(RIVALS) The Upside of Falling ✔️

Chapter 15: Second First Kiss

Listen to 'When We Were Young' by Adele when you read this chapter to experience all the feels.

Brett

She stood in front of me, her arms crossed firmly as she waited to hear what I had to say. We were so close, yet she felt so far away. She had put up walls since our conversation this afternoon, ones that I wasn't sure I could break down. But I would try.

"I never slept with Jenny, Becca." My words cut through the air, breaking the silence that was heavy around us.

She frowned. "What?"

"I never slept with her," I repeated, my voice firm.

"But...she told me.. this morning..." she stammered, words escaping her.

I shrugged. "She lied to you," I took a deep breath, preparing to tell her everything.

"I don't remember what happened to me, but I woke up and I was in her bedroom," I winced at the memory, it still felt so raw. I looked away from Becca, I couldn't stand to see the hurt in her eyes right now. "She was on top of me. Kissing me. Unbuckling my pants..."

I turned to look at her and her face was hard, her mouth drawn into a thin line, her eyes narrow in anger. I didn't want to replay this scene, but she had to know everything.

"I thought she was you, Becca," I continued. Her eyebrows raised up in surprise as she fought a smile, the anger leaving her eyes momentarily. "As soon as I realized it was Jen, I jumped off that bed like my ass was on fire. That's when you walked in. But, Becca," I turned towards her fully and took her hands in mine, relishing the feel of her skin on mine, "all we did was kiss. I swear to you. It was a mistake that never should have happened. But I never slept with her." My eyes searched hers, willing her to believe me -- desperate for her to.

"Okay," she replied. Two syllables. I'm putting my heart on the line and that's all she can give me?

I laughed but it sounded strained.

"'Okay?' That's all you have to say? What happened to the girl who kicks me nonstop and launches water bottles at my head?" I smiled thinking back to that day. That was a good day.

The corners of her lips began to pull up into a smile, but she was fighting it. That's when I realized that she wasn't ready to forgive me. She didn't want to accept my apology so easily. She wanted me to work for it.

I could do that.

"Becca, you know I would never intentionally hurt you. I'm not trying to excuse my actions, I know what I did was wrong and I'm holding myself accountable for that. But you need to believe me when I say I would never, ever, do something to purposely hurt you in any way. You know that, right?"

I waited for her to respond, the weight of my question hanging heavily in the air. I searched her face for any emotion. She was staring ahead, avoiding my eyes and chewing on her bottom lip. I knew she was thinking hard by the furrow in her eyebrow. It struck me how well I was beginning to know her, being able to so easily read her and know what she was thinking.

"Brett, I....," she spoke slowly, thinking carefully before she said each word, trying to properly convey her emotions to me.

I watched her hopelessly. My entire fate was in her hands. Whatever she said, it would make or break me.

"I do forgive you," she continued. I broke out into a smile, feeling like a weight - one that has been weighing me down for days now - had been lifted off my shoulders.

Her gaze finally met mine and she smiled sadly. "I'm sorry I believed Jenny over you. It's just, after what I saw...I didn't know what else to think." Her words brought back the pain I felt just mere minutes ago. Her lack of trust in me is what hurt the most. Since we were laying all our cards on the table, I may as well be honest with her.