✔ LITTLE MARA! ― (BRANDON ARREAGA)

thirty two

• Brandon's POV •

I walked downstairs into the living room where Lily sat. Her hand covered her mouth and tears were rolling down her cheeks, "Why are you crying?" I questioned, walking closer to her. She stood to her feet and placed Elena on the couch, where she once sat.

"I can't believe you would do that, Brandon. You knew I would be able to hear you. I can't believe you would play with my emotions like this." She began, her brown eyes turning a shade darker as she burned holes through me. If looks could kill.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, confused as to what she was talking about.

"You knew I would be able to hear your entire little speech through the baby monitor."

My eyes widened. I completely forgot about that. Oh my God, I can't believe she heard every word I said. "I almost believed you too, but then I realized this is probably another one of your little games so you can play with my heart but in the media you're a loving father. I see what you're doing and i'm not falling for it." She said, not taking her eyes from mine.

I was completely baffled. How could she even think that? "Lily, I would never do that to you. The media is the last thing on my mind right now, I swear. This isn't some game. I love you for God's sake." I said, my chest tightening with every word.

"Why do you keep doing this to me? Why do you keep playing with my emotions?" She said, walking up to me and taking Lorenzo from my embrace. I watched her as she walked back over to the couch and scooped Elena up with ease, making her way back up to her room. I don't know why, but I followed right behind her, "You're not coming in here." She said as she went to slam the door shut.

My foot stopped it and I pushed it back open, "Lily, I would never play with your emotions. Do you really think I would work this hard to get you back just to mess with your emotions? I fucking love you. I always have, always will. I won't give up on us." I said, my voice lowering as I said the last sentence.

• Liliana's POV •

My heart was beating fast and my chest felt as if it were going to explode.

he's playing you.

he's playing you.

His eyes had glazed over as he stared at me, watching me diligently take in his words. "How can you love me now when you never loved me in the first place? Why won't you just admit that I was nothing but the other Mara to you?" I said, my breathing quavering as I inhaled a deep sigh.

"Are you serious right now? Why do you even think that? You're everything, but just the other Mara to me. If we're laying everything out on the table right now, I've loved you since the day we met. You wanna know why I always annoyed you? It's because I knew you would never speak to me any other way. You were too shy. I annoyed you because you were completely adorable when you were pissed and you still are."

As he continued on with his story, my heart was aching with each would that left his lips.

I was completely hopeless.

I had no choice. Even if I didn't want to love him, I still did.

Everything happened so quickly my mind couldn't even comprehend what I was doing. My hands cupped his cheeks and my lips landed on his forcefully. A sensation throughout me that I haven't felt in a while. My body felt numb. His cold finger tips brushed against the exposed skin of my hips as he pulled me closer to him.

Regretting him was like wishing you never found out that love could be that strong.