BitterSweet

Chapter 35

"I want your name. You're a Mendes . You didn't think I came up to you in that bar not knowing, did you? I knew all about you before I even sat down."

Fucking bitch.

"It's not about the money, I-"

"It's always about the money." She interrupts me. "Name your price."

"Lauren, you could offer me all the money in the world and I still wouldn't accept your offer," Is what I should've told her that night.

"Why? I thought you needed money to start up your company?"

"I don't want it anymore. It's not worth it." I'd rather work at Niall's construction company and live in his house with Camila my whole life, than live a life without her for a second. These past two weeks have been hell without her. She's everything I never thought I wanted. It was unexpected, sure, but I wouldn't change it for the world.

"Then what do you want?"

"Her." I point towards Camila with my chin.

"Her?" Lauren looks, disgusted.

"Love? That's what this is about? You and her, Shawn, it would never work. You and I, however, now that I could see happening. We come from the same social circle, I don't even know her. I know you're a smart man, you see what this relationship will do for you in the future. Shawn, love is for fools, the sooner you learn that the better off you'll be."

"Then I'm a fool," because I'm in love. I turn around now, walking away from her and towards the love of my life.

"You can't do this!" I hear Lauren shout gaining attention.

I glance over my shoulder and say with a grin, "I just did."

She's making such a fuss that Zayn and his roommate, Taylor that joined him as his plus one, get up to escort her out of the tent. I smile as I continue walking towards my girl.

"Mind if I cut in?" I ask politely.
Camila's body tenses up but the fucker doesn't notice.

"Sure." He wisely moves away. Smart man.

I step up and hold her before she can turn around and run off. She still tries to get away from me but I grab her around her waist and pull her to me. We get into position and begin swaying back and forth on the dance floor with me leading and her reluctantly following. I can just imagine what my family is thinking if they are even paying attention to us. I'm sure they're more focused on the bride and groom.

"You look beautiful." I compliment her.

She stays quiet, obviously not wanting to make small talk. Regardless of the now awkward silence, save for the song, it feels so incredible to have her in my arms again. I want to pull her closer, burry my nose in her hair to smell her intoxicating scent, I want to kiss her, do anything, but I don't make a move to do so. She's still so tensed like she doesn't want me near her. I guess I should stop fixating on her being in my arms again and start this conversation, hopefully win her back. Does she even want me back? Has she moved on? Fuck, I hope not. All I can think is, she loves me. She said she loves me. But, does she even still love me? If she had just told me sooner, perhaps we wouldn't be in this mess.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner how you felt?" I finally speak and it feels as if I'm blaming her.

"Shawn..." She shakes her head. "I never should've said anything."

"I just wish I would've known." Especially before I made that deal with the devil.

She doesn't say anything but I can see the emotions playing in her eyes. She doesn't want to be near me.

"So, is he your date?" I ask her of Tristan, changing the subject since she obviously doesn't want to talk about that night. Who can blame her, really.

"No." She answers quietly.

"Do you have a date?" I check.

"No." She's a little louder but not by much, still with the one-word answer.

"Why don't you have a date?" I ask, not that I'm complaining. I'm relieved.

"I'm not..." She pauses to think. "I've never dated before, I don't see the need to do it now."

"C-" I begin to tell her what she means to me, everything, but she cuts me off, interrupting me.

"What about your date?" She looks around but she wont find Lauren.

"She's gone."

"Gone?"

"Gone." I repeat. "Forever."

She finally looks at me and it's as if she can see right through me. Now's my chance to tell her.

"I can't stop thinking about you, Mila, and... I-" Fuck, I'm nervous. "You said you loved me..."

She looks away from me again, I can tell the tears are just barely holding back.

"Mila, look at me." I beg her. "Look at me, please." Reluctantly, she does.

"Tell me you still feel the same way about me, that it's not past tense," that I'm not too late.

"I- Yes, I do still love you, Shawn. It's kind of hard to stop."

"Good." I say relieved and pull her closer.

"It doesn't mean anything though." She says. And I know it's because I didn't back out of the deal when she told me how she felt.

"Of course it does!" I tell her. "It means everything."

She shakes her head and a tear finally escapes.

"It does." I insist. "Because- because I love you too."

She stops moving now at what I just admitted.

"What?" I can't hear her over the music but I know she said the word. Sure now my lip reading skills work.

"I. Love. You." I say each word slowly so she hears them clearly. "I love you, Camila."

"You do?" Her body finally relaxes and she gives me the sexiest doe-eyed look regardless of her red rimmed eyes barely holding back her tears.

"I do." That reminds me, "I called off the fake wedding."

"What? Why? You needed money to start your company."

"Yeah," I laugh. "And I was supposed to marry that bitch so I could. That's not going to happen. ... Mila, you mean more to me than starting up some business and I should've known that before I agreed to that deal. I was happy when I was with you, more so than I have ever been my whole life, and surprisingly that's when I had the least amount of money. I've been miserable since you left me."

I used to think starting my company was the only thing that would satisfy me, make me happy, but now I know that's not true.

"I am so fucking sorry, baby, that I didn't realize this sooner. I know I fucked up, but I will do anything for your forgiveness."

"I want you to know I'm only doing this because you realized this before you made the biggest mistake of your life."

"Doing wha-"

Camila surprises me by jumping up on her tiptoes, grabbing me around my neck and kissing me like crazy. I moan and pull her closer so our bodies are flush against each other, no space between us, and kissing her back with just as much passion. It doesn't take long, in a room full of construction workers, for the catcalls to start. We pull away so we're not giving them a free show anymore. Needing to be close to her and now, I grab Camila's hand and lead her out of the tent.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see." I have to have her. It's been far too long.

Leading her through the yard, thanking everything that my brother and his bride decided to have their wedding on my parents' property, I take her straight to the boathouse. The house is just too far away and I need to be inside of her as soon as possible.

----------------------------------------------------

2 chapters left from this story:(

vote&share:)!