The Great War | Billy Hargrove

18 | A Need to Talk

"I don't know about adorable. If I had a choice, I wouldn't wear them at all but I have to wear them if I'm not wearing my contact lenses," Isadora said, as she walked over to her bed and sat down on it.

"Well, I think you look adorable in them," Billy said, as he sat down on the bed opposite Isadora before he gestured towards the book that was sitting on the bed beside her, "What were you reading?"

"You mean before you interrupted?" Isadora asked him.

"Uh ... yeah," Billy grinned.

"Gone with the Wind," Isadora said, smiling as she looked towards the book before looking back at Billy and scrunching up her nose at him, "You don't really care about what I'm reading, do you?"

"... not really," Billy told her. Isadora smiled and shook her head at him before moving a little closer to him and placing her hands on his knees.

"I won't hold it against you," she laughed. Billy also joined in the laughter before kissing her. Isadora smiled into the kiss before she pulled away from Billy, "I'm really glad you came here tonight."

"Well, I came because we need to talk," Billy told her. Isadora sat up a little straighter and stared at him, wondering what they possibly needed to talk about after tonight.

"W-We do?" Isadora asked. Billy placed his hands over hers and squeezed gently.

"We do, Is, because we didn't really get a chance to talk properly tonight about everything," Billy told her.

"You mean about how I screwed everything up? How I walked away without giving you a chance to explain anything? Or how I don't really deserve this second chance you're giving me?" Isadora asked him.

"Is, of course you deserve a second chance," Billy said. Isadora looked down at her hands and shook her head, having finally figured out why she had been so quick to believe what Amanda had told her and she had realised it had nothing to do with Billy but rather Isadora's faith in herself.

"Do I? I was the one who broke us up because I believed the words of someone who had been trying to break us up since the moment you showed interest in me," Isadora said softly.

"It hurt me when you believed her and not me, especially when I defended you, Is," Billy told her. Isadora nodded as she looked down at her hands.

"I'm sorry for hurting you and for listening to what Amanda said ... and for believing her when she told me it was all just a bet. I ... I guess —" Isadora trailed off as she looked down at her hands and started picking at her nails as memories of her ex-boyfriend flashed through her mind and her breathing quickened as she backed away from Billy a little.

"Is?" Billy asked, a look of concern crossing his face as he realised Isadora was starting to hyperventilate and he reached over and gently took her hand in his and squeezed affectionately, "You're okay, Is. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere, I promise."

"I —" Isadora attempted to speak again but memories flashed through her mind and Billy felt Isadora's grip on his hand tighten as her eyes closed before they finally opened and Isadora took a deep breath as she looked away from Billy and tried to calm herself down before she looked back towards him, "Billy, I want you to know that I'm giving you an out. I hurt you so ... so I would understand if you — you don't want to be with me. I would understand if you decided you wanted to walk away from me because — because I hurt you. I just want you to know how sorry I am for hurting you."

"Isadora, I chose you. After the school dance when you said it was over, I chose you. I don't want an out because I want you. I told you I'm not going anywhere and I meant it," Billy told her.