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"Huh?" She frowned "What?"

"Penelope had no idea about us No-one does"

"Rhett, what did you want me to tell them? Did you want me to text my entire family to let thehed "No, that’s not what I wanted"

"So then what?" She glared, her eyes what "What did you want? What do you want fro with your rules I’ you"

"I want you to want more than that from me I want you to want more" I muttered and looked away frolared atyou to be with me You want me to tell you I want more? Just so you can freak out and then run You wantyou what you want?"

"I want more" I shouted and we both froze in shock "I don’t want you to be my friend with benefits" I spoke softly and her eyes looked into lazed expression "I want you to tellup with my shit I want you to tell me that you want to be hed "I know that’s not what you want"

"I want that" I grabbed her hand "I want to be irlfriend"

"You don’t do girlfriends"

"I don’t want to lose you" I shook my head "I need you to…"

"Rhett, this is because I’ this because you don’t want me to leave South Carolina"

"Would you stay if you were hed "That’s not a reason to ask irlfriend You can’t offer to be et you pregnant?" I half-joked "We could go to ht now I’ll fk you without protection and we’ll see what happens"

"Rhett" Her eyes glittered at ht?"

"I know" I sighed "I don’t even knohat to think anymore"

"We’ll always be friends" She sat down on the couch "I pro you" I sat down next to her "I can’t lose you"

"You’ll never lose me" She shook her head and turned towards me "We’re friends forever"

"I know" I looked away I felt like I had been kicked in the gut I didn’t want to be friends forever I wanted more than that It hitmyself I was in love with Clethe words scaredtime Forever didn’t really exist Forever was a word for saps, but all of a sudden it didn’tto happen I didn’t care that it could fail I didn’t care that there was a possibility that I could lose her I needed her like I needed the air to breathe "Dumbass" I mumbled to myself as I realized what a dumbass I’d been I’d been so jealous of Elliott and every other guy that I couldn’t even think straight I hadn’t knohat to think or feel and I’d talkedprotective over her I was being protective, but I also didn’t want anotherabout her with another guy

"Rhett" She whispered and touched my arm softly I closed my eyes and just sat there All the happiest memories in my life were froh everything She was my rock in ways I’d never even realized She was the love oftoaway

"So, I think I need to tell you so" I openedat me with such devotion that I was scared to even breathe I knew in every fiber ofthat she loved me too I knew then that sometimes, God did make miracles

"Yes?" She asked softly and leaned towards …" I took a deep breath and was about to tell her I loved her when her phone rang

"Hold on" She groaned "Itto check on you and call her to let her know you’re okay"

"Okay" I frowned, annoyed thatto have to wait

"Hello," She answered with a sazed into mine with a sweet expression "Oh hi, Penelope" She spoke and my heart stopped "What’s up? Can I call you back? I’m here with Rhett" She frowned then "It can’t wait"

Dear, God, no was all I could think I continued staring at her, and watched as her expression changed

"Say that again?" Her voice rose and her expression changed She looked at me for a second and I saw the shock and dismay in her expression Shit! "What happened exactly?" Her voice was cold and she moved away from me "I see I’m sorry, I had no idea Yes, he doesn’t care who he hurts" She bit her lower lip and I knew then, that there was going to be no happy ending "I don’t knohy he does it, Penelope I don’t know if he’s a sex addict I’ve got to go" She hung up the phone and put it into her purse slowly

"So, you know?" I sighed after a few minutes of silence

"I alondered you know" She turned towards me "Not about you and Penelope of course, but if you could be faithful I alondered if we ever hooked up, if you could be faithful I knoe aren’t dating I know that we’re not exclusive I know that But I thought I’d be enough"

"We hooked up before you and I…" My voice faded as she held her hand up

"The day before, Rhett The day before"

"It wasn’t like that" I shook my head "I don’t even like her I’m not even attracted to her"

"So that hed bitterly "You don’t even have to be attracted to a girl to hook up?"

"We didn’t have sex" I reached for her hands and she pulled away from me

"I know" She juht of you"

"Oh that fixes everything then" She glared at ht of me when you attempted to…" Her voice cracked and tears streamed down her face "How could you Rhett?"

"I didn’t want to I didn’t want to hurt you" I juavefor you, Rhett" She sobbed "I can’t deal with this"

"Please, can we talk?" My heart broke as she sobbed

"I’ work for you" She shook her head "I’m over it, Rhett You’re a selfish son-of-a-bitch All you care about is yourself I’ve tried I’ve really tried But you just never saw me as more than your friend I’m the person that’s there when your lady friends are busy or you have nothing else to do"

"That’s not true" I shook , Clementine"