Just a Crush

Chapter 24

•·.·✦Chapter 24✦·.·•

Travis pulled away so fast Aubrey didn't know what took place until he was at the other end of the bed. "You didn't mean, you don't mean? What the hell do you mean?"

Aubrey looked away from him when she saw the stormy look in his eyes. She was so stupid. Why did she have to say it? She was as unprepared for it as he was.

"Don't look so damn frightened. You're the one who said it then took it the fuck back."

Aubrey flinched at his harsh biting tone. She looked off at the Hedley poster behind his head trying to avoid his angry stare. "I didn't mean to do that. It's hard to explain."

Travis eyes narrowed. "Don't bullshit me."

Aubrey sighed defeated. It didn't make sense trying to explain anything to him. Nothing could get through his head when he was like this. A startled gasp flew from her mouth when he reached out and pulled her chin up.

"I'm up here. Look at me. If you didn't mean it, why'd you say it?" His amber eyes studied her closely as he spoke.

"I don't know. Maybe we should talk about this later."

"You don't know? You're really gonna sit there and lie to me?" he asked deliberately ignoring the rest of her statement. Talk about this later his ass. He stared at her, his frustration growing each passing second. He felt like breaking something. He just didn't get her.

Aubrey reached out to him and he shrugged her hand off his shoulder and stood. That stung. "I didn't lie," she said. "I do love you. That wasn't a lie. I meant it."

The next few seconds went by so slowly it felt like a lifetime before he finally turned to face her again. She had been way past worried as her mind had begun to manifest countless scenarios of how this would end.

Travis watched her the entire time. She didn't know what else to say to prove she wasn't lying. It was up to him to believe her or not. So she held her breath, and waited.

"I know you weren't lying," he said finally. Sincerity wasn't easily faked, and Aubrey was like an open book. She was a horrible liar too. He believed her. Or rather, he believed that she believed that she loved him.

A part of him found it hard to accept that she really did love him. If his own father didn't, why would anyone else? It was a messed up way of thinking but that's just how he thought.

But she still hadn't answered his question. He asked again, anger hardening his voice even as he tried to tone it down. "But why say it then say you don't mean it? That's what upsets me."

She hesitated, before she answered. "I didn't think you might want to hear it. I thought you'd..." She shrugged and let the rest hang in the air.

Travis eyes narrowed as her unspoken words registered in his head. "You thought I'd say, 'whatever fuck you then dump you? Is that it?"

He waved her off when she started to speak. "Don't. I just know the next thing that comes out your mouth is gonna piss me off. Why the hell are we together if you think I'm an asshole that's gonna screw you over? I know I'm not the nicest guy in the world but I ain't a fucking monster."

"Travis don't. I have never thought of you like that and I have never once implied it either," Aubrey said loudly. He didn't seem to want to let her speak but she'd scream in his ear if she had to. "I only took back what I said because I didn't want you to take it the wrong way."

He laughed, and it was a bitter and mocking sound. He stood and glared down at her with eyes that could have very well been made of ice.

"So the right way was to change your mind right after you said you loved me? That's real fucking cold Aubrey. Maybe I'm not the monster here."