“You should speak up, Cooper, we’re waiting,” Peyton says, goading me.
Can’t she see that I’m trying to pull my thoughts together? I wasn’t expecting this.
Jesus, my heart feels like it is going to burst. I rub my chest, hoping the feeling goes away.
Sighing, I look down at Monica. “You need to stop this.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she says quickly, making the girls behind her scoff. “You were literally calling me all week. I figured your girlfriend should know that.”
I wince as I look at Cora. “I was trying to apologize to her.”
“You don’t need to explain yourself. I trust you.” Cora says the words, but I can see Monica’s have affected her.
I can’t catch a break. How many times does our relationship need to be tested before it breaks?
“I need you to leave my girlfriend and our friends alone, Monica. She doesn’t deserve your harassment.”
“She deserves the truth,” Monica seethes.
I look behind her at Cora and find that she’s already looking at me. Cora nods, giving me her silent support.
I look back at Monica. “Look, I owe you an apology. Like I told Cora, I wasn’t a good boyfriend to you, and for that, I’m sorry. I was immature and thought the sun shined out of my ass when it didn’t. I appreciate you trying to look out for Cora, but it’s not needed. My relationship with her is completely different than ours was.”
She steps forward with her hands out, like she’s going to touch me. I dodge her touch and step closer to Cora, who comes up to my side.
“This isn’t right. You weren’t just a bad boyfriend, but you were inattentive, you didn’t care about what I had to say or what I wanted to do. It was all you, you, you,” Monica says.
“And yet you want him back,” Peyton mumbles quietly.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Grace slap Peyton’s arm.
“Knock it off,” Grace hisses.
“Again, I apologize for not being what you needed. I’m sorry I couldn’t give you my best, but that’s not on Cora. She doesn’t deserve your hatred. You have no reason to accost her in the cafeteria like she’s the mistress when she’s the only damn woman in my life.”
Monica’s jaw clenches. “I had plans for us. You know this.”
“They were yours and not ours. I will never love you the way you deserve, and you need to accept that and move on. Find someone else,” I tell her bluntly.
I’ll never love you the way I love Cora,I think to myself.
Monica’s shoulders deflate, and she looks around. She sees that none of us are going to give her what she wants.
“So this is it?”
“This is it,” I tell her plainly.
She nods and turns to walk away.
“Monica.” I wait for her to look back at me before I continue. “If I ever find out that you’re still harassing my girl, we will press charges. I truly am sorry, but I won’t let you ruin her life because of something I did.”
Monica rolls her eyes. “I’d hardly call it harassing.”
She turns and walks away, and we watch her go in silence.
“Well, Kellan, I think it’s safe to say your taste in women has gotten better since last year,” Peyton quips.
Grace groans while Cora buries her face into my chest. I wrap my arm around her shoulders, and her body shakes with silent laughter.
