Stubborn Love (Smosh Fanfic)

[Chapter 26] Can't Win This Time

-Genny's POV-

I set Ash down on the floor. He wobbled away as I met Anthony halfway. I looked up into his chocolate brown eyes as he looked down at mine.

"What questions are you talking about?" He inquired.

"What are you keeping from me?" I asked.

"Nothing. I told you. It's all taken care of."

"So there was something..." I teased.

"No!" He retorted. "Nothing was wrong."

"Anthony, you know I love you. I always will. But you need to tell me what you and Ian were talking about in the hall."

"It was nothing, Genny!"

I crossed my arms and sighed, "Fine. Then answer this for me. And it's the only one you'll have to answer. Do you still have feelings for Kalel?"

"What?" He laughed nervously. "Why would you think that?"

"So you do..." I murmured under my breath, taking a small step back. "I see..."

"I don't!" He stepped toward me, but I just mirrored his movements, keeping the distance between us. "Why would you think that?"

Tears started to stream down my cheeks. All of this commotion got to me and I just needed to break down. I ran my fingers through my hair and dropped my arms to my side. "Anthony, it's obvious that you do. And the only reason you're with me is because of Ash."

"No..." He tried to explain to me.

I disregarded his plead and just continued to say, "I understand it. I'm meant to be a single mom. It's what the whole world wants, right? I mean, Ian seems to think so too, right? He wants you with Kalel. And you want to be with Kalel."

"Genny...that's not..."

I pulled the ring off of my finger and held it out to him. Tiffany gasped as Anthony looked into my eyes like I was insane. "She really needs this, Anthony. And although she's my enemy, I can't win this time."

"No." He remarked, pushing the ring back to me. "No. I'm not going to give it to her. She doesn't deserve it."

I gulped, "Like Ian said, she's miserable. Make her happy. You helped me, now you need to help her." I held out the ring again.

He took back the ring slowly and unwillingly. "Genny, what's wrong? You were so happy when I proposed." Anthony stated, distraught as he played with the ring with his fingers.

"I thought it was what I wanted but..." I paused, trying to frame out how I was going to put this. "You're an amazing guy, Anthony. You're everything a girl could wish for. And I thought that was what I wanted. But I don't need a guy in my life to make me happy. I have Ash, and Tiffany, and Yolanda even. I just...don't think I'm ready to settle down just yet. There's too many responsibilities."

"What are you doing?" Tiffany shouted. I spun around to look at her. "Anthony's the best thing that's ever happened to you. Before you met him, you were beyond repair, Genny. Your parents died when you were young. You had a rough school experience. You were working long hours to just live on the borderline of an acceptable life. You left your kid at your Aunt's, and she didn't even look after him. You used to pick me up at odd hours of the night just like that. You were miserable!"

"I don't see what's so miserable about..." I started to say.

She cut me off, "You don't get it. Anthony finding out about Ash was probably the best thing that could ever have happened. You won't find many guys who are willing to step up to the plate just like that."

"But he's meant to be with..."

"NO!" Tiffany yelled. "HE'S NOT! HE BROKE UP WITH THAT BITCH TO BE WITH YOU. IF HE LIKED HER, HE PROBABLY WOULD STILL BE WITH HER AND JUST BE PAYING YOU WEEKLY OR MONTHLY FOR ASH. HIM PROPOSING TO YOU SHOWS THAT HE CARES, GENNY. NOT JUST ABOUT YOU, BUT THE FAMILY YOU GUYS HAVE. SO STOP DENYING THAT THINGS ARE GOING RIGHT IN YOUR LIFE FOR ONCE!"

I didn't know what to say, I was speechless. She was breathing heavily. She flipped her hair over her shoulder, "I'm going back to my house. You two can settle this between yourselves." She turned around and strutted out of the door, slamming it behind her.

Anthony cleared his throat, "Please, Genny, understand that I'm over her. I love you. And Ash." He sighed. "And like Tiff said, just think about the family you'd be hurting if you wanted me to go back to Kalel."

I walked around him and over to the table. I set my elbows on the table and rested my head in my hands. I started to sob.

I could hear the floors creak as Anthony made his way over to me and wrapped his arms around me, kissing my head. "You just had a bad day. How about tomorrow we take a break from all of this? We can just watch some movies, play with Ash, and just forget about all of this for one day."

I sighed as he slipped the ring back on my finger and kissed my cheek. "I love you." I didn't respond to him, just stare at the blue line on the wall I hadn't yet cleaned off.

*****

Anthony's plan was exactly what we did the next day. We ignored the paper-and-book-consumed table and the constant calls from our cellphones and sat on the couch practically all day. We sat next to each other, with me resting my head on his chest and his arm wrapped around my back with his hand gripping my shoulder. Hearing his heartbeat and breaths was comforting as we watched the entire Toy Story trilogy. Ash crawled around the apartment and occasionally cried because he needed a diaper change or be fed. And that day, I felt the most relaxed I had felt in months, and I was ready to take on this wedding once again.