjoyed myself today, thank you, seriously.” I leaned forward and planted a small kiss on his cheek and he took a shaky breath. His grip on the steering wheel tightened and he stared at me with something in his eyes.

Not waiting for his response, I opened the door of the car and got out, ready to head home, but before I could take any step further, I was stopped by an arm holding my wrist. He turned me around with a tug and put his hands on my waist, my hands resting on his chest. My cheeks gained some colour and I raised my eyebrows at him, questioningly.

He chuckled at my confused state and leaned closer, bringing his lips towards my ears, slightly brushing against it and whispered huskily, “A real man never ends a date without a kiss.”

My breathing hitched and I closed my eyes to calm my raging nerves. The way my body was reacting to him was wrong, I was not suppose to like anyone, no one, but I knew that the deed was done and I also knew that he would never fall for me, so it was a plus one for me because I won’t have to worry about breaking someone’s heart.

He brought his face closer and leaned in, his lips too close to mine, just any second and they would be on me, but I couldn’t let it happen, it would be too much for me, too much for my emotions and if I won’t stop him now, then it would get very difficult for me to solve my feelings and keep them in place. So, just when his lips were about to touch mine, I turned my head making his lips touch the corner of my lips instead.

The short touch of his lips made my hormones go crazy and goosebumps erupted in my entire body. Who would have known that a simple touch could ignite so many feelings inside you? A simple touch from a person who I did not even know properly, but one thing was sure, he was making my last days worth memorising for me.

“A real man never kiss her woman on lips without her consent.” I whispered, looking into his eyes that were hard to read, hard to comprehend.

“Go out with me on Thursday?” He asked with so much hope that it ached my heart to turn him down, but we both knew I had plans on that day.

“You know I can’t, I am going on a dinner with Steve.” He groaned and a smile appeared on my lips without my consent. He was acting too cute and my heart couldn’t handle so much cuteness. It was too much for a day.

“Friday then?” The smile on my face instantly vanished, but I force it back quickly before he could realise any change in my behavior.

“Fridays are taken.”

“With Grace, right?” I nodded my head and he nodded back in understanding. After giving it a small thought, he asked me, “How about I join you guys wherever you are going and when you guys are done, you can part ways with Grace?” It pained me so much just thinking about Friday, I thought I was ready for death, I had everything pre-planned, then why was I chickening out all of a sudden?

My last two appointments with Dr. Kelly didn’t really go that good and I was not going to lie, but for the first time ever, I was scared to meet her, I was scared as to what was about to unfold. She had already dropped the bomb that I had less days than before, I did not want her to drop any other bombs anytime soon. It would be too much for me to take in.

“How about Saturday?” I suggested and his face beamed happily and he excitedly bobbed his head.

“Saturday it is, then!” I pulled away from him and took a step back, creating some distance between us and waved my hand at him to let him know that I was leaving. He waved back and got into the car, a wide smile never leaving his face.

“Goodnight.” He said, bidding goodbye.

“Goodnight.”

Just as I unlocked the door and stepped inside, I broke down, right then and there. All I wanted to do was spend my last days peacefully, was it too much to ask? I had known about him since elementary and my heart decides to flutter just now? When there was no hope? No chance? Not even a ray?

Tears started flowing down my eyes like a downpour and I called the only person who could handle my sorry mess. She picked it up almost instantly and said her hello, but when I didn’t say anything in reply because my tears just won’t stop, she grew worried,

“Rosa, are you okay?”

“I am n-not.” I hiccuped and rubbed my tears with the back of my hand.

“I am on my way, don’t hang up on me.” I heard some shuffling and I knew she was already on her way out. 

“It hurts, Gracie, it hurts so much.” A sob escaped my lips.

“Where does it hurt, Rosa? Is it the migraine again or the coughing? I am just three minutes away, please just keep on talking to me.”

“Don’t be r-rash driving, Gracie, I c-can’t have you hurt.”

“You can’t be getting fucking worried over me when it’s you who is fucking hurt.” She let out a short pause and then continued, “Okay, I am right at the corner.” Not even a minute later, the door flew open and her face grew even more worried finding me on the floor, crying my eyes out.

“Rosa, no baby, don’t cry. Talk to me, tell me where does it hurt, do you want to go to the hospital? Do you want me to call 911?” I shook my head and cried harder.

“G-Gracie, is it possible for someone to fall in l-love with someone they just met?”

“What are you talking about?” Her eyebrows crunched together as she rubbed my back up and down.

“Is it?” I asked again.

“Love at first sight really is a thing, Rosa, but why are you asking this all of a sudden?” A sob escaped my lips as the tears stopped rolling down my eyes. I looked at her with moisture in my eyes and whispered,

“Gracie?”

“Yes?”

“I think... I think I am falling in l-love.” Her eyebrows shot up and she held my shoulders, “Who? What? H-How? When?”

“Caden Matthew.”

•••••••

And from here begins the sad love story of Rosaline and Caden.