Excerpt
"This wasn't supposed to happen." She chuckles bitterly, shaking her head. "You mean to tell me that you have feelings for me? Please tell me you're joking."
She's hoping, praying that he says no; that their fling meant nothing to him, that it was only casual sex and that he wouldn't even bother calling her back or even visiting her in person. Sure they had hooked up on several occasions, but it didn't mean anything to her and she assumed that he would feel the same and stick to their strict agreement of no-strings attached sex.
He swallowed nervously, fear clouded his dark brown eyes as he forced himself to make direct eye contact at her.
"No," she gasps softly. "No, no no."
Frustration wins in the end and he huffed. "What do you want me to do, Mercy?"
Her voice wavers as she does her best not to crack. "I thought we had agreed on the fact that this was a temporary thing. That this," she gestures to herself and him for emphasis, "was temporary; no feelings, remember? You said–"
"I know what I said." He interrupted a bit sharply, patience wearing thin. "And I'm going back on my word because I can't control how I feel about you. You gon' stand there and tell me how I'm supposed to feel? What about you? And don't try to put up a front because I know deep down that you feel the same way."
She can't find words to say; she's stunned and rendered speechless because this is the first time that he has opened up to her in this type of manner throughout the years they've known each other. Sure their mom's had joked about the two of them becoming in-laws when they were younger but now it's deep. Like, really deep.
"Do you?" She challenges after a brief period of prolonged silence.
He arched one of his eyebrows. "You wanna find out?"
Don't be blinded by desire, you'll only get burned in the process.
She shakes her head as she heads to open the door of his apartment. "I can't do this again." But just when she's about to leave, he speaks.
"I know I wasn't there when you needed me the most. I fucked up when I walked away; I shouldn't have. I'm sorry that I was blinded by the fact that I was being rejected by many girls that I didn't see what was in front of me all along.
"I used you, Mercy and for that, I'm sorry. I should've valued you as a person — my friend , who just like me, has feelings of your own and not just strictly call you late at night just to vent. You're not a shrink and I don't expect you to listen to my problems or insecurities or load you with any other baggage of mine that isn't yours to carry. I can't change the past, but all I can do is hope for a brighter future. Please, please don't go. Don't walk away and shut another door." His voice faltered before he quickly cleared his throat. "Don't make me pay for the mistakes I've learned from."
