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Wanted: Someone Who Cares, Part 9
Penny felt frozen in place when she heard his voice call out the nickname he had for her. She had always been his "Bella" for as long as she remembered. Her eyes went back to Thad, who was staring back at her. She closed hers. Her lips still felt warm from his. Tears burned the back of her eyelids. She had done it again. Her hands came up to cover her face.
"Don't cry."
She felt the gentle touch of his hands as he pulled hers away from her face. Ice blue eyes gazed at her solemnly.
Thad brought her hands up to his lips and he kissed them lightly. "Don't cry," he repeated as he brought his one hand up to her cheek. He brushed an errant tear away. "We can't have him see you upset like this, could we? Don't cry, Penny. For me."
Not saying anything, she nodded her head. His heart was in his eyes. "All right."
Giving her a rueful smile, he let his hand fall away. "Go to him. He's calling you."
There was a note of sadness in his voice, but he was smiling at her. She sniffed back her tears and pressed her palms against her cheeks. They felt heated.
"Bella! Where are you?"
Penny turned again at the sound of his voice. Forcing herself to walk towards Anthony's voice. She glanced over her shoulder at him. His head was bent down, his bangs falling over his forehead, shadowing his expression. Her heart twisted in her chest, but she kept on walking. "Anthony, I'm right here," she said as she stepped back out into the hall.
He clenched his hands into fists as she walked away. How he wanted to reach for her, to pull her back into his arms, where he knew she belonged. But he didn't. He wasn't going to because it couldn't happen, because he loved her too much to put her through any more pain because of him. Since the day he realized that Julia didn't really love him, he had longed for someone who did. Who wanted him. Who cared about him. Who really and truly loved him. He hadn't found it…until HER. Penny. Lifting his head, he heard her call out for Anthony. Blinking once, he bent down and retrieved the case that she had dropped. He sighed as he walked towards the door, his heart breaking with the knowledge that he could never have her. "All I can do is love her, but in order for her to be happy, I've let her go to someone else. It's the way it has to be." His eyes rose from the floor to see her locked in an embrace with HIM.
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"Bella, you have no idea how much I've missed you," said Anthony DiVerbra as he hugged her tight in his arms, her feet leaving the floor as he swung her around once. He smiled down into her face. "Are you surprised to see me?"
She nodded as she looked up into his deep brown eyes. They were always so warm and friendly. Giving him a tentative smile she leaned away from him. "I am. Why are you here, Anthony?"
"School is out for the semester and I wanted to see you. I missed you so much, Penny," he replied as he gave her a possessive kiss on her lips.
Thad turned his eyes away. There was no mistaking the way that her boyfriend felt about her. It was in the way he was holding her, the way he talked to her…the way that he was kissing her. His every action told the world that she was his girl. An ache spread throughout his chest. It made it hard for him to breathe. His eyes went to Vaughn standing a few feet behind Anthony. He was smiling indulgently, but his eyes turned towards him. They took on a glacial quality as they fell on him. "And what brings you here, Winner?"
Vaughn could feel the jealousy pouring off of Thad and practically permeating the space around him. The corner of his mouth tilted up in a semblance of a smile. "Came to deliver my cousin her "present," he replied. The ice blue eyes were gazing back at him steadily. He could see how much this was killing the older man. He sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets. "It was the nice thing to do."
"I see," replied Thad as he read the unspoken message in the violet eyes. It meant, "It was the right thing to do." Letting out a sigh of his own, he let his eyes rest back on Penny and Anthony. He wasn't kissing her anymore, but his hands were resting on her hips. A wave of jealousy washed through him, but he reminded himself that this man had the right to touch her like that; it was him, who didn't. "Are you going to introduce us, Penny?"
Penny turned to look over her shoulder at Thad. He was staring at her or to be more precise, the hands resting on her hips. Gently disengaging herself, she took a step back. "Anthony, I would like you to meet Thad Merquise. He's been helping me with my music. Thad, this is Anthony DiVerbra, my…boyfriend," she said, her voice fading with her last words.
Smiling, Thad took a step forwards and shook the other man's hand. "Its nice to finally meet you, after all Penny's told me about you." However, what he was feeling inside was twisting him into knots. Anthony was shorter than him, about the same size as Vaughn. His dark brown hair matched the eyes, and the skin tone was several shades darker than his own.
"I've heard a lot about you as well…from Vaughn, I mean. Since I go to school with him," replied Anthony, smiling in return. He released the older man's hand. He took quick note of him. Tall, blond, blue eyes, and good looking, definitely a guy his little sister would fawn over. "I hear you've been taking very good care of my girl. Any guy who can share her talent and make her smile is definitely a friend of mine."
The blond was taken aback. There was nothing he could find that he disliked. Penny's boyfriend was an all around nice guy from this meeting. How could he be envious of a guy like that? He smiled again. "I don't think I'm responsible for all of that."
"I don't think so. I'm into music as well, but I'm not quite as talented as Penny or any Winner for that matter. It was good of her cousin to introduce you two. She's makes quite an impression, doesn't she?" Anthony stated proudly as he took her hand in his. He kissed the back of it and smiled into her green eyes.
Ice blue eyes watched her hand in his. Her eyes flickered towards him before falling away. She was blushing. "Yes. Quite the impression."
Her face grew warmer under his gaze. She glanced down at the floor. "I don't think I'm that special."
Thad shook his head. "You are, don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise. Don't even let yourself say otherwise. You're unique, Penny."
Unbidden pleasure raced through her at his words. Her blush grew brighter, but she raised her eyes to his and gave him a shy smile. "Thank you."
Anthony grinned as well as she blushed and smiled. "I couldn't have said it better. You're quite unique, Bella. That's one of the reasons why I love you," he said as he grasped her hand again, his fingers absently twisting the ring on her left hand.
Thad's eyes fell on her ring. He grinned as well despite the sick feeling he had in his stomach. "You're a lucky guy, Anthony to have such a special girl like that."
The younger man hugged her close again and pressed a kiss on her cheek. "She's one in a million. She could have any guy she wanted, but she chose me. I've been in love with her since we were kids. It was sheer luck that she said "yes" to going out with me, and I still think I'm fortunate that she said the same to wearing the ring. It's not every day that your best friend, is the woman you love and going to marry."
There was that knife twist in his heart again. His head was beginning to pound. This was giving him a headache. "No, it's not everyday the woman you're going to marry falls into your lap."
There was such heartache in his eyes. It made her own heart clench painfully.
Vaughn's eyes bounced between Penny and Thad. The older man was so smitten by her, it was staggering. And his cousin was half in love with him as well. This was causing her great distress, which in turn, made him feel dizzy. He had a sneaky suspicion that the two of them had been doing something before Anthony and he came to surprise them, but he knew it would make Penny suffer even more. He didn't want to do that.
Thad ignored the probing gaze of the empath and continued to smile. "Why don't you go out with him? Spend some time? I'm sure there's a lot for you two to catch up on?"
Penny gave him a curious, but worried look. "Are you sure? I haven't been here that long and we were just going to listen to the music you did for me."
Nodding, he let his smile become relaxed instead of forced. "I'm sure. You can come back tomorrow and listen. You can bring Anthony if you like."
She let go of his hand and went over to the other man she loved deep within her heart. "Are you really sure this is ok with you?"
Reaching out, he let his fingers dance along her fingertips. "I'm sure. Remember what I said earlier? Go on, Penny. Go with him."
There was no mistaking the misery that was being put into his eyes. The words that he said to her earlier rang in her ears. "There's nothing I wouldn't do for you." He would let her go, so she could be happy and not hurt her. "I understand," she said softly. She looked back at Anthony. "Come on. I have to go get my coat before we leave," she said as she took his head and lead him from the room, but not before glancing over her shoulder, her eyes meeting his for a brief moment before turning away.
"Thank you, Thad. I owe you one," called Anthony as he let himself be led out of the room by the woman he loved.
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Vaughn stood there and didn't say anything until he was sure they were out of earshot. "That was noble of you."
The older blond shut his eyes and let out a long rueful sigh. "It's for her."
"I know it is. You're being the gentleman. You love her. She loves you. But you understand now, how torn she was and still is. There's no way she would leave him because she loves him too despite loving you the way that she does."
"I know that too."
"I'm sure that you do. I didn't think I had to punch you the other night for you to understand that. It was more just to make me feel better."
"You did it for her. She's family. I understand perfectly. I would do it for my sister. I would do it for Victoria and Veronica. I would protect them and defend them in the same manner."
A corner of the empath's mouth quirked up. "I'm glad that we see eye to eye on this. It shows courage and a great deal of strength to give up the woman you love, just to make sure she's happy, even if it means she's in the arms of another man. Penny is easy to love. She makes everything uncomplicated…and she brings out the very best in everyone around her."
Thad looked at the floor. "It might show strength and courage, but it does hurt a lot. I'm giving up my future for someone else. If she wanted me to pursue her, I would, but she doesn't. It would cause her too much anguish if I made her choose. I'm not going to. I don't want to make her cry. I much rather see her smile and laugh."
A full smile crossed Vaughn's lips.
Crystalline eyes met amethyst. "That's why I'm giving her up even though it hurts. As long as she smiles, laughs…and sings, it will bring me joy knowing that I could do that one little thing for her."
"You're truly something else, Thad Merquise. I give you that. Even though what happened Friday night…went and pissed me off because it caused her pain, I can't hold a grudge for caring about her the way that you do."
"That's good to know."
Vaughn smiled again. "Well, I think I should go give them a ride back home. You're doing the right thing, Thad," he said as he turned on his heel and left the room.
Sad blue eyes fell to the floor again. "Yeah…I'm doing the right thing. Then why does it have to feel wrong?"
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Glancing out at the passing landscape, Penny let out a soft sigh. The look in his eyes. It made a lump form in her throat, but she pushed it down. She wasn't going to cry. She promised she wouldn't…for him. Her eyes went to Anthony's reflection in the review mirror and gave him a smile before looking away. "I made my choice. I'm doing the right thing. We're doing the right thing," she told herself as her heart tightened in her chest.
A/N: Getting interesting, yes? Until next time! XOXO!
