When Love Becomes Past Tense Chapter 9

Caleb shook his head desperately.

He walked up to me, almost pleadingly trying to take my hand.

I took several steps back to avoid him. His hand hung in mid-air.

"Hazel, I... I was just too proud to admit it."

"Actually, all these days, I've been thinking about you. When I wake up in the morning, I think about the shirts you ironed for me, the lunches you made, everything you handled for me..."

"I can't live without you. I really can't. This feeling... I don't have it with Sienna. Only with you. When Roman answered the phone that day, the voice was so familiar, I felt like it was you. My heart stopped."

"I didn't want to accept it, didn't want to accept that you, who belonged to me, went into someone else's arms."

"I thought you would always wait for me, always forgive me. I'm sorry, I'm truly sorry. It's all my fault. I said so many wrong things, did so many wrong things. You can scold me, hit me, whatever. Just forgive me..."

Caleb rambled on with what he thought was a heartfelt confession.

Honestly, I barely paid attention.

Because Roman had wrapped an arm around my waist from behind.

His tone was a bit sullen; I could hear the jealousy and caution in his voice.

"Those things you did for him... can I have them too?"

"I... I want to eat lunch made by your hands too."

I patted his hand resting on my waist.

"Of course. Forget about those things. From now on, it's all yours!"

Our voices snapped Caleb out of his self-pitying trance. He looked at me, eyes red rimmed.

"Hazel, you said before... you would love me forever. Why... why does none of that count anymore?"

As if suddenly remembering something, he frantically pulled a piece of paper from his pocket.

"This... do you remember this?"