Falling Apart (On Hold)

Chapter Seven

Alright, so I seem to be getting a pretty positive reaction about Pierce. :) I'm glad you guys are liking this story! Please support it in the Watty Awards, too. :] That would mean a lot!

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"Tessa?"

I looked up from the book I was reading to see Cash standing in front of me, his hands shoved into his pockets, looking a little uncomfortable.

"Yeah, babe?" I set my book aside and sat up more on the bed, patting the spot next to me. "Something wrong?"

"No," he denied, shaking his head, though there was something in his light blue eyes. "I was just wondering something."

Tilting my head, I let my eyes roam over his beautiful features, from the dimple on his right cheek to the strong square jaw and pointed nose. "What is it?"

Cash ran his fingers through his honey brown hair. "I was just wondering...You know all my ex girlfriends, right?" I nodded, finally understanding where he was going with this. "I was just wondering about yours...I mean, I don't even know if you have an ex - well, obviously you do, but how many and...yeah." He stopped and just looked at me, reaching out to touch my cheek. "I sound like a jealous boyfriend, don't I?"

I smiled because this uncomfortable, jealous side of Cash was extremely cute to me. But I decided to save him the embarrassment and shook my head. "No, you don't. You just want to know and that's fine."

"So," he drawled. "Any exes that might still be in love with you? Or someone you might still be attached to?" he asked, not meeting my eyes as he asked, pretending to be nonchalant.

A face flashed through my mind, the same face for both of his questions. I shook the image out of my mind. He had probably moved on from me by now. "No, I don't think so."

Cash nodded, looking a little relieved. He glanced at me from the corner of his eyes. "How many guys have you been in love with?" he asked.

"For real?" I asked. When he nodded, I thought back on all my relationships. There had been a lot because I always picked the wrong guys. "Three," I finally replied. "I fell in love with a senior when I was a freshman in high school who ended up just wanting me for sex, then this guy when I was a senior who I had been friends with for my whole life and now...you."

A slow, hesitant smile graced his lips. "Where do you think they are now?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Probably womanizing," I said truthfully before getting up on my knees and wrapping my arms around Cash's neck. "You know, you don't ever have to worry about my exes. They were my past. You are my future."

Cash grinned, his hands grabbing my hips. "You don't know how happy you saying that makes me.

-

I let out the breath I was holding and stared into Pierce's angry eyes.

I doubted angry was even the right word. He looked like he could kill someone, preferably me. And even though I knew Pierce would never hurt me, I still got a little scared, not for my safety, but for Tanner's.

Pierce was a violent guy. Half of the rumors about him in high school were true. He was notorius for getting into fights in and out of school. He used to get detentions at least once every week and suspended at least every month and it had taken hours of pleading from me to actually get him to do his homework and study. But even with that aggressive streak, did he have it in him to hurt Tanner or me?