“I’ll choose you every single time.”
Is this the proof she needed?
“Jesus Christ,” Aaron mutters. “You two need to end this. She’s been through enough, Dominik. She doesn’t need your unhealed traumas added to the mix.”
“That’s not for you to decide.”
“You’ve lost your mind. And you, you’re entertaining this?” Aaron directs his question at Zoe, but she’s not looking at him. She’s staring at me as if I’m the only person here. “You don’t care about hurting her, Dom? Because we both know you will eventually,” Aaron continues, dead set on ruining this moment.
“I’m not going to hurt her.”
Aaron jerks away. “You will because you don’t understand what we’ve been through. You haven’t lived it. You can’t be what she needs.”
“Aaron, stop,” Zoe mutters.
I turn toward him. “No, I haven’t personally lived it. But I understand more than you know. I was there, remember? You don’t get to be absent this entire time and then barge into my home to play the overprotective, caring brother.”
“Stop it. Both of you,” Zoe yells.
Aaron flinches. “You’re right. I have been absent. I’ve been a terrible brother, and I’m sorry for that, Zoe.”
I stare at my best friend, taking in his slouched shoulders and defeated stance. He seems lost, but maybe this confrontation is exactly what he needed. Maybe it took this for him to realize how much time he’s lost with his sister these past few weeks. There’s no denying the change in Aaron. There used to be so much trust between us, but something has shifted. He’s become more distant, colder, and it’s obvious something is going on with him.
But tonight is not about him. It’s about me and Zoe. Things might not be resolved by the time Aaron walks out the door, but he’s going to understand how I feel about Zoe, and I need to show her I’m not afraid of him.
“Everything I was doing before, it was to replace the loss I felt without Zoe. There’s no way in hell I’m going to do anything to mess this up,” I promise. “I may not understand the heartbreak Zoe has gone through personally, but it’s haunted me for years. I’m sorry that her first and biggest heartbreak came from peoplewho were supposed to love her the most. People who were supposed to be there for her no matter what.”
Zoe walks towards me, and I clasp her hand in mine, my eyes falling to the back of her hand as my thumb draws circles on her skin.
“Zoe, I’m sorry that you’ve never been truly taken care of and have only felt pain from love. I’m sorry that you believe in endings more than beginnings. I’m sorry that the idea of love terrifies you. But I’ll never be sorry for this.” Her eyes glisten, and she takes a deep breath. So many confessions lately. Maybe I’ll switch careers and become a poet. It’s like a dam burst inside me. I can’t keep it bottled up anymore. “I don’t regret how things happened between us. I will never apologize for that. Without all the mess and bullshit, we wouldn’t be here right now. You’ve been a steady light in the darkest corners of my heart. And despite all of it, you chose to see the good in me. You stayed. I promise to love you in all the ways they couldn’t. Until the world fades away and we’re all that remains.”
Zoe throws herself into my arms, catching me off guard. It takes me a moment to register what is happening when her lips collide with mine. I’m lost in the moment, oblivious to everyone and everything, including Aaron standing in the room with us.
He doesn’t say anything, and eventually, I hear the front door click shut. I lift Zoe up, and she wraps her legs around me as I carry her to my room, where we get lost in each other until the sun rises the next day.
26
ZOE
The past few weeks have felt unreal. It’s been like living in a fantasy or a dream. Is it possible to be this happy? I’m trying to push away negative thoughts and just enjoy the moment. But it’s difficult to ignore my anxious mind sometimes.
Every morning, I wake up expecting reality to crash down on me, to be overwhelmed by the pain of my past mistakes, leaving me paralyzed from all the ways I’ve failed. You know, the normal voice in my head that makes me want to crawl into a hole. But that hasn’t happened yet, and it’s been weird, yet wonderful.
I blink and smile, taking in my surroundings. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve woken up in Dom’s bed, but it feels like it’s been weeks. Even my stuff has gradually moved from Aaron’s place to here. Everything unfolded rapidly, yet it feels like this is where I’ve always belonged.
This feeling is indescribable. I don’t even know where to start.
It’s all the little things I adore. Like Dominik soothing me to sleep by reading and gently tracing circles on my back. Or the way he always makes sure I’m fed before I leave for work. And the calm nights that follow each day, with the moonlight pouringin as I lie on his chest and listen to his heartbeat while tracing his butterfly tattoo. My butterfly tattoo.
I’m so into it. So into him.
Glancing over, I’m surprised to see him lying on his side, watching me.
“Uh, good morning.”
“Hey.” Dominik’s smile brightens as he gently brushes a stray hair from my face, his fingertips lightly grazing my forehead.
“How long have you been staring at me?”
