The Wedding (A Sequel to The Architect) (Reupload)

Where We Stand

"It's good to see you."

I was sitting in Colby's locker room. These were the first words he had said to me in the past twenty minutes since we started sitting here.

"That's it? 'It's good to see you'? That's all you have to say to me?"

"Cass..."

"No, don't 'Cass' me, Lopez. You almost hit me. You almost hit a woman, a woman who has been in an abusive relationship at that!"

He looked down at the ground but I could see drops of water starting to fall from his eyes. Anger started to flow through me and I went over to him and forced him to look at me, clear pain showing in his teary brown eyes.

"No, you don't get to look at the ground. You don't get to cry. You will look at me when I'm talking to you. The Colby I saw that night in the alley, was a Colby I didn't even know existed. I knew you were violent, Colby, but the way you looked... the way you enjoyed beating the life out of the man... it was disgusting. It was repulsive. And honestly, I feared for my own life. You said that it was awful what Dylan did to me, but was that true? Did you really think that or were you just playing me the whole time?"

"Cass..."

"No, I'm still talking. Did you like hitting that man? Did you like feeling powerful as you hurt him? Because that's exactly what Dylan felt when he hit me. He loved for me to be his personal punching bag. You already like violence. So what is stopping you from doing the same to me?"

He stood from his seat quickly. "Because I love you!" He took a breath and walked to the other side of the room, he turned towards the wall. "I love you, Cassie. I have always loved you. You don't understand how much I hate myself for what happened in the alley. You think it was easy for me? You think I enjoyed beating that man? Well, you're very wrong. When I saw him holding a knife to you, I just...I lost it. Because seeing you have your life threatened..." He ran a hand through his hair. "I saw you after the car crash with Dylan. The doctors kept saying that you wouldn't make it. Your injuries were too extensive and too severe. I thought you were leaving me. You were leaving me here, alone. I searched for you for so many months and now that I finally found you, you were leaving once again. That moment haunts me everyday. Seeing you hurt, finding out that you might die...Cassie...I just can't lose you again. I know I haven't been like I usually am but that is because I know you, Cassie. You're scared of commitment. I thought if I showed interest in this wedding, you might run away from me. You might leave me again."

I scoffed. "What a load bull crap. You think that you can just tell me your little sob story and expect me to forgive you that easily?"

"No, I didn't think that at all. I know you where you stand. I know that you're scared. I just wanted you to know the truth."

I stood. "You know where I stand? Really? And where do I stand exactly, Colby?"

He turned towards me. "You can keep the ring. I won't be needing it."

I was confused. "What?"

"You're ending it. I've known you my whole life, Cassie Peters. And I know that you're breaking up with me."

"So, that's it then? We're just done because you believe that is where I stand on the situation?"

"You came in here knowing what you wanted. There was nothing I could say to make you change your mind."

"Alright then. That's it."

"I guess so."

I turned away from him and walked out the door. What I gained from this was being able to escape another possible abusive relationship but what did I lose?