FALLING AROUND YOU ➵ DANIEL SEAVEY ➵ SEQUEL

09 ➵ Unfinished Heart

"Daniel's there."

My breathe hitched. I honestly couldn't believe what I was hearing. My body tenses up under the sudden circumstances looking around trying to scavenge my surroundings. Quickly, I rose from my seat while my steps were brisk. My heart rumbled like the volcano of Pompeii in fear that I'll see the boy I never stopped treasuring.

"How does he know I'm here?" I asked short and livid.

"I told him," her words shallow, "he called me and he said that you weren't picking up! He said he needs to talk to you, Sienna, and I think you should."

"Christina, I told you to stop playing cupid— I just can't see him right now."

"But he deserves to explain his side of the story, Sienna. Please, don't put your pride over someone you care for so much," her words gentle.

"I have to go. I'll see you when I get back," I muttered before hanging up.

Don't put your pride over someone you care for so much.

Her words burned my thoughts. I would lie if I said I didn't miss him— I found myself missing him like the desert missed the rain, but it's different now. People change and grow, and sometimes we need to learn to grow without one another. I closed my eyes slightly taking deep breathes.

My steps were heavy as I tried to hustle back towards Charlie's car. I hated to admit that Christina was right, but it hurt too much if I saw him now. I hadn't seen him since the chaos on the media, and if anyone saw us together, the management would flip. Right before I walked away from the arms of the building, the soothing voice mellowed my name.

"Sienna?"

His tone felt fragile as a small cast of remembrance swept over the building not allowing me to move. I felt my legs stick to the ground unable to take another step as his were coming closer. My body turned around slightly noticing how near he had gotten.

"Stop!" I spoke while he stopped mid-step.

"Please, Sienna. Let me explain everything."

I shook my head in disbelief. "How are you going to explain to me that you kissed me, but still had a girlfriend?" I felt ill.

"Sienna, please. Just listen."

"No, you listen. Do you understand that I had to learn you were with someone else on live television? I didn't learn it from you, but I learned it on the media. I had to swallow my real reactions and put on a smug face to stop any drama," my voice cracked as I looked away for a moment.

Quickly, the Seavey boy grabbed my wrist pulling us out of the building and into a more private corner of the outdoors. As he let go, I took a few steps away from him unsure of the next move.

"You know I wouldn't call if I wasn't in pain," his words churned.

"Who is she?" those were the only words that could come to mind.

"Sienna—"

"Who is she?" I repeated.

He sighed, "Marie Lorena. She's an upcoming actress in Hollywood."

I closed my eyes imagining her once more. I would lie if I said I never searched along the web for the supposed girlfriend, and it made sense when I thought that to a couple of photos. I remembered the girl's features— they contradicted my own. I remembered her hair being a light honey brown shade along with vivid blue specks. They almost seemed like Dani's— almost, but they didn't have the light gleam in them like Dani did.

"Daniel, please just tell me you don't have feelings for me anymore, and truthfully I'll be okay. Just tell me that," my words had splinters as I spoke.

"But I'd never want to lie to you," his sentence was simple causing me to let out a saddening chuckle.

He stayed quiet trying to have a conversation with just our eyes.

"We're holding onto something that we should've let go a long time ago, Dani."

"But I don't want to let go! I want to keep holding and holding until my hands break off because at least then I'll know I did everything I could to keep you in my life." he stepped closer to me putting his hands on mine. I thought for a moment maybe it was true. Just maybe we'll last in the chaotic storm of our love life.

But, then I thought of her.

That mean it was time for the storm to pass, and the sun to shine on the damaged pieces. The more we held on, the more we ended up hurt.

"Don't you see it, Daniel? You can't be with more than one person. You had to choose between me and her, and obviously, she won."

"Please, don't do this," he pulled me closer grasping on my hands, "It was never my choice, Sienna. They made me. This was never up to me." he kissed the top of my hand gently trying to make me understand.

"Daniel, we can't fight the inevitable. No matter what happens our management doesn't want us together. The media thinks you're dating Marie, and it needs to stay that way," I gleamed into his eyes, "my feelings for you are far from drained, but I can't be put in a situation where I'm constantly being hurt with matters related to you, and the only way for that to end is—"

"By letting each other go," he finished my sentence.

"It was always you, Dani. No matter how many times I disagreed and told you otherwise, it was always you, but there's too many things pulling us apart right now. The more I'm with you, the more I find myself getting hurt," I felt my heart becoming heavier.

There was a soft silence between us. Neither of us knew what to do next, but I slowly backed away from those ocean eyes as my head was faced to the floor. I didn't want to look him in the eyes— I didn't want think that no matter how hard we try, we could never be together.

"I hope she'll you happy," my final words reached him. I could tell that that he was going to say something, but this words prevailed.

"Sienna—"

"No, Daniel," I breathed, "This is your chance. You are given a fresh start to love someone again; that person might not be me, but you have a chance to make another girl feel treasured." I turned around without another word.

I wanted to look into his eyes and tell him that we could be together, but that just seemed like a fantasy at this point. Oh, Daniel Seavey— he was the very boy that took my heart and left me with an unfinished one, but he'll never know that.

—

hey guys! i'm going to be honest by saying i've had no motivation to write recently, but it's odd because i find the motivation in the more dire situations. there's a bit of a longer chapter since i've been gone so long. anyways, i hope you enjoyed this chapter and i'm pretty sure i'll make the next couple chapters in daniel's perspective because i really want you guys to meet marie! again, thank you for the support and please leave comments and vote!