Page 100 of Aria

Devon shuffled his feet and looked down at his shoelaces.

Still silent. Still unreadable.

Why wasn’t he mad? Why didn’t he hate me? The moment we separated, I’d run into the arms of his friend… just as Devon had suspected I would.

He swallowed, glancing up at me with only his eyes. “You fuck him?”

Heat flamed my cheeks as I bit my lip, shaking my head a little. “No, but…”

I wanted to.

I’d been shameless, begging for Noah to take me.

“But what?” he pressed.

Mortified, I looked away, unable to face him as I admitted, “We… fooled around.” I tried to hide my shame by ducking my head. “Y-You broke up with me, Devon, and then I was attacked. I couldn’t reach you. You came to the party completely high and embarrassed me, told me we were over, and then—”

“I know what I said yesterday, but I don’t want to lose you.”

I hesitated, drawing in a quick breath.

Devon rushed forward, clasping my face between his hands, his eyes finally shimmering with something more than disregard. “You want to know why I got so fuckin’ high?” he rasped out, squeezing my cheeks. “Because of you.”

My chest tightened. “What?”

“I’ve been so fucked-up over you, babe. All this shit with Noah. I’m pissed and jealous, okay? I’ve seen the way you two look at each other. You look at him the same goddamn way you used to look at me, before everything started going to shit,” he bit out. “You want him. I see it all over your pretty fuckin’ face whenever he’s around.”

“That’s… that’s not…” My breathing unsteadied as my hands balled into fists. Tears burned my eyes, his words registering and settling deep.

“It is. And that’s why I’ve needed this distraction—to keep myself from losing it. I’ve got the Grammy’s to think about; my career. You make me crazy, Chels.” Devon stroked my hair, tugging me to his chest. “Pick me for once, will you? Help me. Fix me. I don’t fucking know, just…stay.”

A frown furled as my voice caught in my throat, words stuck like taffy. Warm tears soaked through the front of his t-shirt as I strove to process everything. “I-I’m sorry,” I stuttered, trying to catch my breath. “I didn’t mean to upset you so much. I didn’t know I was the reason you—”

“Hey, it’s okay. We can start over, yeah?” He sighed into my hair. “Two broken people, piecing each other back together.”

Was that it?

Had we both screwed up so bad, we canceled each other out?

Did that make everything… okay?

Is that what I wanted? For us to be okay?

The stream of the shower jets from the second floor sounded louder, and I pictured Noah standing beneath the hot water washing me away, while Devon held me in his arms and begged for a second chance.

“Okay,” I finally whispered.

Guilt and a debilitating sense of responsibility carried my feet forward and out Noah’s front door.

Devon needed me right now.

He needed me.

And I couldn’t turn my back on him.

CHAPTERTWENTY-SIX

CHELSIE

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