Chapter 27

It Happened in the Gym

Hello, everyone. I had to post this late in the evening because of my late day at work. I hope that y'all enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

I want to reply to the guest that keeps saying that she read this story in the past. You have not. I never got to finish it because it was deleted so there's no way that you know how it's going to end. I just hope that you keep reading it so that you will be surprised! It's a good one ... at least I think so. Anyway, stick around and enjoy it.

Thank for the reviews, alerts, and favorites. I especially want to thank y'all for your wonderful words of encouragement.

Happy reading everyone.

As we walked down to the exercise room, Eric and Flynn led the way. I walked behind them and what I saw was the most beautiful sight I'd ever seen. It warmed my heart to see them together after nine years of them being separated. I love it more than anything in this life. To see them together, it's my greatest dream true. Eric is happier than I've ever known him to be. My daughter is beyond ecstatic. I've never seen her this happy. Everything that she says to her dad is said with a smile. She may take her hand out of his for just a minute but quickly places it back where it belongs. I've always thought that she would be a daddy's girl and my thoughts were right. She will forever be a daddy's girl.

In any case, Flynn was prattling on about her piano solo and how she wanted her daddy to be sitting in the front row. "I want you right in the front, daddy. You have to be sitting next to mom. She always sits in the front and she's always sitting with Pam and Amelia but not this time. They will be there but this time it will be different. This time, it will be just like the other kids. I will have both of my parents there." Her grip tightened on his hand as she looked up at him.

Eric looked down at her and said, "I wouldn't miss it for the world. Has Alcide ever come with your mom to any of your recitals?"

My mouth fell open. I couldn't believe that he asked her that. Before I could go into one of my rants, Flynn spoke up. "Yeah," she said. "He's been to all of them. He said that he'll always come as long as I want him to. He's taken me to the park and to the movies in the park and the singing in the park. We do a lot of fun things at the park. We've even gone swimming with him but we don't do that in the park. He has this great big pool at his house and it gets warm in the winter time. He and mom swim together a lot. Sometimes he kisses her … a whole lot," Flynn said. "And that's gross."

Eric glanced at me over his shoulder and said, "It does sound gross to have him kissing on your mom. I'll bet he has the cooties." He looked at me and mouthed the words, "And my woman."

I shrugged my shoulders at him. What was I supposed to say?

Flynn said, "Nah. He seems to be pretty clean. His house is clean. But you are right. It's really gross to have someone kissing on my mom that's not my dad. Oh, and he hit her on the butt this one time and mom giggled. He kissed her neck once, too. And this one time I saw them dancing really slow together in the living room. I was supposed to be sleeping but I wanted some water. They were smiling and kissing as they danced. They didn't see me looking at them."

Eric frowned at me that time.

"Enough, Erica Flynn," I said. "I don't want to hear you speak another word about me and Alcide. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, mom," she said. Flynn continued talking but not about me and Alcide. Just Alcide this time. "He's a really good guy. You'll like him."

"Yeah, Eric," I said. "You'll really like him. He owns his own construction business and he builds furniture on the side. He's very talented. He makes some of the most beautiful furniture. I'm sure that if you asked him, he'd make some furniture for your office. He built Pam and Amelia's bedroom suite. It's outstanding."

From the look on Eric's face, Flynn was wrong. Eric definitely wasn't going to like Alcide. He wasn't going to like any man that was trying to take his place in our lives.

"She's right, daddy," Flynn said. "He built mom's desk that's in her office. He even built the name plaque for my bedroom door. He painted it and everything." Seconds later, Flynn was looking through the gym window and smiling. "There he is," she said as she pointed at Alcide and waved at him. "Hey, Ally," she yelled.

"Not a word, Eric Northman and I mean it. i expect you to behave yourself," I whispered as we walked inside to meet Alcide … a nervous smile plastered on my face.

The smirk on his face told me that Eric wasn't going to do as he's been told. "I'll try," he whispered.

Alcide's big, beautiful smile lit up his face when he saw Flynn. His smile was even brighter when he saw me. He met us at the door and he ruffled Flynn's hair when he saw her. "How's it going, Blondie?" he asked her.

"It's been great," she said. She looked up at Eric and said, "Alcide, this is my daddy. His name is Eric Northman. Daddy, this is mom's boyfriend, Alcide."

Alcide looked at me full on.

I answered his unasked question. "He just came into town a couple of days ago."

Though he knows of Eric's and my history, Alcide's smile and good graces didn't falter. He offered his hand to Eric as he said, "Alcide Herveaux. This little one here talks about you every chance that she gets. You're her hero. I think I've seen every picture you've ever taken at least a million times and I've heard almost every story about you, Eric. I'm glad to finally meet you, Eric."

Eric took Alcide's hand into his and nodded. "Pleased to meet you as well, Alcide," he said. "I'm glad to hear that she speaks of me."

"All of the time," Flynn announced.

Alcide studied Eric closely. This was not going to be pretty.

Alcide then looked at me. He walked over to where I was and took my hand into his. He leaned in and kissed me as he stroked my cheek. He looked into my eyes and smiled at me. "I was wondering if you were coming," he said. "You look beautiful this morning … as always. Oh, and guess what?"

"What?" I asked as I smiled up at him; doing my best to hide from Eric's murderous glare.

"I have a job in California in a couple of weeks. I'm going to be overseeing a new project there and I was thinking that we could maybe take a trip to Cinderella's castle while we're there. Get a Mickey Mouse Ears hat with someone's name embroidered on it. I know that you'd like it. You've mentioned to me several times how much you want to go." He looked at Eric when he said it.

Flynn ran to Alcide and hugged him. He patted her on the back as he glanced at Eric.

Eric glowered at his new enemy.

The game was on.

"We've been talking about taking a trip to Cinderella's castle for quite a while now," he said to me. "I think that we should go. I know that my girls would love it." Again, he looked at Eric.

Why Alcide? I asked myself. Why?

Sadly, he doesn't know what he's done.

Flynn's eyes were filled with wonder and happiness. "Really?" she asked as she released Alcide from her hug. "I love Cinderella's castle and Mickey Mouse ears! Can we go, mom?"

I looked at my daughter and said, "We'll see. You have school, little lady, and Thanksgiving vacation is two weeks away. I have to think about it." I looked at Alcide and said, "I really do have to think about it. I have that big case coming up. We'll have to see how things go, okay? I can't make any promises."

I know that after our talk today, there will no California trip or Mickey Mouse ears in the near future ... not with Alcide anyway.

He ignored me as he talked to Flynn. "Isn't that a huge coincidence? That's when it is," Alcide volunteered. "It's during Thanksgiving vacation. You won't have to miss any school. We will have a great time if we can convince your mom to say yes."

"That would be so great," Flynn said. She looked up at Eric and said, "Normally when she says we'll see, we usually do it." An excited look soon appeared on her face. She looked at Alcide and said, "And daddy can go with us. We can make it a family trip. That will be so cool; our first family trip."

Alcide didn't say anything about that. If the look on his face was any indication of how unhappy he was at the idea, there was no way that he'd want Eric to tag along.

Eric smiled. "I'd love to go," he said. "Tell me when and I will be there. Packed and ready. I'll bet it will be loads of fun. I haven't had a vacation in a very long time and to be able to be with my girls … that's a dream come true for me."

Flynn smiled up at Eric; her baby blues sparkling.

Eric then glanced at Alcide before speaking to Flynn. "I know that Cinderella seems fun but I'll bet Sweden seems a whole lot better."

Flynn's eyes widened. "Really, daddy? I want to go to Sweden. I've always wanted to go to Sweden." She looked at me and asked, "Wouldn't that be great, mom?"

Eric: 1.

Alcide: 0.

"Yeah," I said. "That would be great." I looked at Eric and smiled.

He placed his hand over his heart as he looked at me.

Alcide looked at Eric and then at me. He asked, "What kept you? You're never late. I didn't think that you were coming. I guess you've had a busy morning."

"Yeah," Eric said as he smirked. "She was."

Alcide looked from me to Eric and back at me again.

"Hush up, Eric," I hissed. My smile soon returned to my face as I looked at my child. "Flynn, do mom a favor. Go to the juice bar and get me a mango and strawberry smoothie." I reached into my gym bag and removed a twenty from it. As I handed it to her, I said, "Keep the change. You'll need it for the book fair tomorrow."

"Will do," she said as she ran off.

Once she was out of ear shot, I looked at Alcide and said, "Don't listen to him. I was ready but Flynn has been trying to get me to go with her and her dad out for brunch. It took forever for them to realize that I was not going to miss out on our Sunday morning workout. You know that I wouldn't miss this for world."

Alcide smiled and wrapped his arms around my waist. He then said, "Well, I'm glad that you decided to come. I'm sorry that we haven't had much of a chance to see each other this week. It's been so busy at the office. The jobs have been rolling in. I've missed you." He was about to lean in and kiss me but Eric's growl stopped him. I guess he'd let the first kiss slide. He wasn't going to allow another one.

I gave Alcide a light kiss on the cheek as I patted his chest and I smiled up at him. "It's okay, Ally. I understand the pressures of a job, believe me. Come on. We need to go and warm up before the class starts," I said as I ignored the look on Alcide's face. He didn't like the peck on the cheek. I was trying to keep the peace. He just didn't realize it.

I looked at Eric and warned, "Not too much junk food, okay? I don't want her climbing the walls when she comes back."

"You have my word," he said as he saluted.

"Make sure that she stays bundled up. Flynn is prone to catching colds."

"Okay," Eric replied.

"And no sodas," I added. "She can't have sodas. Too much sugar. Just like the candy."

"Okay."

"And if you need me, Flynn has my number."

Alcide smirked as he pulled out his cell out of his gym bag. "You don't have her number? I have her number if you need it."

"Stop it, Ally."

They're tied now.

He shrugged his shoulders as he put his cell away.

Eric's smirk meant that this pissing match was far from over.

"Does she have her phone?"

"The flip phone?" Eric asked as he glared at Alcide. "Yeah, she has it."

With my hands on my hips, I said, "She's nine. She doesn't need a smartphone. A flip phone works just as well, thank you very much. As long as she can reach me, she's going to be just fine."

"I was going to get her another one," Eric began.

"No, you weren't," I said.

He shook his head no. "I wasn't."

"I'll be here working out for the next hour so if you need me, you'll know where I am. Just call the front desk and they'll send the call through the gym. Or as I said, you can get my number from Flynn."

"I'll meet you at home," he said as he looked at Alcide.

Before I knew what was happening, Eric had grabbed the back of my head and pulled me in for the most mind blowing kiss of my life. He tasted so good. I almost wrapped my arms around his neck but I stopped myself. I did what I was supposed to do. I pushed him away.

"Eric!" I exclaimed.

Eric: 2

Alcide: 1

Alcide started to growl. He stepped in behind me and pulled me away from Eric. He stood toe to toe with Eric; his hands balled into fists. His face was as red as I'd ever seen it. "Don't you want to go and spend some time with your daughter and keep your mouth off of my woman?"

"Funny," Eric said as he stared at Alcide and stepped in closer to him. "She tastes like mine." He then had to audacity to lick his lips.

Eric: 3

Alcide: 1

Alcide almost went at Eric but I stopped him. I stood in between my two big galoots. I placed my hand on Alcide's chest and looked up at him. "It's no big deal, Ally. Let it go."

I turned around and looked up at Eric. The smirk on his face spoke volumes. He then looked at Alcide and winked. "Yeah, Ally," he said. "It's no big deal."

I shook my head at their childish antics. I was about to light into them but Flynn was soon back with us. "Here it is, mom," she announced as she handed me my drink. "The change was $14. 64 and it's pretty good. Kennedy always makes the best smoothies."

I took my drink from her and placed on the floor beside me. "Thanks, sweetie. You and your dad are about to go. I'll miss you."

Flynn rolled her eyes and said, "I'm not going to the moon, mom. I'm coming back."

I laughed at my sweet girl. I fixed her coat and pulled her cap down over her ears before I kissed her cheek. "Have fun and I'll see you when you get home. Maybe we'll have pizza for dinner."

"Wow!" she exclaimed. "Can I …?"

Frowning at her, I said, "I don't know. Can you?"

She rolled her eyes and said, "Why are you such a grammar Nazi?"

"Because I'm a mother that's why," I told her.

Eric decided to chime in. "She wasn't a mother in high school and she was like that to me all of the time, Flynn."

She giggled.

I didn't. "One day you both will thank me."

She rolled her eyes and asked, "May I have spinach, mushroom, and tomato pizza?"

"Yes," I replied. "Whatever kind you want, we will get."

She jumped up and down and shouted, "This is the best day ever! My daddy is here and I get to have spinach and tomato pizza with extra mushrooms! How sweet is that?"

"Very sweet," I said as I kissed her nose.

Smiling at me, Eric said, "I guess me and my girl will be going." He looked down at his little roadie and asked, "Ready, kiddo?"

"Yep," she said. "Bye, mom, I love you."

"I love you too," I said.

"Bye, Ally," she called out. "I love you."

"I love you too, Blondie," he said.

Eric looked at me and touched his chest.

I blushed as I looked down at the floor.

"What's going on?" Alcide asked when Eric and Flynn were gone. Anger was rolling off of him in droves.

I couldn't believe that he had the audacity to ask me that question. "I should be asking you that same question. Why were you acting like that? That is so unlike you."

Pointing, he said, "Because that guy is an asshole."

"You started it, Alcide with that my girls comment. Were you doing that as a way to stake claim to me? Before today, I've never seen you act like that."

"He made me do it," Alcide replied. "Coming here and trying to act like a big man. Where has he been all of this time?"

I couldn't believe that he said that. "You don't know what happened. You don't know why he couldn't come to us ... to her. It wasn't his fault, Alcide."

He chuckled. "And now you're taking up for him. He's here for what ... four/five days and he's already the king of New York. Who does he think he is? What was I supposed to do?"

I looked at Alcide and said, "You started it with that my girls comment and giving him those sneaky glances. What did you think he was going to do?"

"He kissed you."

"He did that because of you," I said. "If you hadn't been acting childish, none of this would have happened. Both of you were acting ridiculous if you want to know the truth about it all."

As we walked into the yoga room, he asked, "Why did you move away when I tried to kiss you a second time? You've never done that. You've always welcomed my kisses but this morning, while he was here, you weren't having it."

I shook my head as I walked ahead of him. I dropped my bag onto the floor along with my yoga mat. "I didn't turn away. I kissed you. Twice in front of him. And you only did it because he was right there. You deserved a slap on the cheek instead of a kiss."

"Are you with him now?"

"I'm not with him," I said. "He's married to another woman. As far as I'm concerned he's off limits. I'm not going to be the other woman." I began to stretch and hoped that he would just drop the subject and let me ease into telling him the truth after our workout. I don't want to have this talk in the gym. I can't do this here. Needless to say, he didn't agree.

"With the way that he kissed you, he must not know that he's married," Alcide replied. "I should've punched his fucking face in."

I looked up at him and I realized that he meant it. "No," I said. "You don't have to fight him just because he kissed me. It's no big deal, Alcide. We used to be an item but we're not anymore. We share a child and that's it. We saw each other for the first time in ten years Friday. Nothing is going on."

Sounding like a possessive boyfriend, Alcide said, "I don't want you seeing him anymore. I don't trust him. He wants what's mine and I'm not going to give you to him."

I know that Eric said that I'm his earlier this morning but it's different coming from Alcide. I guess it's because it's not true. I'm not his. I'll never be his. I've always belonged to Eric and nothing's going to change that.

I stopped stretching and looked up at him. "Will you stop it?"

I could tell that he wasn't going to. "I mean it, Sookie. I don't want you around him. I don't want you seeing him anymore on a personal level."

"Are you serious?" I asked.

"Very," he snapped. "I don't like the way that he touches you or looks at you. I sure as hell don't like the way he kissed you. And I don't like the way that you let him kiss you." He didn't realize that his voice had risen a couple of octaves but the others in here with us did. "I don't want you seeing him again, Sookie. I don't like it. I don't want him alone with you. You're with me now," he said. "His time has passed."

I glanced around us as everyone continued to stare and whispered, "Keep your voice down."

Alcide didn't seem to care who was listening. "I don't care if they hear me!" he yelled. "Stay away from him."

I leaned forward and harshly whispered, "What do you want from me, Alcide? I can't keep him away because of Flynn. He's her dad. I can't do that to her. She's had to go nine years without him and I'm not going to keep him away from her because of your jealous notions. I won't do that to my child. And I can't quit my job. He's my new boss."

He sat down on the floor with me and said, "Great. Fucking great. Okay but that doesn't mean that you have to be with him." He moved in closer to me and said, "You kissed him back."

I rolled my eyes and said, "Alcide."

"I saw you," he said. "You kissed him back."

I don't know what he thinks he saw but I did not kiss Eric back.

"You kissed him back," he reiterated.

I recognized that he wanted an answer so I shook my head no and said, "I pushed him away, Alcide. I did not kiss him back. I'm not the one that was trying to measure the size of my dick with another guy," I yelled at him. "Now, drop it."

Needless to say, he didn't.

Alcide looked down at the floor and shook his head. "Sookie, he was so deep in your mouth, he almost swallowed you," he yelled. He then shook his head and muttered, "I've always known. I'm a fucking idiot." He looked at me and sighed. "I shouldn't be surprised, should I?"

I closed my eyes as I tried to let go of the anger that I was feeling. I silently counted to ten before responding to him. "Why are we having this conversation here, Alcide. Just let it go."

"Answer my question," he ordered. "I shouldn't be surprised, should I?"

I guess this was it. There was no easing into what I had to do. Both of the men in my life decided that I was going to have to jump in head first. I slowly and tentatively shook my head no and said, "No. You shouldn't be."

He began nodding his head as he sighed. "Yeah," he whispered. "I never stood a chance with you, did I?"

A tear rolled down my cheek. "Don't do this. Not here," I pleaded. "I don't want to do this here. I love you, Ally."

"Not like I want you to," he said. "Not like you love him. Not like you've always loved him. I was just something for you to do until he came back, wasn't I? That's all that I've ever been to you … something to do."

"Alcide, no," I said as I took his hand into mine. "Don't say that. Don't even think that. You're not just something for me to do. You are a huge part of my life and I want to keep you in it. With Eric, he and I have a history and it's a long one. He was my first love. It's never been my purpose to hurt you."

With my hand in his, Alcide stared deep into my eyes and asked, "Answer something for me. If he weren't married, would you be with me right now or would you have gone with him and Flynn?"

I opened my mouth and then closed it again. I knew where I'd be. I just didn't want to have to say it. I didn't want to hurt Alcide. I've never wanted to hurt him. "That's neither here nor there," I said. "None of it matters. Let it go."

"It's everywhere," he said. "Now answer me. Where would you be?"

"Alcide," I whispered. My heart was breaking for him.

Alcide dropped my hand as he just stood there. "For the past six years, I've dedicated my life to you. When you wanted me, I was there. When you didn't want me, I wasn't there. I would be whatever you wanted me to be. I did it because I love you."

He waited for me to say something but I had nothing to say. What could I say? I couldn't tell him what he wanted to hear. I love him but I'm not in love with him. I'll never love him as I love Eric.

He sighed as he looked at me. "I can't do this, Sookie. If you want to be with me, you are going to have to let him go. You're going to have to put me first for a change"

"I have put you first, Alcide," I said. "You've always mattered to me. But this isn't about you. I can't do that to Flynn. She has her dad now. It's not about you. It's not about me. It's all about her."

"Damn it, Sookie," he yelled. He ran his hand through his hair. The others; our fellow gym rats, they were staring at us once again. "It's not only about Flynn, damn it! You two can meet up like those divorced parents do. You can meet him in the fucking McDonald's parking lot! Hell, meet the son of a bitch at Chuck E. Cheese if you have to! He doesn't have to come to your home. He'll be coming to your home because you want him there. So stop trying to say that it's all because of Flynn because it's not! Tell me the fucking truth!"

I was beyond pissed now. "Don't you dare call me a liar, Alcide Herveaux! Don't you stand there and pretend as if you didn't know. You've always known what Eric means to me. I've never hidden that from you. Never. I gave you what I could. I have never lied to you about Eric. Not once."

With his hands in his hair, Alcide walked around in a mini circle. He looked up to see some guy that was watching us. "What the fuck are you looking at?" he asked the nosy guy.

When he said that, the guy turned and walked in the opposite direction. And everyone else that was around us, they put their earbuds in and acted as if we weren't in the gym. We were suddenly invisible again … for now.

Alcide turned his attention back to me. He stared at me for a long minute before saying anything. He finally asked, "What did he mean when he said that you had a busy morning?"

My face was red from anger. Tears streamed from my eyes as his hateful insinuations broke my heart. "Why are you doing this to me? Why are you questioning me like this? I have not betrayed you, Alcide."

The look on his face told me that he didn't hear a word I'd said. "Answer me," he said.

Tears fell from my eyes as I told him what Eric meant. And this time, I was just as loud and as vocal as he was. "I spent the night with him … talking. Talking to him about the past ten years. Telling him about his daughter. Sharing the box of memories with him that I told you was for him. The box that I showed you. The box that was his chance to share in what he'd missed. I spent the night letting him know about all of the wonderful things that a father needs to know about his child. Telling him about you and me. Telling him that I couldn't sleep with him because I was with you. I couldn't betray you like that. I wouldn't do that to you."

He looked as if he didn't believe me and I could see in his eyes that he didn't believe me. I could see that no matter what I'd said, he was going to doubt. I've never given Alcide a reason to distrust me. I've always been honest with him. I needed to know. I needed to hear him say. "Do you believe me?"

He only stared at me.

"Alcide," I said. "Do you believe me?"

"No," he replied.

"I've never lied to you and I'm not lying to you now. Nothing happened between me and Eric."

"Did you fuck him?" he said through clenched teeth.

I sighed and looked up at him; anger filled my eyes. "I did not, you fucking bastard," I snapped. "I did kiss him but I didn't sleep with him. I'm a lady and would never degrade myself in such a way. I won't lie to you. I wanted to; God knows that I wanted to but I didn't do it. I couldn't do it because I was with you. When I'm with you, I'm with you. I have never cheated on you. Never," I growled. "And you stand there and call me a liar?"

He finally saw the truth in my words and the pain in eyes but realized that it was too late. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I let my jealousy …"

I cut him off as I raised my hand at him. I didn't want to hear it.

"I'm sorry," he repeated.

He was hurt as was I. Pain does that to a person. "Me too."

"Do you love him?"

I closed my eyes and inhaled before I looked at him. "I do," I answered. "I've never stopped."

Alcide threw his bag across the gym. "Why did he have to come back!" he said. Tears welled up in his eyes. "We could be happy if he'd never returned. Couldn't we?"

I could've said yes but it would've been a lie. I can't truly be happy if I'm settling. "But he did come back. I'm sorry, Ally."

With his hands on his hips, he looked up at the ceiling and exhaled. He looked at me and said nothing. After coming to some sort of decision, he nodded at me before he walked away; wiping the un-fallen tears from his eyes. I watched him walk to the other side of the gym and pick up his gym bag. He walked past me as if he didn't see me.

I should've let him go. I should've let him go and never spoken to him again but I couldn't do that. Regardless of what he believes or thinks, I do love him. I do consider him to be a friend and I want to keep him as my friend. I couldn't let him leave like that. We have to make things right.

"Alcide," I called out to him.

He kept walking.

I called out to him again. "Alcide," I yelled again.

He stopped and looked down at the floor. "What?" he answered.

I ran over to him and hugged from behind. "We don't have end like this," I said.

One of the women on the elliptical machine said, "Awww." I looked over at her and she was wiping her eyes when she quickly looked away from me.

He wrapped his arms around mine and sighed. After a moment of silence, he turned around and looked at me. Speaking in an even and hurt tone, he said, "Don't you get it? I don't want to be someone that you find convenient. And I know that you love me but not like I want you to love me. I've loved you for six years and I've been patient with you. I was willing to wait for as long as it takes to get you to love me but you couldn't."

Crying, I said, "I tried, Alcide. I really did."

"I know," he whispered. "I know that you did. I'm not him."

"No," I breathed.

I looked to my right and saw some woman grip her chest as she listened to what Alcide and I was saying. Evidently her earbuds were broken or her iPod was dead because she's pretending to be listening to music and I know that Imagine Dragons isn't singing the ballad of Alcide Herveaux and Sookie Stackhouse.

Alcide then shook his head and said, "And you were right. You've never hidden the fact that you love him. And if you love him, if you love Eric, then you need to be with him." He smiled at me and said, "It's time for me to move on. It's been that time for quite a while. I just didn't want to face it. I want someone to love me so much that their world will stop when I'm away. I want them to want me and only me. I want what you have given Eric. Since I can't have you, I'll continue on with my search."

"Oh, God," the woman moaned as she stopped walking on the treadmill and stared at Alcide.

"Okay," I whispered.

"Okay?" he repeated.

I nodded as I stood in the middle of the gym and cried.

He pulled me tighter in his arms and rested his head atop mine. "I hope that I find someone that will love me as much as you love him. I want that kind of love. It must be a great feeling." He kissed my head as we stood in the middle of the gym and held onto each other.

I can't believe that this happened in the gym.