18 ✓

TWENTY-TWO

All this time, I've been tricked into thinking that what you made me feel was real love. Now I know this isn't what it's supposed to be like... to feel like your heart is constantly being torn in two. If it is, why on earth would anyone want to be in love?

Butterflies aren't beautiful. They're a warning sign.

It wasn't too long ago when I pondered how I could have stopped myself from experiencing the inevitable heartbreak. How naive of me to ever think that I could have any control over such a thing. It never mattered what I did or tried, how I changed or adapted... he would always find a way to destroy my heart the moment I felt loved.

I never thought I would be in a position contemplating what was worse: Not knowing why the love of my life disappeared in the middle of the night only to return eighteen months later and still evade his reasoning for why. Or, learning part of his reasoning for why and having him show up, only to act like he had no idea who I was.

"I've heard a lot about you. It's nice to finally meet you, Dylan."

I'm sorry. What the fuck did he just say? Was it possible for Hunter to have an exact replica of him walking around on earth? No - because this wasn't some alternate universe where we were all insane.

I was far past the state of confusion to form words, let alone a proper thought regarding everything that was happening. There he was. The guy who I fell in love with, who I admitted to still having those feelings for after all this time, standing right in front of me, pretending as if we were meeting for the first time.

Delilah elbowed my side.

I turned my head and whispered under my breath, "What?"

"You look like a deer caught in the headlights. Are you okay?" she asked quietly.

I gave her a short nod, for whatever reason I did not know considering I was far from "okay".

"I understand if you're nervous." She ran her hand up and down my arm, the same act of comforting she would do when we were younger. "I'm sure this is all quite a bit for you right now."

That was putting it lightly.

"Well, I'm Ethan. I'm sure Delilah has gone on and on about me," Ethan joked, extending his hand for me to shake. "But I'll save you the pains of having to tell me your life story until later on."

I was grateful for his remark, far more than he could have possibly ever known due to the fact that I was having trouble forming basic words. Standing side by side, I realized how oddly similar both Ethan and Hunter looked; a surprising revelation considering they were not related by blood. Ethan had similar dark hair and blue eyes but was slightly shorter with a wider build. He radiated a sense of warmth and light, and it was evident from a glance in Delilah's direction how in love with her he was.