Discovering Mack

27| Twenty-Seven

"Come, sit," he tells me and I realise I'm still just standing in the same spot gawking.

"This looks and smells amazing Tris," I tell him honestly as I take a seat on one of the cushions, picking up a slice of garlic bread. I look up to see Tristan watching me, the edge of his lips slightly lifted to a half smile.

We eat in awkward silence. The only sounds are our cutlery scraping the plate. When we've both finished I decide I can't handle it anymore.

"Tristan-"

"Mack," Tristan says at the same time. "Sorry, you go," he says.

"No, no. You invited me here to talk."

"Right, right. Yes," he scratches the back of his neck. "Mack, I'm sorry."

Tristan begins, then pauses and I instantly panic that he is about to tell me he is sorry and he doesn't want to do this anymore. But then he continues.

"I was an idiot, and I said some shitty things. I got jealous, it's no excuse, but Alex has just always triggered me. I'm so sorry Mack, can you forgive me?"

I want to scream yes, absolutely yes. But if my relationship with Noah taught me anything, it's that if you don't address things, they will build up pressure until they finally explode.

"It wasn't just shitty things you said, it was hurtful Tristan. I know I kinda lost the plot for a bit there but having you throw it back in face now when I thought we were past all of that really hurt me. Is that really what you think of me? That I would so easily hook up with Alex again despite how far you and I have come?"

Tristan at least has the decency to look completely ashamed. "No Mack, I don't think that. I just saw how close he was to you, touching you, and the way you were smiling a smile that is usually for me. I saw red. I wanted to cause you as much hurt as I was feeling and it was so wrong. I felt sick all last night and I was too embarrassed to call you and explain."

Tears fall from my eyes, but they are different tears to yesterday's. I'm not sad or upset with him anymore. I'm honestly in awe of the raw honesty sat in front of me.

Tristan notices my tears and is quick to scoot closer to me on the floor, picking up a napkin from the table and wiping my tears.

"Don't cry Mack, please," he pleads. "I'm so sorry."

"Tristan, that smile you saw me giving Alex was for you. He was telling me how he could see how happy I was, that you make me happy," I explain through sniffles.

"I really am an idiot, I should have listened to you both," he says wrapping me up in a hug.

I hug him tighter. "Yeah you should have," I mutter into his shoulder. We hold each other for what feels like minutes, but probably isn't. It's a little scary how much a fight effected us both when technically we aren't even together. That's probably a conversation we should also have.

I pull away from him, enough to be able to look him in the eye for what I have to say next. "Thank you Tristan," I say and he goes to interrupt me but I place my finger over his lips. "Thank you for apologising, and for talking to me. Noah never ever would apologise or acknowledge when he did wrong, so this is new for me, that's why I'm crying. You're so, so amazing Tristan-"

I'm cut off again but this time by his lips as he kisses me hard. "Sorry, I just couldn't help myself," he apologises pulling away.

I shake my head to say it's fine, then pull him back to me, kissing him again. I melt into him as I always do when we're kissing. He deepens the kiss, using his body to come over the top of me, pushing me backwards onto the cushions all the while our tongues tangle together.