Playing for Real - Book 2

Chapter 15

I exhale slowly, hoping to ease the tightness in my chest. "Cash, you know we have something real."

"You deserve to be happy."

"But I am happy." I need him to believe me. Even with Daniela in his life, I need him to know it doesn't bother me. We can get through this. "Cash, please. Don't do this. Don't push me away."

"That's your problem right there," he says. "You don't believe you deserve better, but you do. You deserve everything. And you can't stay here with me."

Hearing his words hurt more than anything else. I feel my stomach drop out. A tear glistens in my eye, and he reaches forward and places a hand on my face. I don't understand. I thought we decided we would finally be together.

"I love you, and because I love you, I am letting you go. I want you to get out of life what you want. And I don't want to hold you back from what you set out to do. You think I'm what you want, but you shouldn't want me or this life. You have such a bright future ahead of you."

"What did you say?" I ask, as the words letting me go sink in. My skin goes cold, and panic rises in my chest. Like hell, he's letting me go.

"You heard me, Quinn. Don't make this harder than it is," he whispers.

I stare at him in disbelief. He means what he's saying. "No. I'm not going anywhere," I shout. My lips begin to quiver, and my face feels like it's on fire. I step back, not believing for a second that he's pushing me away. "I already made my choice. And I choose you. I told you I could transfer to UCLA. I promise you're not holding me back. You're what I want."

He continues to stare at me with no reaction at all. My stomach twists.

"Cash, say something."

"Take your plane ticket." He holds it out to me.

I let out a short, pissed-off laugh. "Are you fucking serious?"

This whole conversation feels like whiplash. My hands are shaking, and my eyes are stinging with the threat of tears.

"Quinn, don't make this harder than it already is." His face turns red, and his jaw tightens. "You're going back to Boston."

"Do you have any idea what I sacrificed by coming here?" I gape at him. I can feel my pulse in my neck; that's how hard my heart is pounding. "You know what?" I shout, reaching into the front pocket of my jeans and pulling out the ring I made for Cash months ago. "Go fuck yourself!" I whip it at him, and it hits him in the chest and drops to the floor.

He bends down and picks it up, staring at it in the palm of his hand. "You made me a—"

I don't even let him finish his sentence. "Yeah, I did. I made you a ring. And I've wanted to give it to you since you told me you were brought back up to the pros. I thought tonight would finally be the perfect time to give it to you. But here you are, the same selfish asshole I walked away from back in Bexley. So thank you for cutting me loose before I made my biggest life mistake."

He looks at me, and I can see the struggle in his eyes. "Quinn, you don't—" Closing his eyes, he takes a deep breath and then exhales, opening his eyes again. "You're right. And it would help if you started packing your bags. The limo driver will be here soon."

I look at him, stunned, and storm out of his room. My eyes are blurred with tears as I pack my bags, leave the building, and find myself inside a limo on my way to the airport.

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Sitting at the airport two hours later, I lifted my phone, swiped my thumb across the screen, and pressed Aiden's name. I wipe away a few tears with the back of my hand and text him.