The Beautifully Damaged

Chapter Twenty Eight

"Did you fuck him?" Grey asked, staring directly at the steering wheel in front of him.

"God! No, Greyson! Is that seriously what you think of me?" I ask, already irritated with him.

"No, but I don't trust him. Did you kiss him?" He asked, looking over at me this time.

Silence filled the car, and that gave Grey his answer. I watched Grey react as he punched the steering wheel in front of him, and then noticed his eyes begin to swell up, as if this hasn't been the first time he's cried tonight. Tears escaped from his eyes, and he quickly looked away, trying to wipe them off his face before I could notice.

"Why do you try to hide any emotion from me?" I ask. "I want to know that you care, Greyson. Look at me." I grabbed his arm and faced him toward me. He was still teary eyed, so I took my thumb and gently wiped his tears away.

"Why did you do this? You ruined everything." Grey spoke while looking into my eyes.

"No, you did. You wouldn't tell me the truth about whatever it is that Blaze said about you and Ryan." I shook my head.

"You really want to know?" He raised a brow.

"Yes. I've wanted to know all along." I assured him.

"If I tell you, it might change your perception of me." He admitted.

"I will always love you, Greyson. No matter what." I spoke.

Grey fought back more tears and began shaking his head, almost as if he already regretted whatever it is he was about to tell me. He cleared his throat, and then finally, he began to speak.

"Last summer, I had been going to the club a lot, the one your brother works at, actually. I'd-uh-hook up with a lot of girls there, nothing serious, just physical." He spoke.

"I already don't like where this is going." I spoke, feeling a burning sensation in my stomach.

"Do you want me to stop?" He asked.

"No. I need to know, keep going." I braced myself.

"Okay, well one night, I hooked up with this one chick, a little bit older than me. Well, maybe more than a little. Anyway, she got really attached to me, and wanted an actual relationship. I didn't want anything to do with her, so I told her to fuck off. It turns out this-uh-woman, was Ryan's older cousin. She told him everything, and now he has it out for me."

My heart was beating so fast, I hated the thought of him touching anybody else the way he touches me. I took a deep breath, and restrained myself.

"Is that it?" I asked.

"Uh-just-one more thing. The woman, her name is Jackie. Jackie Owens." His voiced cracked.

"Owens? As in Ms. Owens? My English teacher?!" I spoke louder.

"I'm so sorry, Hope. I had no idea." He shook his head, staring down at his feet.

"No wonder why she was acting so weird towards me in class that day, towards both of us!" I shook my head. "This is too much."

"I thought you said you loved me no matter what? Please, Hope. It happened once, that was it. Please don't let this ruin us." He begged.

Do I let one mistake from his past ruin our relationship? Is our relationship already ruined to begin with? I had been playing a game of tug-a-war in my head until Grey snapped me back to reality.

"So? I told you the truth. Do you forgive me?" He gazed into my eyes, with those deep brown eyes I've come to miss. Fuck, I had thought to myself.

"I didn't know you then, Greyson. I'm not mad, it just hurts. I know you've changed since then, I hope." I sighed.

"I have, Hope. I really have, and I'm going to keep getting better. I promise." He pleaded.

"Okay." I spoke.

"Do you still love me?" He asked.

"Yes, Greyson. I still love you. I will always love you." I sighed.

Grey cupped my face into his hands, and placed a gentle, 'I'm sorry' kiss on my lips, and then my cheek, and then my forehead. I giggled, and for the first time in a while, I watched a smile creep over his face. God, I missed that smile.