Brian’s POV

The ride to the small diner by the beach was quiet. I would love to say that it was a comfortable silence but it wasn’t. There’s this tension between Belle & I ever since that almost kiss that I can’t even begin to describe it. I know that there’s something on her mind, something that’s bothering her, but she hasn’t said anything to me. Maybe she’s having problems with JB. All I know is that I’m constantly thinking about her. Even when I’m just laying on bed, watching TV, my mind always seem to wonder to her. What's she doing? If she’s alone? If she’s with Jason? If she is, what are they doing? If he could be the one that she falls for? I secretly hope he isn’t. He’s a great guy & I love him to death, but I just don’t think he’s the {C}one{C} for her.

{C}“You always think no one is the one for her”{C} The small voice in my head says & even if my conscience says that’s ridiculous, my heart says it’s true. I don’t want her to love anyone else. I want her to love me… only me.

“Brian” Belle says, shaking my arm. I look at her & notice that we arrived at the diner. “Are you ok? You zoned out” She says, smiling. God, I love that smile. I just love everything about her. Even how her bottom lip is slightly chapped from all the biting she does to it. She’s always biting her lip. I think it’s cute.

“Yeah, I’m fine” I say, parking & getting out of the car. I walk to Belle side & wrap my arms around her shoulders, while she places her arm around my waist, like we always do. We walk into the diner. It’s a family diner that we used to come at when we were in school. Of course, I didn’t have my arms covered in tattoos & Belle was as flat as a board, but that isn’t important. We sit in front of each other on the farther booth. “I’m starving” I say, sighing. I see Belle bite her bottom lip & nod, her glance cast down. “Are you ok?” I ask, knowing that she’s not ok.

“I…” She starts. “I, uh…” She starts again. She lets out a frustrated sigh.

“Hey” I say, grabbing her hand over the table. “It’s me. You can tell me anything” I give her hand a small squeeze & a barely there smile appear on her face. A funny fact about Belle is that her hands are always cold. I don’t know why, but her hands are always cold. I don’t know if I’m the only one that has noticed it, but it’s true. It’s almost as if they were begging for me to hold them.

“Brian, there’s been something I’ve been meaning to tell you” She says, never looking at me. I nod, not saying anything. She swallows & I see she’s beginning to get a tear eye.

“Hey” I say, getting up & sitting next to her. “It’s ok” I say, hugging her. The smell of shampoo fills my nostrils. Umm… Lavender.

“No, it’s not ok. You’re gonna hate me” She muffles on my chest. I furrow my brows & make her face me. I see guilt lingering in her eyes that worries me.

“Belle, what are you talking about?” She looks at me, so helpless & scared that I just want to kiss her. Kiss all this fear away from her. Kiss all the worries that are torturing her. I wipe away a tear & lean closer to her, not really knowing what I’m doing & I see her tremble. She starts to close her eyes & lean closer to me, but she turns her face a bit, her breath hitting my cheek. I let out a sigh, inhaling more of her fragrance. So close... again.

“I’m moving to New York after your wedding” She whispers in my ear followed by a sniff. I feel like a bucket of ice cold water was dropped on me. I pull away & stare at her, seeing if she’s kidding me.

“What?”

“I got offered a job in New York & I took it. I’m moving there after your wedding” She says & I let go of her. My breathing becomes more ragged & I stare at the table for a while, before getting up & walking away… from the diner & from her.

{C}Annabelle’s POV{C}

Brian yanks himself from me & from the table & storms out of the diner. I get up, grabbing my bag & follow him. I can’t let him walk away from me without explaining myself. I open the door & look both ways, seeing him nearing his car. “BRIAN” I scream after him. “Stop, please” I run to him & see him fumble with his keys, before giving up & crossing to street towards the beach. “BRIAN, PLEASE STOP” I say, running after him, almost getting hit by a car. I caught up with him & grab his arm just for him to yank it from my grasp.

“Leave me alone, Annabelle. I don’t want to talk to you right now” He says, walking away from me.

“No” I say, standing in front of him, making him stop & turn around to walk in the other direction. “Stop, please. Let me explain” I say, sighing. I never thought this was gonna be so hard. I guess in my mind I never thought it was gonna hurt so much. I knew he was gonna be mad & angry with me, but I never thought that the actual feeling, knowing & feeling that he might be hating me right now, it’s killing me. It’s such an unbearable pain that I can’t stop crying & it hurts even to breathe.

“Explain to me what? THAT YOU’RE FUCKING MOVING AWAY TO NEW YORK IN LESS THAN A MONTH?” He screams at me, gaining a few stares from the side walkers. I cower a bit cuz he has never yelled at me before. I’ve never seen him this mad. & I don’t like it. “Did you seriously thought I was gonna be jumping around from happiness, Annabelle?” He sneers at me.

“Of course not” I say to him.

“THEN WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT TO EXPLAIN TO ME?” He screams again.

“IF YOU WOULD JUST SHUT UP FOR A FUCKING SECOND THEN I WOULD EXPLAIN” I scream back at him. He’s starting to piss me off. He opens his mouth to say something before shutting it & letting out an exasperated sigh. “I got offered a job in New York last year & I took it, because I think it’s a great opportunity for me” I say.

“Well, that’s a great fucking explanation, Annabelle. Makes everything better” He says, rolling his eyes & sarcasm dripping from each of his words.

“What the fuck do you want, Brian? Do you want me to apologize for doing something for me for a change? Do you want me to apologize for not asking for your permission?” I say back at him. “Last time I checked, you weren’t my father” I know that I’m only making things worse, but I don’t really care. If he’s gonna be so childish & rude about this, I’m gonna be the same way.

“You’re so stupid. Do you think I’m mad because you took a fucking job? You could be moving to China, for all I care. I’m glad that you’re doing something that makes you happy. I’m not that much of an asshole” He says & I feel guilty for thinking that he doesn’t care about me. Of course he cares. He's Brian. My Brian. The Brian that has always been there for me. “I’m mad that you didn’t tell me sooner. Am I that insignificant to you that you didn’t feel the need to tell me? God… you’ve been keeping this from me for 4 months! 4 FUCKING MONTHS, ANNABELLE!” He says, getting even angrier.

“Insignificant? INSIGNIFICANT, BRIAN? Are you serious? You’re the most important person in my life. That’s why it’s so hard for me to be standing here telling you that I’m leaving” I say, starting to cry again.

“Well, you’ve got a funny way of showing it, Annabelle” He says.

“Why do you keep saying my name like that?” I ask him, hating the way my name sounds coming out of his mouth. He never calls me by my full name. & I hate even more the hateful way his saying it.

“Last time I checked, that was your name. Or did you changed it & kept that from me too?” He says & I start crying even harder. Of all the scenarios that I had played in my mind, he hurting me like this wasn’t one. “You know what? I don’t care anymore. It’s obvious that you don’t give a shit about me, or any of the guys for that matter since you’ve been keeping us in the dark for so long, so I just give up” He says, walking past me towards where his car is.

“Only you” I say softly, knowing this will only stir more shit.

“What?” He says, stopping & turning to look at me.

“They all know. It’s only you that I didn’t tell” I say, ashamed that I’ve kept this from him for so long. He lets out a laugh/scoff.

“Wow” He says, walking to me. “I’m the last to know? Great fucking friend you are” He says through clenched teeth. “Since I’m the last one to know about this, maybe you should’ve kept your mouth shut & never had said a word. It would’ve been easier” He says, turning & walking away.

“DO YOU THINK THIS IS EASY FOR ME?” I scream after him, stomping towards him. “Don’t you think I second guess this decision all the fucking time? Don't you think I'm constantly wondering if I'm making the right choice?” I say, standing in front of him. His eyes are cast downward & when he looks at me, my heart breaks. He looks so hurt & betrayed. & I can’t stand being the one that’s making him this way. “Don’t you think that it’s killing me to leave you?” I say in a whisper. He rolls his eyes & I grab his face, making him look at me. “You’re the only reason I don’t want this. You’re enough reason for me to stay” I say, looking at his eyes, those gorgeous eyes that I keep loving more & more. “I didn’t tell you sooner because I didn’t have the heart to do it. I didn’t know what to say”

“Well…” He says, placing his hands over mine & removing them from his face. “Don’t worry about it” He says, dropping my hands. “I don’t want to be the fucking reason for you to stay” He says & I feel my heart breaking into a billion pieces.

“Brian…” I start but get chocked up in tears. “Please, don’t do this” I plead to him.

“Do what, Annabelle? Did you seriously think I would ask you to stay?” He says, walking past me, leaving me choking in my tears.

“Brian, please” I plead again. “You can’t leave me like this. You’re my best friend” I cry at him. I leave my pride aside, because if I need to bow down & kiss his feet for him not to leave me, I will fucking do it.

“Best friends don’t keep things like this from each other, Annabelle” He says, making my heart stop when he looks at me. “& we’re not even friends anymore. Have a safe trip, Annabelle. I really hope you have a nice life there & that you find everything you’re looking for” He says & his tone is so deadly & serious. Not a crack, not showing any type of emotion. “I hope is worth it. I hope it’s worth… us” I turn around slowly to see him walk away, without even giving me a second glance. He’s walking away from me, taking my heart with him & I just want to die. Cuz I never knew that him walking away from me would hurt so much. Cuz I never knew that I love Brian with all my heart.

Notes

Are people still reading this or should I stop?