Love Me For Me

Chapter 10

"He can be happy with me! He wants me!"

"No he doesn't! You don't care about his happiness! You don't care about who he is as a person! You care about his looks! That's why you want him! Because he's attractive!"

"Are you saying that Ty is attractive?" she snaps, stepping closer to me.

"Well I'm pretty sure she didn't stutter, princess." Katie says.

"Of course I think Ty is attractive, dumbfuck, but that's not why i'm defending him. I don't care what he looks like! It's what's inside that matters. That's why you're single!"

"So are you!"

"I'm single by choice! You're single because nobody wants you!"

"TY WANTS ME!" she screams.

"No he doesn't!" I say, exasperated.

"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT HE WANTS!"

"I know him better than you do, bitch whore!" I snap.

"WHY DO YOU FUCKING CARE ABOUT ME LIKING HIM ANYWAYS!"

"BECAUSE I FUCKING LOVE HIM, DUMBFUCK!"

The second the words leave my lips, I realize how true they are.

I couldn't stop thinking about him because I love him.

Katie's jaw is on the floor.

"You fucking bitch. You think you can just waltz on in here and take Tyler? He wants me. He loves me."

I sigh slowly.

Speak, idiot, say something!

"I'm not here to take Ty. I moved here because I had no choice. I'm back because Ty asked me and Katie to come with him. And I can assure you, Ty doesn't want you, or love you."

"Yes he does."

"No I don't." Ty snaps. "I don't. I want Megan. I love Megan. I left to find Megan. I'm here for Jett. I asked Megan to come with me because I'm in love with her. If you ever do so much as glance at her wrong again, I will rip to apart. Get the fuck away from her. Now."

Amanda's eyes well with tears.

"No. I love you, Ty." she whispers. "Please don't."

"I'm sorry. You've been flipping over me forever. I don't want you. I want Megan. I just realized I was single so long because I was subconsciously waiting for her. Maybe, if you'd change who you are inside, you would find someone to love you the way I love Megan. Please just accept the fact that you and I aren't going to happen. The only person I will ever have romantic ties with will be Megan. Please learn to accept that."

She shuts her eyes, and then turns around and walks away.

<><>

"Okay class." the teacher starts in seventh period. "I have a new essay assignment for you guys. I want all of you to write about why you are grateful to have your mothers. We're going to discuss our mothers today."

I clench my hand around my pen.

"Let's all go around the room and come up with reasons why you guys love your mothers."

he starts with the first kid.

"Um, she is always there for me. She's always on my side, even when I'm wrong."

They keep going around. They get to Ty. He's in front of me.

"Um, she'll do anything for me. She once moved states for me to find someone. Her smile can light up a room, and she never fails to make me feel better. Also, she works her ass off every day to make sure that my sister and I have a roof over our heads and food on the table."