when worlds collide [george russell]

Chapter 27

After a confusing awaking on Georges side, who remembered nothing from the night before and opened his eyes that morning to see Willow asleep next him, it took him a moment to figure out he wasn't dreaming. It was indeed a pleasant surprise to see her laying there with her hair all messy and her cheeks flushed from being nuzzled into the thick down blanket , considering he had wished for this to happen again since it happened for the last time, but as he tried to recollect the memories of what had happened yesterday for this to be the result, he soon remembered how the night started and could pretty much guess what had happened.

With Willow still deep asleep he carefully lifted the blanket off of himself and got up as quite as possible, not wanting to disturb her sleep, but as soon as he had set both feet on the floor and lifted himself from the bed to stand up he felt his stomach turn upside down and had no choice but to loudly run to the bathroom.

After he had emptied all of the contents of his stomach into the toilet, George made his way downstairs. There he was greeted by Lando and Alex laying on his sofa, both looking at him with a subtly judgemental and also confused look on their faces, understandably since he didn't tell them about all the stuff that was going on and because they now knew what he had done to Willow.

George looked at them both with a clueless expression and shrugged his shoulders, "I'm sorry guys..I don't...I don't know what to say."

"The one you have to apologize to is Willow" Alex said as a response, "You really fucked up, George. Why didn't you tell us anything? About Willow, about Mercedes."

Alex and Lando looked at him with questioning looks on their faces, while George was lost for words. He filled up the kettle and turned it on while his two friends sat up on the sofa.

George took four cups from the cabinet and out a teabag in each of them before filling them with the boiling water. 

A few minutes later he had joined the two boys on the sofa and started to explain, "...and I didn't expect there to be so much pressure. I knew the switch to Mercedes wouldn't be easy, and I mean I've had great results, but I just don't feel like myself. I just feel like I can't do this - not alone. And I realize now that I coped with this completely wrong and I should have spoke to people instead of pushing them away, but..." he paused when he saw Willow slowly appear from behind the corner and entering the living room. 

Their eyes met and as George saw her standing there in the sweater of his he had given her when they walked through Hype Park after their first time playing tennis together, he felt his heart beating faster at the gorgeous sight of her but couldn't do much besides give her a sorry smile.

Willow grabbed herself the last cup of tea that was left on the kitchen counter and took a sip before wanting to join the boys. Right as she reached the sofa, Lando and Alex exchanged a look and then both got up.

"Well, we're gonna head out now." Alex said as he gathered his things.

"We'll talk, alright George?" Lando made sure and patted George on the shoulder before Alex and him made their way to the entrance hall.

After she heard the door shut and was thereby assured Alex and Lando had left, Willow finally sat down on the sofa, still remaining a distance between her and George. 

"Willow, I'm sorry. I can only give you an explanation but nothing can justify what I did. I'm sorry I got drunk and threw all these accusations at you, I'm sorry I never called, I'm sorry for all of it and don't know how to make it up to you. I fucked up and I have felt worse and worse each day since I haven't seen you." George started to explain but wanted to say so many things, it all got mixed up.

"You really could have called, George" she said in her disappointed, quiet voice.

"I know, I know. I really should have, but I felt like you wouldn't even want me to. I felt so stupid about how I acted and then...I don't even know" George said while shaking his head and looking down at his feet, ashamed of the way he had acted.

"George, I didn't even know what was going on. You completely confused me that night and then never clarified anything. We could have talked this all through and it would have never come this far, but you just completely shut me out and left me clueless." Willows voice was now getting more irritated and she was talking louder and faster, her face getting heated with anger that was building up inside her.

"I wish I could take it all back. I did the complete opposite of what I should have done, but I really want to make it up to you. I will do anything, but I can't do this without out you, Willow. I pushed you away, because I thought you deserved something better. I felt like I couldn't be there for you, if I myself am under so much pressure, but not having you near me made it all a thousand times harder. Please just tell me if there is anything I can do so will at least consider giving me another chance." A single tear was now rolling down Georges cheek as Willows eyes got watery as well.

All she wanted to do in that moment was fall into his arms and hug and kiss him dearly, but something kept her back. She still loved him just as much as when they first said it to each other, but George had broken her heart a month ago and she had just now made progress in getting over him and was finally not miserable again, so forgiving him wasn't all that easy.

"George, I..." she started, but her voice cut off as she couldn't hold her tear back any longer. "I love you" she said sobbing, "but you really hurt me."

"I love you so much, Willow, and I completely understand that I can only beg for your forgiveness. Take as much time as you need but I just really need you, even if it's just for an hour a week for coffee." George said slowly while a stream of tears made their way down his cheeks as well.

There was nothing more to be said from either side so after their glossy eyes met, George opened his arms to which Willow scooted closer to him and let him wrap his arms around her. They fell back into the couch together and stayed there, arm in arm, both sniffling from time to time. Willow had her arms tightly around Georges chest and listened to the beating of his heart. Hearing the fast rhythm made her remember that he was also just human and it helped her get a step closer to forgiving him. They stayed like this for a while, with George stroking over her head until they both stopped crying.