Is Love Enough? | SEQUEL

Not A Hero, Just A Fool

Jim's POV

Stalking is generally unacceptable, and I know that. But I'm not really thinking rationally at the moment. I can't stop worrying about Derek, even though I should probably just let him go. It's probably what he wants me to do, but I've always been a bit selfish.

Sometimes after work, I'll just go over to his house. Most of the time, his car is out of the driveway, and I like to pretend it's because he's at work. I don't want to accept the fact that he might be over at Matthew's.

I've done my own research on Matthew. I had managed to get a name of one of his ex-partners from Matt, which led me to meet Gus. Gus was a bit younger than I, and I can see the impact Matthew had on him immediately.

"He likes hurting people," Gus had told me. "Liked to make me feel awful. He'd make things up to me just to ruin it all again."

Gus was very detailed, and I felt extremely bad about it. We still talk sometimes, as Gus and I formed a casual friendship. I want to help him too, because he deserves to stop thinking about his asshole ex boyfriend.

So, I've been stalking Derek. I never expected to be caught.

It was a late Friday night, and I guess I was nostalgic. I was in a daze, staring into his window. His car was gone, and so was he. My guard was down, and I was caught.

Suddenly, his car pulls up to the driveway. The car suddenly stops, and Derek pops up from his car. He slams his car angrily and ran over to me. "What are you doing here?" he hisses.

I didn't respond. I haven't seen him since he handed over the divorce papers. God, I missed him.

"Well?" he asks, and crosses his arms sternly.

I bite my lip. Then, I hesitantly ask, "Is he treating you right?"

He looks surprised. He probably didn't know I was so aware of his life, probably didn't know I know he's moved on. But I do, and now he does now. "Better than you ever did," he retorts, and the punk knows how much that hurts.

I flinch, not wanting to believe it. Sure, I didn't expect him to come out and say that Matthew's treating him bad, but I guess I expected something else. "Are you... sure? He has a bad history."

I already know I messed up by the look on Derek's face. He leans in closer, and my heart flutters uncomfortably. "You don't know anything," he says. "Nothing at all. Do you expect to be the hero?"

"No, I'm just trying to look out for you," I say weakly, and he snorts.

"That's rich, coming from you. You're the one who's hurt me the most."

I feel foolish. Had I really just assumed bad shit was going on?

Derek shakes his head. "Just leave, Jim. Accept that nothing will ever change."

I can't accept that. "One day, we'll be back to being a team, so intertwined," I say strongly. "Just you wait."

But I leave, because it's what he wants.