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(31)

"Walk away, Poppy..." I muttered to myself. "Ignore him..." But my legs wouldn't cooperate and I stood there frozen only feet away from the car.

"You're ok, Pops?" Nate murmured next to me and I answered with the tiniest nod.

"Poppy..." Tyler repeated, out of breath. "I-I just wanted to talk to you before..." He seemed to hesitate and I was glad I wasn't looking at him otherwise I was pretty sure I'd have hugged him on the spot. "Before the game... Yeah, Landon told me you weren't coming so I..." He paused and nervously raked his hand through his faux hawk, messing it completely. Rambling Tyler was cute and I seriously hoped he'd get on with whatever he had to say because I was seconds away from jumping into his arms and kissing his nerves away. I clenched my hands to make sure I wouldn't actually do it.

"God, this is hard..." He grunted and my heart which was already doing a happy dance inside my chest, got even crazier if that was possible.

Drop your gaze, Poppy. Don't look at him... I told myself and focused on a hundred-year-old oak tree on the other end of the car park.

Yeah, think about that tree instead of letting your traitor body do something you'll regret... I silently cheered myself.

"I just wanted to say goodbye since, you know, we're leaving right after the game..." He finally said.

"Bye..." I muttered quickly and resumed walking to the car. I sighed when I felt him behind me.

"I...I'm sorry about everything..." He added causing the familiar prickling sensation at the back of my eyes but there was no way I'd cry.

NO. WAY. I thought.

He must have taken it as a sign to continue when he saw that I wasn't opening the car door because he added, "Talking about my mother always gets crazy reactions out of me..." He said quickly and I could tell just how painful it was for him to admit this to me and Nate who was standing next to him. "I never meant to hurt you after I drove Leo back home..." He went on, with his head down with shame. I frowned when I heard him take a huge breath, as if gathering enough courage to get through his next point. "I miss you, Poppy..." He murmured and I visibly shivered when our eyes met for the first time in a week and I saw the extent of his sorrow. "So much that it hurts to breathe..." I gasped at that. "That's why I'd like you to reconsider your decision..." He paused, probably realizing he'd been too blunt but after remaining quiet for a long time, he sighed and said, "Please give me one last chance..."

I closed my eyes, no longer able to stand the immense pain that was reflected in his eyes but what a huge mistake that was as I immediately felt fat tears rolling down my cheeks.

I groaned, knowing I was seconds away from falling for his little show.

You know perfectly well it wasn't a show! A little voice said at the back of my mind.

Still, why would I give him yet another chance?! I argued back inwardly with my hands clenched more tightly.

He suddenly reached for my face with trembling hands and I shivered again when he ever so gently wiped my tears.

"I know you deserve much better than a f*cked up guy like me but on top of everything else, I'm a selfish bastard and now that I have tasted what it was like to be with you, I just can't get you out of my system." He paused, slightly out of breath. "I tried, believed me..." He pursued. "I talked for hours with my doc about how unworthy I was to be with an amazing girl like you... How lucky I was to have been given a chance with you and how I had to face the consequences of my f*cked up behavior..." He explained. "But you're the first thing I think about when I open my eyes in the morning and your face - your cute freckles and huge green eyes... Your soft lips..." His eyes had darkened considerably within the last ten seconds making me feel all weird inside. "And don't get me started on those adorable braids of yours..." He paused. "So yeah... Your face is the wallpaper of my dreams... That's what I told him today at lunch..."