I know it’s wrong. I know I shouldn’t be here.
But something about the way the wind whispers through my hair, and the clicking of tiny shells smashing together underneath the ocean waves convinces me otherwise.
The salty air stings at my eyes, and painful tears start to flow gently down my cheeks. I hear his soft footsteps behind me, but I stay facing the intemperate ocean.
“I didn’t think you’d show up.” He speaks as if he’s never seen me before.
“Me neither,” I say truthfully.
He laughs half-heartedly.
“It really is beautiful out here.” He walks to stand next to me, taking my hand in his as he follows my gaze to the sunset.
I close my eyes and listen to the quiet gentle sounds of the beach. My hand suddenly drops and I open my eyes to look at him.
He’s crying now too; salty tears stream down his face, falling to the sand below.
“I love you.”
My heart skips a beat as those words leave his mouth. I knew this was going to happen, I knew this was why he wanted to meet, I knew I was about to break somebody’s heart. “I-,” I start. He cuts me off with the most gut-wrenching smile imaginable, catching me off guard. I know I shouldn’t be doing this. I know I shouldn’t have come here in the first place. God I can be so stupid sometimes. This is wrong. This is not how this was supposed to go. I was going to show up and deny him. I have a boyfriend.
Then why am I not pulling away?
No matter how hard I try to deny it, I love him too. We were made for eachother. He completes me. I thought I could distract myself from that feeling with puzzles and poems and stupid Hallmark movies. But I can’t; and I don’t think I ever will.
So here I am, cheating on my boyfriend with my best friend.
I take his face in my hands and hug him with the strongest grip I can muster, reassuring him that I’ve given up. I am no longer a good person. But at least I have him; this. And I’m not letting go now that I’ve finally reached the one star I promised myself I’d never reach for.