Chapter 64: United to be parted?

Alan's POV

"Jealous." The word came out so quietly I almost missed it.

My heart did a complete somersault.

"And now..." Her voice trembled. "Now you probably like her too, and asked her for a date."

I stared at her. Then I shook my head. "Mils."

"And that's fine. You deserve someone beautiful." She cut me off before I could speak. "Someone confident."

"Mils—"

"Someone who actually chooses you."

I tightened my grip around her hands. "Mils, look at me."

Reluctantly, she did. "Who told you Emma and I were going on a date?"

Her brows furrowed. "Everyone."

I let out a slow breath. "It wasn't a date."

She blinked through her tears. "No?"

"No."

The confusion on her face would've been adorable if I weren't dying inside.

"Emma asked me something yesterday. I just wanted to give her an answer."

The room fell silent.

"And?" she asked carefully.

"I told her no."

Her lips parted. "You... what?"

"I told her I don't feel the same way."

For several seconds, she simply stared as if her brain refused to process what I had said.

"Why?"

The question made me smile. Because she genuinely didn't know.

God, this girl. "Because my heart already belongs to someone else."

Everything became quiet. The answer settled between us, and slowly I watched her shoulders loosen.

As if months of weight begin to leave her body.

Her eyes glistened. "I thought I lost you."

My chest twisted. "You were scared of losing me?"

A shaky laugh escaped her. "So scared."

"Why?"

Her gaze dropped. Then slowly lifted again, straight into mine.

"Because I think... I love you, Alan."

The world stopped. I stared at her. My brain knew the words, my ears heard them, but my heart couldn't catch up.

"You what, Mils?"

"I love you, Alan." She said again, loud and clear.

"You do? No confusion?" My chest hurt, not painfully, but from the relief of the weight I was carrying for too long.

"Yes, I do, Alan." Her voice broke. "So much."

I closed my eyes. A laugh escaped me.

After months of waiting, months of pretending friendship was enough, months of convincing myself not to hope, now she was sitting in front of me, telling me she loved me.

"You have absolutely no idea how long I've waited to hear that."

Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.

I brushed them away and cupped her face. "I love you too, Milie."

Her eyes widened.

"Just you."

The smile that appeared on her face nearly destroyed me.

I pressed my forehead against hers. "I'm not interested in Emma."

I kissed her forehead gently. "Or any other girl."

I placed another kiss. "My eyes have only ever been on one girl."

A tear escaped her.

I smiled. "The same girl who gave me the best birthday surprise of my life."

She laughed through her tears. "You like it?"

"So much."

She smiled and suddenly threw herself at me, hard.

Her arms wrapped around my neck, and I caught her immediately, holding her tightly. Now we were both on our knees.

For a few seconds, neither of us spoke. Neither of us moved.

I just buried my face in her hair and closed my eyes.

Because I needed to feel this, needed to believe it, needed proof that I wasn't dreaming.

"I love you," she whispered again.

My heart nearly exploded. I laughed. "If one more time you say I may get a heart attack."

"Shut up." She slammed my arm.

She sniffled, and I took her back into my arms. "Mils, since when?" I asked quietly.

She immediately groaned. "No."

"Mils."

"I don’t know." She buried her face in my shoulder.

"Lie."

"Alan, please."

I laughed. "Okay fine. But can I tell you something?"

She sniffled. "What?"

I looked at her face and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"You looked ridiculously beautiful today."

Her entire body froze. "What?"

I smiled. "When you came downstairs."

Color immediately rushed to her cheeks. "Alan..."

"No, seriously." I laughed softly. "I forgot everybody existed around me."

"Liar."

"Truth." She looked down, blushing.

I lifted her face and made her look at me. "I got nervous."

"Nervous?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Because I feared falling for you even more."

Her breathing hitched. "The white top, black denim, the hair, lightly glossed lips, the shoes I gifted.

She immediately covered her face. "Oh my God, Alan. Stop it."

"And the most important thing… You did this for me, just me."

She groaned and buried her face in my shoulder. I laughed. "You were adorable."

"I hate you."

"No, you don't."

"No," she whispered. "I really don't."

I could've stayed there forever, holding her, teasing her, and watching her blush every few seconds.

I kissed her again, and again, finally feeling complete for the first time in my life.

She hugged me tight and pressed her lips against my neck. "I'm loving this feeling, Alan."

I smiled. "I know... It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Mhmm... So beautiful. I have never felt before." She again kissed my neck, and I embraced her tighter.

Then suddenly—Her body went rigid, completely. "Mils?"

She parted from me. The smile vanished. The color drained from her face. Fear replaced everything.

"No." She shook her head.

My stomach dropped. "What?"

She slowly stood, stepping away from me.

"No… This is wrong." The word came out barely above a whisper.

Then I understood. Daxton. The reality we'd forgotten.

The happiness was shattered just like that.

Tears returned to her eyes. "This is wrong, so wrong."

"Mils—" I reached for her, but she stepped back.

"I can’t do this to him." She shook her head violently.

"Mils, listen to me."

I grabbed her arms. Her breathing became uneven.

"You love me." The words slipped out before I could stop them.

Pain flashed across her face. "I know." Her voice cracked. "And that's exactly why this is wrong."

My chest tightened. She grabbed her hair, looking completely overwhelmed.

"I can't hurt him. I can never." The desperation in her voice scared me. "He would be devastated."

Before I could reach her, another voice interrupted. "And what about destroying yourself?"

Both of us turned. Sammy stood near the doorway, his jaw clenched, his eyes fixed on Milie.