Previously in Scandal Like Never Before:
I laughed, looking around the luxurious, fully furnished hotel suite, taking in the crowd of not-so sober girls I called my friends and smiled inwardly. This was going to be a good weekend to de-stress, I could feel it.
Spa Day was exactly what I needed to get my mind off everything related to Easton. Unfortunately, the weekend eventually had to end, and I was thrusted back into the drama I call my life. Luckily though, the constant whispers about Hurricane Reed have subsided and Easton was somewhat back to normal. Not considering the fact that Billings was torn down and that I three near-death experiences. Yup, completely normal.
Monday, the most dreadful day of the week was here and I couldn't wait until it was over. Morning classes passed at such a sluggish pace that it seemed like time had stopped altogether. Eventually, lunch came and I could breathe a sigh of relief. As soon as class ended I rushed, pretty much ran, to the dining hall. Not that I was actually all that hungry. Just the thought of seeing Sawyer, though I had no idea why, made me excited. I was about to pull the door open when a hand clamped down on my shoulder. I covered my mouth to stop the instinctual scream. The figure turned me around by the shoulders and I gasped.
"Josh" he smiled as I gasped out his name in a breath. He promptly took a step closer and wrapped his arms around me in an emotion-filled hug. I felt so dumbstruck that I couldn't respond to the hug. It was just not possible. Didn't we officially break up? Didn't we agree to take a break, see other people? Then why the hell was he hugging me so lovingly!
"Please..stop." I muffled into his coat with as much venom in my voice as I could muster. He took a step back and began fiddling with his hands, obviously in an awkward position. Not that I was in a better one.
"Reed, I know you said that you want to take an official break, but I just can't do it Reed. I can't keep up the appearance that I'm over you, because I'm obviously not." This was not processing in my head and I was about to stop him with my own words but he put his finger to my lips and so I closed my mouth.
"Please, just hear me out. I broke up with Ivy." My eyes bulged the moment he said this and my mouth hung open. The words kept playing through my head and I couldn't grasp their meaning. What this meant for us. Nothing. Right?
"I broke up with her because of you Reed. I never stopped thinking about you. I never stopped loving you." He said the last part so quietly, it was almost a whisper.
"I-I..Josh, I though that we clarified this last time? You need to give me time. You really hurt me Josh." I finally found my voice and by the end of my sentence it was already cracking.
"Reed I didn't mean to. Well, yes I did, but I was stupid. Please, just give me a chance. I made a mistake and I want to make things right with you. I want to start over." I couldn't believe that he was saying this. After so long, after so many tears I shed, he finally had the heart to apologize?
"You're really not making my life any easier Josh. I can't start over!" I shouted the last part at his face and couldn't help the tears that began to fall. Slowly at first, but then they thickened into heavy tears.
He stepped up to me as close as possible and took my face in his hands which were warm despite the frost. He cradled my face in his hands and I felt a pang of sorrow for what used to be but I quickly pushed it away. He leaned it slowly and I closed my eyes, unable to resist the urge, and the words I wanted to yell at him stuck in my throat.
"Don't..." I managed to whimper, but he stopped my protest with his lips. The kiss filled with longing and passion he had never exerted before as he wound his hands through my hair, grasping my face, and I found myself longing for the past. The way we were before all the drama. Before all the heartaches. I started to kiss him back, letting our lips fall in sync. This was the way it was meant to be. Not the messed up way it actually was.
Then I remembered everything we went through and the fact that I was inevitably developing feelings for Sawyer. I pulled away roughly with these thoughts and stared back at a confused Josh.
"Oh God Reed, I'm an idiot. I'm sorry, I should have never done that..." He started rambling in apologies but I stopped him with my hand.
"It's...fine." I sighed. Since when was I such a mess?
"So where does this leave us?"He asked me tentatively. I knew that he was expecting me to forgive him. To say that I would get back with him and that things would go back to normal. But they wouldn't. And that was evident.
"Josh," I sighed, as there was nothing else I could do. " I don't know. Why do you do this to me?" I whispered it and hoped that he understood the double meaning. The fact that I finally asked the question of why all of this happened. Absolutely everything we went through.
I could see he was struggling with the answer. "Because. Because I love you Reed." I tensed at his words. Because he loved me.
"Are you sure Josh? Are you sure you're not just saying that?" I practically spat the words at his face. He looked hurt and his hung his head. He groaned inwardly and covered his face with his hands.
"Yes. Know that, I never stopped loving you and I never will." I wanted to reach out, to hold him and never let go but I couldn't. Something stopped me in my tracks.
Just then I heard somebody clear their throat and Josh lifted his face from his hands while I abruptly turned to face the stranger. Sawyer was standing there, a couple of feet away, his clear green eyes betraying the distress his face was trying so hard to hide.
"Reed..I thought..that..you and him were over?" He stumbled on his words and my heart reached out to him.
"We need to talk." I simply stated. He nodded his head in understanding and started heading our way.
Why we shared the silent transaction, Josh was glaring at Sawyer the whole time.
"What the hell does it matter to you?" He blurted out at a stunned Sawyer. I groaned and shot Josh a warning look.
Sawyer composed himself and took a defensive stance. "Unlike you, I actually care about Reed." His voice was filled with hate and revealed a new side of Sawyer. I instantly wanted to be far away from here and as if my stomach sensed my thoughts it grumbled loud enough for both Josh and Sawyer to hear. I blushed and they both grinned at me.
"Lunch time I guess. Reed you coming?" Sawyer asked as he opened the door to the dining hall, never taking his eyes off of Josh. This was going to be a problem.
"Yeah one sec, I need to talk talk to Josh." He just nodded without looking at me and went into the dining hall.
"So..." Josh started.
"No. You don't get a say in this. You have to give me so time, like I said, to work this out. I don't know if its the best thing for us to get back together right now. Okay?" I asked hopefully because now that we shared what we did, I didn't want to lose him again. But at the same time, I wasn't ready to get back together.
He looked relieved, as if he was expecting a worse response. "Yeah. Definitely. I get it." He smiled and I knew that it was forced.
"So I'll see you later?" He asked tentatively and I responded with a smile. Then he too opened the huge double door and disappeared into the dining hall. I sighed looking after him as his curls bounced in the wind and leaned against the adjacent wall. I was hesitant to go to lunch since I knew that the Billings girls will be bursting with questions. I just didn't feel like facing an angry Sawyer, a hopeful Josh, and curious Billings girls so I turned my back to the dining hall and went to the one place I haven't been in for a while. The art cemetery. The place where Josh and I shared so many memories and intimate moments. The place where I had my heart broken. And the place which seemed to melt away my thoughts.
As I entered the building, I was instantly greeted with warmth and the smell of dust. I took off my coat, hanging it on the loveseat. I was about to sit down on it when I remembered what had happened with Cheyenne on this seat and straightened up, sitting on the couch Josh and I always sat on. I stroked the leather of the couch, trying to get my thoughts in order. I was probably sitting there for an hour and lunch was most likely over but I didn't mind. I got up from the couch and went over to the wall where so many paintings hung, observing each one without actually seeing what was in front of me. It was just a way to get my mind off things. I heard a creek as the inner door opened and I spun around, looking at the visitor. A green eyed boy with a shy demeanor and cheeks pink from the frost. Sawyer.
My mouth gaped open. Sawyer knew about the art cemetery? I thought it was private. Just for me and Josh.
"You..you know about this place?" I managed to croak out, still too shocked.
"I saw you walk in and the door was open. Do-do you want me to leave? Because I can-" He started muttering and I just started at him. As he started to turn around, obviously dissapointed, I snapped out of my frozen state.
"Wait, no. I was just surprised since only Josh and I know about this place." I shouted a bit too loud, but he simply grinned at me. I went to take my seat on the couch and patted the space beside me which he gladly took. Covering the space separating us in a stride.
"So, what is this place?"
"Josh calls it the art cemetery. I came here to think." He stiffened at Josh's name but composed himself just as quickly.
"Right."
"Sawyer, what happened back there?" My voice was almost pleading and he scrunched his eyebrows together as if in concentration.
"Reed, there's no easy way to say this, but..." I wasn't prepared for what came next and it hit me like a sudden shock. "I think I'm falling for you. Hard" The last part he whispered as quietly as possible and put his hand under my chin. I lifted my head slowly, afraid of meeting his eyes.
I eventually did meet his eyes, which looked pained. He leaned in carefully, afraid of my reaction and as his soft lips gently brushed over mine, a spark of electricity flowed through my body and I responded eagerly, something he wasn't expecting. The kiss quickly deepened as he leaned over me on the couch and I stopped myself, pushing him away gently before things went too far. He stared back at me with a smile playing at his lips and I met his dancing eyes with my own unsuppressed grin. What had I gotten myself into?
A/N
Hi guys! I know I haven't updated in a week, which is a total record for me, lol. But yeah, here's chapter 5!
Like it, love it? Tell me all about it!
Cotpink- I always suck at punctuation, lol, but thanks for the advice =)
Anyways, review please and the next chapter will probably be up after Christmas!
Happy Holidays
-Maks
