Inevitable Moments ☑

31 | Don't Give Up

"What do you mean?"

I'm still trying to process why Landon's sitting beside me and telling me that the bet was made out of jealousy. I know boys do stupid boy stuff, but what does jealousy have to do with the bet?

He chuckles lightly while running a hand through his hair again. "Vienna," he says quietly, looking away from me. "Remember when we talked at the ice cream parlor that day?"

I nod my head yes. He'd asked me if I had moved on.

His eyes flicker to mine and I know he can tell that I'm thinking the same thing as him. "The reason I asked you that is because I've always liked you. Ever since the day I met you. You're this ball of energy and sunshine. How could I not like that?"

My skin starts to chill at his words. Not because of what he's saying, but it feels wrong for him to be telling me this. After all, Axel and I haven't even broken up yet. I'm not sure what's going to happen between Axel and me, but we still aren't officially over.

"Landon-"

He touches my shoulder. "V, please let me say this. I have to say this. After I do, you don't ever have to talk to me again if you don't want to."

Gulping, I nod my head again and let him continue.

"Even when I was a jerk to you it was because I still wanted to talk to you. I didn't know how to just be friends with you after Hudson said I couldn't take you out on that date so I became a jerk. I'm really sorry for everything I've done to you."

He pauses and props his legs up, wrapping his arms around his knees. Landon's eyes stare out in front of him, like he's stuck in another time.

"When I bet Axel couldn't take you out on a date, I did it because I wanted to prove to myself that Hudson's warning was the reason I never took you out. If Axel couldn't take you out, that meant it wasn't my fault for letting you slip away. But before I knew it, you and Axel started getting closer. It made me realize I was a coward and should've stood up to Hudson."

I watch him closely, wondering why he's telling me all of this. I can tell he's nervous by the way he subtly twitches. This has to be hard for him, but I know this is what he wants.

Finally, after a few seconds of silent awkwardness, Landon looks at me. "Axel really is a good guy though. After we made the bet, he kept wanting to break it off but Seth wouldn't let him. The reason he ignored you for that week leading up to the anniversary of the accident was because he didn't know what to do. He didn't even know about the accident until the day of the anniversary or else he would've been there for you. We both knew it was wrong so we decided to put an end to it. All we needed to do was tell Seth so he wouldn't tell you."

So was the plan never to tell me? It hurts and it sucks, but had Seth never shown me the video, would I have ever found out?

"Axel didn't know you and I had a past. We were guys that just played basketball together, so he just assumed I didn't have the guts to ask you out and him making the bet was just a way of calling me out. He never meant to actually make a bet. The video and what Seth said in it just makes it look that way."

He takes a deep breath.

"The day he found you at the cemetery was the day I told him everything that had happened between us. From Hudson telling me it was my fault to the reason I was a jerk to you. V, I hope you know Axel and I never meant to hurt you. I can't speak for Seth, but I know Axel really does have your best interest at heart."

I wipe the stray tears from my eyes after he finishes, not realizing I had started to cry. It wasn't a lot, but a few tears had rolled down my cheeks while he was telling me everything that happened.