Everly’s POV

I heard the nasty words that Rachel and Taylor were saying, I was trying to ignore it. It was getting more and more, and I was on the verge of disappearing in the middle of the dessert being served, but knowing that this would be over soon, I stayed on my chair and did my best to act like I didn’t care.

During all this brunch I had done my best not to react to any of the words spoken my way, and the way Chris was suddenly back on the leash with Rachel, hearing him agreeing or even tattling private information about us and our past relationship was setting the cherry on top of this whole thing.

I looked over at Brian, he was holding my hand on the table, his thumb absently running over my fingers, while he was engaged into a conversation with his table neighbor leaving me to deal with the hate and humiliations alone.

I knew it was only a matter of time until they would take it a notch up, seeing I wasn’t reacting, at least not openly, and that’s what she wanted right? She wanted me to be the bad furious ex-girlfriend, when really… I didn’t give a damn what she and / or Chris were doing. They deserved each other, that was probably the best way to put it.

I tried, we tried to make this work and be the friends we used to be, but clearly it wasn’t possible, and I was really questioning myself how any of this friendship had stayed the long it did until now.

When the words were getting louder and heads turned my way, I decided it was time to go, before I would say things I couldn’t take back… or rather wouldn’t and it would all go down the drain even faster.

“Brian… I need to go” I whispered near his ear, and even though he was still in the middle of a conversation, he interrupted his friend and excused himself.
“Let’s go” Even though he seemed oblivious to the taunting, he seemed to get the urgency of my voice right away and stood up.

My eyes wandered around the table a final time, and I saw the evil look in Rachel’s eyes, she was about to open her mouth and deliver the next foulness but I quickly pulled away from the table, the apologizing look in Chris eyes just made things worse, cause I knew he would never say something out loud, not with his soon to be wife, next to him. So I began the retreat, even though I knew it might look like a victory for Rachel.

I was done here, and ready to go home. I didn’t even wait for Brian to be by my side, I continued to walk away, my heart pounding, god knows what words were already thrown into my way, what lies had been told… it had been enough.

When I heard footsteps behind me I expected it to be Brian’s, but when I turned I saw Brian, Chris and Val. When I finally spun around I saw how Matt got up and held Val back, so Brian and Chris were able to walk over to me.

“I’m sorry” Chris blurted “The things she said… I didn’t know she would be this way and blurt private things out like that. I swear I didn’t think-”

So this confirmed my earlier thoughts, I hadn’t heard it all, and not in detail, but this alone made it pretty clear what had been going on.

“I don’t care about her!” I yelled at him, Brian now behind me his arms around my waist holding me back.

“You did this. You made all these choices. You proposed to me, you left me, you didn’t have the heart to tell me… You told her these things! It’s you, Chris!” I hissed, watching my words cut through Chris like a blade.

“And you know what, I expected her to hate me. Even if I weren’t with Brian, I would expect her to want to cut me down at least a little, so her behavior is of no surprise to me – but you?! I would have thought that despite all the shit you have pulled on me, you would still be a good enough person to keep at least the things between the two of us out, but you are not.” I was breathless, panting. Chris was looking shocked, if I wasn’t mistaken his eyes glassy but I went on “Whatever this was, I’m done. I’m so much done looking at you. I’m done letting you hurt me and I’m moving the hell on, so I urge you to do that too. Enjoy your life with Rachel – you deserve each other.”

Breathe
In
Out
Breathe

It was the only common sense I had, I tried to get myself back under control. My emotions back under control.

I just needed to remember what I had now, how it was worlds better than what I had in the past.

After all, nothing had actually changed. Nothing from before the brunch with Chris and Rachel had changed except for the fact that I now knew my ex was actually worse than I imagined.
But that didn’t matter. He was my ex. My past. And I was moving on. I only cried because it was a cheap shot. But that was how cheap shots worked, and everyone had one – that weak spot that could break them down no matter how happy or content they might be.

“God, I can’t wait to just be home” I said tiredly, my head resting against Brian’s shoulder. “Neither can I” Brian murmured “But we still have four days after this”

“Four days of what?” I asked confused.
“Your time off” He replied, reminding me that I could very well fit and actual vacation in before returning to work.

“And she is back” Val’s voices made me turn my head, I had almost forgotten that she and Matt were sitting next to us in the plane.“Quick, Brian. Brainstorm some places to go and maybe she will even smile”

I laughed, making Matt who had been sleeping next to his wife stir. “What’s happening?!” He murmured still half asleep.

“We are thinking about a real vacation” Val answered “Like one where Brian and Eve aren’t there to stop a wedding and cause craziness all over the place”

I rolled my eyes, as if I was the one setting up the craziness…

“So what do you think?” Brian asked, pushing my hair behind my ear.
“Of what?”
“Where you want to spend the next four days. Any place in the world. Name it and I’ll take you there”

My heart skipped a beat but then I laughed because my answer was undoubtedly going to have him making fun of me like he did with my birthday wish. “I just want to go home, Brian”

“Really?” He looked mildly disappointed. “I will take you anywhere, Eve. I will take you to fucking Disneyland if you want. I will hate every second of it but if that’s where you want to be, I will go there with you.”

My lips spread in a big grin. “No. I just want to be home.”

“Can I ask why?” He took my hand in his and I looked out of the window, thinking of the right answer.

“I don’t know. I just…. Want to clean my head and life and begin my new chapter, and I can’t do that if I’m still lounging on some beach somewhere. I have to be home so I know wherever good I’m feeling isn’t a false start. I want to know that it’s real.”

The humor faded from Brian’s brown eyes as he studied me. His hand moved up to my face, his fingers closing in on my jaw, he tipped my face up, taking another moment to just stare at me before he kissed me. I closed my eyes and just breathed him in, so in love with how I felt in his arms, able to touch him, taste him, smell him.

I didn’t think the moment could get any better but when he pulled away, Brian gave me that smirk “You know it’s real, right?” he asked in a low murmur.

I blinked, knowing well that we weren’t talking about the same topic anymore. I told myself not to ruin the moment by being explicit, but I couldn’t help myself. “You and me?”

“Yes” he answered too quickly for me to entertain even the slightest shred of doubt.
“I think you figured it out a while ago but I figure it wouldn’t hurt to be up front about it,” he smiled. “Especially since I’m about to ask you to spend the next four days at my house. I know you want to get back to the real world but I’m not planning on doing any more studio work until all the others are back either… So come home with me.” Brian played with a few loose stands of my hair and let his fingers run through them. “Fucking please. We can be real at my house, I promise.”

God. How could I possibly say no to that?!

“Okay” I whispered “Then we will go to your house” I said – and as evenly as I could for a girl whose heart was about to burst.

Notes

Sooo it took me a little while again, but here is the updateeee
What did u think about it?!

Will everything be fine now?! Happy Ever After?
Whats ur guess?!