You've Got it Bad

Forty Three

Perrie's POV

When I heard the keys jingling in the door, I turned my attention back to the TV. I didn't want her to see my red, puffy eyes or know that I had been crying.

I'd taken a quick shower when she left, and was hoping to be asleep by the time she got back. I wasn't ready to face her. Not yet.

"I'm ba—" she started, her voice cutting off mid-sentence.

Too late.

I felt her freeze in the doorway, and before I could even look at her, I knew she had noticed. Damn her for knowing me so well. For always being able to see right through me, no matter how hard I tried to hide.

I kept my eyes on the TV, even though I wasn't really watching it. My throat felt tight, and my voice came out barely above a whisper. "We've got about an hour before we need to leave."

She didn't respond right away. I could feel her hesitation, like she wasn't sure how to approach me. Then, I heard her keys hit the windowsill, and the sound of her footsteps as she walked in my direction sent a wave of emotion crashing over me. I swallowed hard, blinking away the tears that threatened to spill again.

The next thing I knew, she had dropped down on her knees in front of me, her warm brown eyes searching my face as if trying to read my mind.

She blocked my view of the TV, but I still refused to look at her. I closed my eyes, because there was no doubt I'd get lost in her beauty and my walls would come crashing down if I looked at her.

"Please stop crying. I hate seeing you cry. I don't ever want to be the reason you're crying." She whispered.

Her hand brushed against my cheek, and I don't know why, but I flinched. Just a little, but it was enough for her to notice. She pulled her hand back immediately, like she'd been burned, and I opened my eyes in time to see the hurt on her face.

I didn't mean to flinch like that. I didn't mean to hurt her. She didn't deserve that, but what I couldn't understand was why she was the one acting hurt?

"I'm sorry." I said, I really didn't mean to react to her like that. Like she scares me or something. I would never do that.

She stared at me in silence for a moment, like she was gathering her thoughts, trying to find the right words.

"Talk to me, baby. Why don't you trust me? What have I done to lose your trust?" She asked me, her voice trembling.

I stayed quiet, my lips pressing together tightly as I fought to hold back another wave of tears. I didn't trust myself to speak yet, afraid my voice would break, or worse, that I would say something that I couldn't take back.

"Please?" She begged for a response.

"You keep lying to me," I finally said, my voice cracking. "And I don't know why."

She didn't say anything, and the silence only fueled my frustration.

"See?" I continued, my voice rising. "You don't even have anything to say! But you were awfully chatty with that woman on the phone!"

Her sigh was heavy, and she pinched the bridge of her nose before looking back at me. "Let me ask you this. Do you... do you think I'm cheating on you?"

It was my turn to stay silent. To be honest, I didn't know. I obviously didn't want it to be true, but the signs were starting to show.

"How could you ever think I would do that to you? To us?" She continued.

"I don't know, Jade," I shot back, tears sliding down my face. "Maybe because you're sneaking around, always on your phone and computer, lying to me, and talking to another woman about how important she is to you!"