Page 28 of I Wish I Would've Chosen You

“When we were discussing, ‘love is not a choice.’”

“That waslast week, Miss Edwards.”

“I still don’t appreciate how rude you were.” I hold my ground. “This isn’t a typical high school. Everyone’s ideas are valid, even in the classrooms where we don’t have the Harkness table to set the tone.”

“I hope you’re not looking for me to apologize.”

“I’m looking for you to listen.” I cross my arms. “I think there can be an undeniable attraction between two people and they can choose not to act on it, but it doesn’t mean they’re not meant for each other.”

“Attraction and feelings are two different things,” he says. “But to be honest with you, you can’t choose those things either.”

“Let me finish my point.”

“I’m still waiting for you to make it.”

“Fine. Have you ever been in love before?”

“That’s none of your business.” He pauses. “But off the record, yes. I married the love of my life.”

He’s married?“Does your wife know where you were a few weekends ago?”

“I divorced her when she cheated on me with one of my closest business partners.” He looks at me expectantly. “Should I havechosento stay and give her another chance? Even though she’s about to have his baby?”

The pained look in his eyes prevents me from answering.

“I’m waiting, Miss Edwards. Is the cuck-life what I should’ve chosen?”

“You’re supposed to ask me if I’ve ever been in love before.”

“You’re seventeen years old. The answer is no.”

“I’meighteen, and I’ve been close.”

“Well, good for you. That’s the end of this discussion. Anything else?”

“I’ve never been in love before,” I say. “But I would die to get a taste of what it feels like to have someone wanting me more than their next breath, someone who wants to kiss me for no damn reason, someone who would rather have a bunch of shitty days with me than great ones with someone else.”

“You’re proving my point with every naive word you say.”

“And if I felt something with this person the first time we met, because when you know,you know, I would take the risk even if it might challenge what other people think.”

“So, now you’re thinking about insta-love?”

“I’m thinking about the night we first met…I think about it a lot.”

Silence.

“I don’t believe in starting relationships on a foundation of lies.” He steps closer, closing the gap between us. “Since you strike me as a hopeless romantic, you shouldn’t believe in that either.”

“It was a small, white lie…” My breathing slows as he presses his forehead against mine. “If it weren’t that emergency phone call, you would’ve never known who I was.”

“I would’ve seen you on this campus eventually.” He runs his fingers through my hair. “I think I’m smart enough to put two and two together.”

“Would you have been mad?”

“I’mstillfucking mad.” His lips brush against mine, and every nerve in my body tingles in anticipation. “What you did wasn’t okay.”

“Would it be okay now?”

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