EPILOGÍ 'The Choice' (Mature; 18+)

Chapter 18 - Breathe

I woke up still with Tag's arms wrapped around my naked body. Darkness still fills the surroundings. I bet it's four in the morning. 

I looked over at him and he's sleeping peacefully like a child. Last night was something. I can't believe I did that with him. I'm just so deprived I wanted to feel again. And he wanted me. Did I take advantage of his feelings? Is it just lust?

Pushing the thought away, I lifted his arm gently so as not to wake him. When I'm free, I quickly changed for my morning run. I left him a small note so he'll not freak out when he wakes and I'm not there.

As I step into the woods, I felt movement like someone or something is following me. Scared to look back I increased my speed, but the sounds of crunching leaves and breaking twigs grow louder behind me.

"Rach it's me." Someone said in between pants.

"Damn it Gage don't do that." I stopped running and he stopped beside me with an angry look on his face.

"I should tell you that. We told you don't go or do anything alone." He scolds me with a pointing finger. "What if it wasn't me, what if that asshole ex of yours started following you and do God knows what to you in the deep forest." Ooooh, he's mad.

I started walking away from him in the opposite direction. "Fuck I'm sorry. Hey, I'm here now, we can run together."

"I know. That is why we're taking the other trail. You said never take it alone." I said with a big smile on my face. I've been wanting to take that route to up the challenge.

We head into the trail, he quickly took my hand and led the way. The trail was indeed challenging. There were waist-high steps and some foot wide cliff-side paths. One wrong step and we could fall off to the abyss.

The sun is rising and shedding more light on our path. Every hard obstacle we face he would either pull me up or keep me on the safe side. He stayed in front of me checking for danger before he lets me follow.

We reached a dead end on top of a huge rock overlooking the forest and a small waterfall on the other side of the mountain. This place is even more majestic than I've known.

He sat down and helped me down beside him. I can't take my eyes off of nature's beauty before my eyes. "This is so magical."

"It's more magical upfront."

"Is there a trail that leads down there?" I asked.

"Yes, but it's on the other side of the mountain. We need to drive up and hike down from there." He explained. "We can go a day after it had rained, the rain will wash away some obstacles and would drive away insects in our path. Plus, the falls would flow more water by then."

"That would be great." I said feeling excited.

We stared at the falls appreciating its beauty and listened to the sound of birds singing in the morning air.

I felt him staring at me as I admire nature. "This is beautiful." I said.

"So beautiful." He replied not taking his eyes off of me.

We stay silent for a moment until he broke it. "What really happened to you?"
I looked at him confused. "And I don't mean about your fucking ex back there."

I just looked straight in his eyes gathering as many hints of what he knows.

"Your ring." He continued as he looked away. I stiffened, I knew this day would come. Of all brothers, Gage was the only one who noticed it and it's just now that he's questioning it. "So many things have been circling my mind, Rach. With that rock, you should be joyful, but all I see is sadness. With that rock, you wouldn't be involved with any of us or all of us." He looked back at me studying my reaction.

I took a deep breath, does he know about his brothers and me?

"Yes, I know. I witnessed everything, Rach.  With you and my brothers." This time I wanted to speak and explain but no words would come out. My face just fell to my hands. "I should be mad at you, stringing the four of us along, when you're probably engaged to someone."

Tears pooling in my lids as I gather all the courage to speak up. "I'm not." Now it's his turn to give a confused look my way. "I'm not anymore."

He turned his whole body towards me this time. "What do you mean?"

"I wanted to tell all of you, that time Jason arrived, I don't want to hide any more secrets. Even the things I've been doing with all of you, I wanted to come clean. I wanted all of you to understand."

He held my hand softly eyes warm and pleading for the truth. I smiled and took another deep breath.

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We are now walking back to the cabin. I'm so thankful for Gage. He listened intently to every word I have said on top of the rock and he understood. He wrapped me in his arms with empathy. We decided to head back and tell his brothers.  "I hope your brothers would understand too."

"They would." He grabbed my hands and stopped me just when the cabin is in sight.

"Do you think your brothers would despise me if I tell them the things I've done with you and them?" I confidently asked him. He told me he knew everything from Tag to Kayne to Rob and God he even knew what went down last night(was I too loud). But he never judged me. He confessed all the times he had a clue of what was happening even how he purposely called Rob to stop us from kissing. He even said he can't blame me or his brothers.

He laughed, "We can work things out, Rach. You, me and my brothers no matter how deep you are involved with any of us, I just know everything will turn out fine." He said. "I mean look at us who wouldn't do the things you've done."

"Ha ha ha Gage. Stop being so cocky." I chuckled. Funny how he accepted me despite everything.

Knowing everything might turn out better for me, I finally found the oxygen bringing me back to life. The oxygen that is in them. 

Lily and Eric once told me that I should never live my life alone. They were alone and miserable before until the guys walked in their life. And they too walked in mine, filling the sad dark void in my heart.

We turned up the side of the cabin to the main entrance ready to drop the bomb on the guys. Until we heard yelling. We both looked at each other and quickly got inside.

I almost stumbled, when I bumped into Jason. He stood in the lobby with all his luggage. "Bye Chelly. I'm leaving for now." I can't quite focus on him as I hear Tag clamoring in the cafe. Gage wanted to head in the cafe to know what's going on but I know he can't leave me with Jason. I initially thought Jason is the cause of this fit.

I looked over the reception and Kayne is not there. He may be with Tag and Rob in the cafe.  "I already checked out but I'll be back. This place is just a nice playground for me." Jason said with a sinister smile on him as he walked slowly out.

I cannot completely focus as I hear my name from Tag's roars, and I hear something about a box and a ring.

Gage and I instantly knew what this is about. He looked at me "What's in the box Rach?"

"Everything." My eyes started to gush out tears as I realize what is happening.

Jason yelled out my name as he reached the patio. I spun around "Chelly, there's so much drama in this cabin." I feel the irony of amusement in his voice. "I told you, you'll never be happy with Paul." I'm glued to my place, I'm breaking down, Gage holding me, keeping me up. "You can never be happy with anybody else Chelly. Not even with these men. Always put that in mind." And he left. Why does he have to add up to all these?

I dropped to the floor. Darkness consuming me once again. The air I breathe is once again stained. Gage pulled me up. The cafe doors swung open, revealing a furious Tag with Kayne and Rob following.

I cleared my tear-filled gaze, acted strong and stopped crying. I notice what's on Tag's hand. A box. My box. Our box.

A/N: Shit's about to go down....

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