🥊 Hate or Fate 💕 {Enemies to Lovers}

.34.

When my heel hit the pavement, I lurched onto the sidewalk to lose control of my coffee. With a loud splash, the dark liquid splattered everywhere.

"I'm so sorry!" I babbled to the passersby.

My splotchy, tear-stained face and jerky movements must have looked crazy-pants because people were backing away from me as if I were some kind of threat.

"Isla!" Gray barreled out of the store followed by Sadie to find me red-faced and crying on the sidewalk. "Are you alright?"

"I'm so sorry," I addressed Sadie and gestured at the front of the store that I'd just painted with mocha. "If you have paper towels, I will clean this up!"

"It's fine!" Sadie blew a raspberry. "I was worried you were having a heart attack or something. Your face is white as chalk! Do want to come in and sit down?"

"No," I shook my head furiously. "No! I just...I needed some air."

Fat tears were rolling down my cheeks and my entire body felt cold as ice. Gray's face was creased with deepening concern, but I didn't feel capable of talking.

"OK, doll," Sadie gave me a supportive hug I didn't ask for. She smelled like dusty Bubblegum and sweet rosewater. "If you go back to Vita, ask for Amy, and tell her to re-make your drink because Sadie said the first one was shit."

"Thanks," I tried smiling, but it felt wrong.

Everything felt wrong. I'd spoiled everything with my weird freak out. 

"Let's go for a walk," Gray suggested, hooking an arm through mine to thaw me out.

He pointed us in the direction of a park, where normal people were doing normal things.

I looked like I was mid-breakup with Gray and he was trying to let me down easy in a public setting. Then again, I didn't care. My heart was cracking open to spill its messy guts all over again.

Stupid me, I'd opened up to Rebecca and that made me vulnerable. It brought up memories that I wasn't ready to face. It made me susceptible to emotional triggers that had the power to level me with a single audio cue.

Gray wasn't saying a word, he just stayed by my side, quietly guiding us over a crosswalk into the park. I was taking measured breaths, desperately trying to stop the hiccups from clawing up my throat. He seemed to intrinsically understand that I needed time before I would be capable of speech.

After a few minutes, he found us an empty bench near a large concrete fountain.

"You must think I really hate the Beatles," I remarked, staring bleakly at the unnatural line between the grass and the gravel walkway surrounding the fountain.

"I was a little curious," Gray shrugged, seating himself close enough that I could still feel his warmth.

"That song, Golden Slumbers," I started slowly, gaging whether I'd be able to get the words out, and whispering when they caught in my swollen throat. "It was my dad's favorite."

"Oh, wow," Gray's tone dipped as if he realized the significance. "Jesus, I'm sorry, Isla."

"It's nothing," I shook my head, hoping to clear the bulky emotions plugging up my thoughts. "Normally, I love the Fab Four. It's just...This time of year is difficult."

"He passed around this time, right?" Gray's eyes tightened.

"How did you know?"

"Elijah told me once," Gray whispered.

"Oh," was the only response I could muster.

I should have figured, but to think or reason, one needed brain power, and I was fresh out of that.