You're My Exception

Chapter 26

"Joe," Demi breathed out after opening the door. She saw the man she couldn't take her mind off of standing outside her door. "When did you come back?"

"I just got off my flight about an hour ago," he admitted, trying to keep his hearbeat under control, as he looked her up and down. Was it possible that she had gotten more beautiful over the past week? "You wanted to talk?"

She nodded, letting him inside. "How was your trip?"

"Relaxing. It was nice being isolated," he explained, his eyes only on hers.

"That's good," she commented.

"Enough of the small talk," he pressed. "What's going on?"

"I just...What I did was wrong." After his slightly confused stare, she added, "What happened right before you left."

"No, Demi. I shouldn't be holding on," he told her trying to cover up his pain.

"I lied Joe. I lied to you," Demi confessed, stepping towards him. "I said I didn't love you." Even now, she wished she could go back in time and stop herself from causing that fight. But she couldn't. And now here she was, making things right with Joe.

"So...do you?"

She held her left hand up. "Does this answer your question?"

Joe looked at her finger - ringless. Had he caused that? Did they get into a fight and one of them called it off? Is that why Demi called? Was she needing him at the moment they called it off? "Was this because of-"

"Look Joe," she interrupted. "I never stopped loving you. I was in so much pain after we ended our relationship, but I still loved you. Sterling was there to comfort me. I wanted you. I thought maybe if I gave Sterling a shot, maybe I'd be better. And I was, but there was something missing. I knew what it was the second we ran into each other at the studio this summer. Yes, I did love Sterling, but it's never going to be as much as I love you - as I've been loving you. My feelings were ten times stronger after our run in, and I tried to surpress it. I didn't want to get hurt by you again. I was so scared. I was scared of loving you, and maybe you knew it, or maybe you didn't, but now I know I'm tired of being scared. I just want to be with you." As the last words came out, Demi looked him in the eye. She knew he was trying to absorb everything she had just laid out on the table. She basically poured her soul out out to him.

"Demi," he said. "I don't think I can ever forgive myself for letting you go like that. It was stupid of me to think nothing would be hurt when I told you I wanted to just be friends all those years ago. I couldn't think straight when it came to love and relationships after that. I went on from girl to girl, searching for what we had, but I never found it. Running into you again, I knew it was God giving me another chance to make things right with you. I just wanted to you to be happy, and that's why I let you stay with Sterling. That's why I didn't object to your engagement. I just wanted happiness for you. It killed me, but it was worth seeing a smile on your face." Joe took her hands in his. "Dems, let's give us another chance."

"I..." Demi looked at him. This is what she wanted. She'd been waiting for this moment since they broke up as mere teenagers. She bit her lip, hiding a smile. "Okay." Demi giggled as she leaned in and pressed her lips against his.