13 Flames | gxg

64 - don't hurt her

Palmer

Camryn looks back at me, her eyes raking over my body. She offers a small smile. "Hey, Palmer."

I glance over my shoulder to find Lexa engaged in conversation with Chloe and Nick. I grab my coat and slip outside, closing the door behind me. Camryn waits for me to say something but I can't find any words.

"What are you doing here?" I finally ask.

She takes a step closer and I step back. "Palmer, I wanted to see you. I wanted to talk to you."

I fail to keep the anger out of my tone. "It's been two years, Cam. Two years. What could you possibly have to say to me now?"

"I'm sorry."

My heart skips a beat. Never would I have thought to hear those words from her.

She takes another step closer but I've run out of room, my back against one of the porch columns. "I'm so sorry, Palmer. For everything. I never meant to hurt you."

I hate that she sounds so sincere. Just her being here brings up too many memories I wish I could forget. I shake my head. "That's not good enough, Camryn."

"Please, here me out." I don't say anything so she goes on. "I was drunk. That's not an excuse, and I know that. But you were filming for that commercial, and Katie told me you were screwing around with your co-star. I–I just lost it. And Connor was right there, he—I'm trying to say I'm sorry. It should never have happened. And I can't believe Connor would allow it."

Her words turn my voice to steel. "Connor's a dick. But you came onto him, Camryn. And how could you even believe Katie in the first place? You really didn't trust me enough to not cheat on you?" I hiss.

She opens her mouth to speak but I interrupt. "No. Don't say anything. It won't change a thing. You wanted to hurt me by sleeping with my ex. And you did. You fucking broke me." Tears fall from my eyes, stinging against my cheeks in the cold. "I... I loved you. I fucking loved you, even after." I let out a strangled laugh. "And I'm happy now! I moved on! I don't care if you feel guilty, because I'm over it. You can't come crawling back into my life now that I'm actually getting somewhere," I spit.

Camryn's facade crumbles and she's left with anger in her eyes. "I said I was sorry. What else do you want?"

"I want you to stay the hell away from me."

Camryn's about to shoot back when the door opens between us. Lexa stands there with Nick and Chloe hanging behind. She sees the tears in my eyes and rushes to my side. "Palmer? What's wrong?"

I don't say anything, just take her hands in mine. That's when Chloe notices Camryn.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" she hisses.

"I came to talk to Palmer."

Nick steps between me and the girl, his arms crossed over his chest. "And she clearly doesn't want to talk to you. So fuck off."

"Shut up, Nick," Camryn sneers.

"Oh, you bitch!" Nick shouts. Chloe holds his arm back as he's clearly about to do something stupid.

Lexa looks between all of us, confused. "Who are you?" she asks Camryn.

Camryn smiles wickedly. "Oh, didn't she tell you? I'm the girl she replaced with you."

"Shut up," Nick says again.

I grab his other arm, making sure he doesn't do something he'll regret. "Camryn, just go. We don't want you here."

She scoffs. "Cause you're too good for me now, right? Glad to see the fame didn't go to your head. And I can't believe I came here hoping we could be friends again."

"You fucking gold-digger–" Chloe hisses.

I cut her off with a sharp look. But when I turn back to Camryn, my resolve shatters. The sneer on her lips, the look in her eyes. I remember everything she's ever said to me in, every offhand comment that chipped away at who I was until there was nothing left but broken pieces and the new mold she was shaping me into. She stares into my eyes, challenging me to say something.

Lexa finds my hand and it's like I can breathe again. She comes to my side, holding my body tight to hers. She stares back at Camryn. "Look, I don't know you, but you're clearly not welcome here. I don't know what happened in the past, but I know right now you're nothing but a snake. All you came here for was to take advantage of Palmer. To hurt her some more. And I'm not going to let you."

Lexa takes a step towards her, her gaze unwavering. "So please. Go. Fuck. Yourself."

Camryn hesitates for a moment, taken back by Lexa's words. Her eyes meet mine. "I hope you don't hurt her, Palmer."

She glares at Nick and Chloe before turning on her heel and striding back towards her car. We watch her get in and drive off, Chloe holding up both middle fingers. Lexa leads me inside and I stay quiet, unsure what to say. She takes my coat off my shoulders and stands in front of me, her hands cupping my face. I pull her into a tight hug.

I bury my head in her shoulder as she rubs my back. Nick and Chloe shuffle around us, heading back to the living room. Lexa holds me tight as I cry. I didn't realize it would hurt this much to see Camryn again. I haven't thought about her in so long, all the emotions came rushing back at once.

We separate and I press my forehead to Lexa's. "Palmer, what just happened?" she whispers.

I take a deep breath. "She... she's my ex-girlfriend. She cheated on me with my ex before her," I mutter.

"Palmer, I'm so sorry."

I shake my head. "Please don't apologize. You've done nothing wrong."

"What do you want me to do for you?"

I give her a small smile and pull my head back. I point at the ceiling above us. Lexa notices what I'm pointing at and smiles. "Mistletoe?"

She meets my eyes and her hands wipe away what's left of my tears. I hold her waist and my head tilts forward until her mouth presses to mine. Her lips move slowly against mine, sparks shooting between us. When I pull away we sway back and forth, our foreheads pressed together.

"I love you Palmer."

"I love you more."

---

That night I tell Lexa everything. What happened with Camryn, with Connor, why I stayed as long as I did. Even before she cheated on me, I knew the relationship was toxic. But she told me she loved me and I was naive enough to believe her.

We lay in bed together, my arms wrapped around her body and my head buried in her chest. Her hands run up and down my back as I speak, her legs tangled in mine beneath the covers. We both wear flannel pajama pants and bras, our bare skin warm against each other.

When I finish with my long and depressing story we lay in silence. Lexa's hand grips the back of my head and she holds me tightly. "Thank you for telling me," she whispers.

"Thanks for listening."

Her hand moves to my chin and she tips my head up. I give her the sleepy beginning of a smile and her lips part into a grin. The way her eyes light up, her face bright, sends a warmth through my body. "You're beautiful," I mumble.

"So you keep reminding me."

"I don't want you to forget."

Lexa kisses my forehead and I reach sideways to shut off the lamp. I snuggle into her body and she pulls the covers up to our shoulders. "Goodnight, Palmer."

"Goodnight baby," I whisper.

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a/n
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