••Tanners' POV
As soon as Taylor's gone, I'm out of the pool and pacing. I don't know how it could've gone so downhill so quickly. One minute we're kissing and playing around, and the next, she's disgusted with me and telling me what I already know. Obviously, dating Monica is wrong and I shouldn't let Quincy have that rule in my life, but there's not much I can do about that. Taylor knows it's not real, and my feelings with Monica has plateaued ever since she showed up here. So it's pretty much her fault. If she had never shown up, everything wouldn't have changed and I'd still be the person I was.
"Hey babe, what'd you do to her?" Monica says from behind me. I'm surprised she even came over. She's been so heated about the rumors that her visits are either daily or once a week.
"Nothing," I sigh, turning and throwing on a tanktop before walking into the living room. I take a seat on the couch, my elbows resting on my knees with my head in my hands. My head is killing me. The thoughts are ramping up to create a steady drumming pounding along to the beat of my heart.
"Aw. Maybe I can get your mind off of it," She says slowly, and I feel her hands start to rub at my shoulders. I'm sure there's some part of me that wants her to a willing distraction but the majority of me finds her annoying at the moment because she is, simply, not Taylor. I groan, but I'm pretty sure she takes it as an agreement to the idea. She circles the couch, forcing my elbows off so she can straddle me, her hands brushing the hair from my face. But her touch feels nothing like the feeling of Taylors skin hitting mine.
She's beautiful, that's nothing hard to admit. But her beauty cannot be compared to Taylors, because as beautiful as Monica may be, she's not as beautiful inside as Taylor is. I've seen gorgeous girls in my time, but none even come close to the feelings I have with her. It's taken me this long to see it, but it's even clearer with the girl I shouldn't be with sitting right in front of me.
Monica leans over me, slowly kissing me intensely. But I feel nothing. "How about we take this upstairs?" She whispers up against my ear, kissing at my neck in between words.
I gently pry her back alittle, frowning. "Mon, can we please talk?"
She gives a short look of disappointment before pressing her lips into mine again, pushing me down flat on the couch without my consent.
"C'mon, one more time," She whispers, kissing my chest. I open my mouth to speak but her lips are back at mine, and a heat grows inside me. But I already know that this isn't the right type of heat, this isn't love. This is simply the kind of heat any man would feel when a girl like her is on top of you. "I just want to make you feel better. I know you're mad about her boyfriend."
My eyes widen and I sit up, forcing her onto the seat next to me instead. "What are you talking about?" I demand.
"That necklace she's always wearing. It's a heart necklace, no girl just buys a heart necklace for herself. It's obvious a guy gave her that," She says, eyebrows scrunches as if she thought I knew that. It's like she feels sorry for me. Sorry for me when I'm breaking up with her.
But the accusation could be true. I've never known a girl who'd buy herself a heart pendant, especially Taylor. A boyfriend? But that'd mean her whole argument with me was just hypocritical. What ground does she have with me if she's doing the exact thing? The jealousy that she must have been feeling every time she saw Monica and I kissing was rising in me with brute force. I don't want her with any other guy.
"I want you to leave," I state, glaring down at her. She seems so much smaller and insignificant to me now, like a song you've heard too many times on the radio. You don't mind it, but you'd rather not hear it anymore.
"But Tanny-" She pleads, clinging to my bicep as I try to stand.
"No, Monica. I'm sorry, but I'm doing things by my own choices from now on. Starting with this," I stand, gathering her hands in mine. She was good to me, she might've been a headache but she was never too much to handle. "I'm sorry."
"It's her, isn't it?" She asks softly, her hazel eyes looking up at me, brimming with tears. "Taylor."
"Yeah,"
She nods sadly. "I knew it, just the way you looked at eachother."
She sighs quietly and hugs me, tiny in my arms, before she looks up at me, smiling but with a couple tears trailing down her face. "Goodbye, Tanner."
As soon as she walks out the door, I'm grappling towards the garage, keys in hand. I take the convertible, jumping the door and speeding out. Don't give up on me.
