Confessions of the Other Woman [First Draft]

Chapter 9

A.N: So I apologize for the delay. I was having a hard time figuring out the direction that I'm trying to take this in. I'm still not completely sure but something told me to sit down and write today and I did. I hope everyone enjoys!

Bryson meet me at a new Italian restaurant. He had offered to pick me up, but just in case things went how I thought they would I would rather drive myself, than have to face the awkward silence. As soon as we were seated the waiter came and took our drinks. I pretended to need more time and so the waiter left.

"Before we go any further." I began. "Quentin stopped by my apartment last night. He told me that he didn't have a problem fighting you and that I would always be his."

Bryson was quiet of a minute. The waiter came back with out drinks and left again after I told him I still needed more time.

"What exactly happened between you and him?" Bryson asked catching me off guard.

I wasn't expecting him to ask me that question. In fact I was kind of just expecting him to tell me that while I was cool, I came with too much, that he wasn't willing to deal with. I took a small sip of my water and sat back in my seat as my past replayed him my head.

"To make a long story short, he cheated. He cheated and he left me for the woman that he was cheating on me with." I let out a deep sigh. "Then he lied about it."

Bryson picked up his glass and said, "So all of that, and now that your back he wants you back or something? Or is it the fact that he didn't expect for another man to take interest in you."

I shrugged. I really did not know the reason for his reaction to Bryson. Prior to me bumping into him at the grocery store we had not seen each other in three years. He never tried to contact me or anything. Thinking about it kind of made me mad, and a little hurt.

"I don't care about any of that." Bryson said finally. "For one, even though I can tell you still have residual feelings for him he had his chance. We might not even go anywhere but still getting to know each other is worth a shot."

I laughed, "So, you're not put off with my baggage?"

Bryson shook his head, "No, I like a challenge. Besides, everyone has some sort of baggage. Even me."

"Oh?"

"If it gets serious I will let you know. Just like I appreciate you letting me know what I was getting into. That already shows me that you are exactly the type of woman Jasir said you were." Bryson smiled, "So are you ready to order or are we just getting drinks tonight?"

I laughed, it felt as if a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. "Yeah I think I'm ready to order."

The conversation was nice, the movie was great. And after the movie was over we just sat outside of the theater for a couple of hours just talking about our jobs, and what we wanted to accomplish. It had been so long since I had been on a date that I forgot how it felt to connect with someone. By the time we had decided to leave it was close to midnight. We parted ways with the promise of another date soon.

When I got home I was shocked to see Quentin waiting. My shock turned to anger.

"What are you doing here?" I asked as I unlocked my door.

He ignored my question and asked, "What has you coming home so late."

I rolled my eyes as I opened my door and turned to him, "You don't get to ask me those questions. We aren't together anymore remember? Remember you're the one that left. So how dare you come here and question where I have been."

"You going to invite me in or do you want your neighbors to hear this?"

I actually didn't want to have this argument at all, but I also knew there were words I never said to him. Words I needed to say to him.

I moved so he could enter and closed the door behind him.

"Well?" I asked folding my arms over my chest.

"I love you." He said softly. "I made a mistake, but I love you I never stopped loving you. I will never stop loving you."

I closed my eyes and counted backwards from ten. Wasn't this what all men told women that they wanted to string along?

"Why are you here?"

He looked at me, "Why are you trying so hard to get rid of me."

"Because it was nothing for you to be rid of me. You say you love me but you don't hurt the people that you love the way that you hurt me. Not only did you cheat on me, you left me. You lied about it too, and I never got the truth from you. I got the truth from her." 'And I did some things I wasn't proud of.' I thought to myself, 'Even now because of you I'm doing things that I'm ashamed of.'

His face softened. "It hurt me too." He took a step towards me and pulled me into his arms. "It hurt me more than you know. I'm not going to lie and say that my hurt eclipsed yours but it hurt me. Even when you left it hurt me. I never contacted you when you left because how could I? When I know how much I hurt you. When I saw you at the store I knew I had to try to get you back."

Before I could respond to anything, before I could even process his words he kissed me. His lips pressed hard against mine, his tongue parting my lips. I didn't push him away, I didn't want to. When it was all said and done I did still have feelings for him. I realized at that moment that even though years had passed I was still in love with him.