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༻ 425K READS!! ༺
Thank you for being so mature in that last part & also THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO WENT ON IG LIVE WITH ME! Motorsport countdowns are sm fun, defo have to do it again :P
Alsooo I had a lot of writers block making this chapter so don't judge it too hard :/ Remember to be sensible, vote, & enjoy!
#FREEPALENSTINE
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It's closing time the following evening, and with every employee now sent home, I decided to finish off the daily billing with only one store light shining above me and the repetitive clicks of the cash register.

I've had a lot of time to overthink about yesterday... Why JK would bring that car to see me in the first place, and what could've led up to Kieth smashing it... I came to the conclusion that I haven't been exactly fair to Kieth.

I think he's been suspicious about where my heart stands with JK, and after yesterday, I guess he has every reason to...

He gave me the option of keeping the car or letting it go and I chose the latter. I let him smash it because I wanted to prove a point. That I'm ready to let go of JK and stay respectful to our relationship by destroying his memorabilia. So part of me shouldn't feel this guilty for gaining his trust...

No woman can expect their boyfriend to be okay with an ex swooping back in with gifts. I have to put my relationship first. Because I really want Kieth and I to work.

But even so...

It did hurt to watch him smash the car... What if I rushed into this whole relationship thing? I don't know...

My elbows hit the countertop when I bury my face in my palms, nails clawing at my roots and fingertips pulling back my eyebrows as I let out a muffled, stressful groan. Why are love triangles so complicated...

Just then, the quiet atmosphere is disturbed when the shop's front door swings open despite it being after hours. My head springs up and eyes peek between my fingers when JK enters the store, casually swinging his keys near his pocket. Unlike yesterday, he now sports his signature white cheek bandaid to stylishly conceal the scratch Keith that gave him... Cruel nostalgia.

I pinch my eyes shut and let my forehead slump back into my palms.

"Why..."

"Why you always tryna hide your face from me? Hm?" JK removes my hand with a slight smirk, his hair almost glistening blue under the moonlight when he casually sits on the counter before me. "I told you we was gonna talk."

I gradually peer up at JK before shaking my head and shrugging.

"Is this the part where you shoot at me to make me sit still?"

JK looks to the side and sighs at that comment. "Shego..."

"No seriously. Everything was going fine until you came back JK... Why are you even checking on me? Your whole point at the hospital was that you didn't have feelings for me, right? So why'd you start all that drama with the car yesterday? I don't understand why you're here..."

His focus remains diverted upon recalling our final encounter. JK then scratches the back of his neck and chews on his cheek a little before confessing,

"I just want you."

I roll my eyes almost instantly. "You'd want me even if I was in a wheelchair."

"Nah nah, not like that. I just mean like, I wanna talk to you... Race... Hang out... Ask how your Dad's been." JK combs through his hair repeatedly, struggling to express his feelings without awkwardness. "I brought the car yesterday 'cause I knew you weren't tryna hear me out if I just rolled up empty-handed. I didn't bring it to start shit."

"But at the hospital—"

"Yeah I know what I said last year, but I didn't expect you to actually go like that. Or expect myself to care. I'm just being straight up. But real talk... I've missed having you around She."

...I can't tell if he's toying with me, or just this bad at expressing emotions. He's honestly so unreadable. And as much as I wanna believe him, he was a total asshole not even 24 hours ago. Plus, there's so much he hasn't apologized for...

"...You've missed having control over your bitch, right?" My arms fold, "Since that's what I was when you shot at me. And apparently I was sloppy seconds yesterday. And what were your words when you thought I told my Dad about Gatti? Keep playing and see if you don't start talking out that fucking neck... Do you see why I left JK? Why would I wanna see somebody who thinks I'm all these hurtful things??"

"Imma be honest... I just said that shit yesterday to get under your man's skin. But you're right, that was wrong. I came to talk to YOU, you feel me? So the minute he came in yelling all types of crazy I knew we was gonna fight regardless and that's all I could think about. I ain't mean to call you a bitch and say all that other shit though."

Despite my scowl, folded arms and distancing gaze, JK gently turns me around so that my body faces his, enough to hear his crystal clear words.

"I'm sorry for calling you a bitch. That was wild disrespectful."

My brow arches at the wall.

"...And for calling you sloppy seconds."

Two brows raise.

"And for shooting at you. I'm sorry for all of it."

His first sorries in a year and I'm already pressing back my lips in thought. His calmness without Kieth being around could prove that he did just want to talk yesterday. And he did drive all the way up here again... But again, I don't know if JK's the one to trust so easily...

With my cheek still turned, I close my eyes and exhale.

"JK, I know you haven't been holy this past year. You've probably been running through girls like water and I bet not once did my name ever cross your mind. You might miss me now, but how do I know you won't take me for granted later like last time? I'm just not convinced that you've changed..."

"How you know I ain't changed though?"

"Are you still working for Big Joe?" I snap the question almost instantly, making JK clench his jaw, turn his cheek and exhale through his nose.

"Then you haven't changed."

I attempt to walk away when he swiftly lowers himself from the countertop to grab my upper arm.

"Shego, come on. Don't be like that."

"No, I told you this before at the hospital! Big Joe is one of your downfalls JK! You adopted his selfish ways and yet I STILL won that trophy for you out of love! But like you stated so brutally, you didn't feel a shred of love for me back!"

"I wasn't being serious." JK groans, almost pained to finally confess the truth. "You was speaking facts, alright? I had too much pride to admit shit so I just flipped out and started acted all heartless, but then you actually left... I'm sorry, okay? Real talk. I'm not coming back cause I suddenly remembered this shit. I been remembering Shego."

My breath inhales and voice falls to a whisper before I shake my head in confusion.

"JK, I have Kieth..."

"Are you in love with him though?" He raises both brows, as if calling my bluff. I blink rapidly with parted lips from the unexpected question.

"O-of course I love him. He's my boyfriend."

"That wasn't the question."

JK slowly draws me closer using his hand that's cuffed around my arm, his lips carving the slightest grin from my prolonged silence...

"I miss you She, and you know you been wanting me too. You can keep saying things were going perfectly until I came back but you know this shit was only a matter of time. You gonna stay lying to a guy you living with? Because I ain't buying it if you say you've forgotten about me."

A heated, fiery glint strikes my eye from those last words, making me meet his gaze angrily.

"...Just how the hell am I supposed to forget about you?? I literally can't escape you! The whole reason I was able to afford this place was because I worked at Gatti... Hell, I moved to a whole other City and you STILL managed to find me! ...Even my HAIR is a constant reminder of you!" I pinch my artificially dark locks before taking a deep breath to calm myself.

"It's been so hard to move on and enjoy this life with the constant reminder that it's all because of you. And granted you've apologized now, but it only took you a year. Who's to say I won't be repeating history if I took you back? I mean you managed to break my heart in just 3 months of knowing you... I can't imagine how damaged Hwasa felt after a year."

I return all focus to my feet as paranoid thoughts swarm in like crows. It's like one persona belongs to the streets, while the other's too deeply buried to reach.

But for what it's worth...

"...I'm in love with Jungkook, not JK. So until he shows himself then there's no reason for us to be in contact. Now if you don't mind, it's late and—"

The moment I step past, JK catches my wrist and easily pulls me towards his chest, his neck craned down to meet my height and other hand hooked around my waist when his lips eagerly press against mine. Instead of instantly pulling away, my conscience turns numb and startled hands soften as my lips follow the rhythm of his kiss...

I sink into his nostalgic touch while soft smacks bounce between us within the room's silence... Until the realization hits me like a ton of bricks. Taking even myself back, I quickly pull away and use the hand I'd snaked up his chest to smack JK across the cheek.

He doesn't say anything. Just merely looks down and licks his lips whilst trying to contain his snicker. My eyes immediately tear up as I turn him around by the shoulders and start pushing him towards the door with a trembly voice. "O-OUT."

"I'll call you."

"Don't you dare!" The sadness and anger in my tone is hopeless to disguise. After pushing JK out, I slam the door and return to my office with speedy footsteps to collect my purse... Sniffing and wiping the single tear that reaches my cheek.

Why... Why why whyyy of all things that could happen... And right before I have to go home to Kieth? What am I supposed to tell him?

You didn't even push him off straight away... For crying out loud Shego!

I continue to mentally scream at myself whilst wiping another tear and striding towards the back exit in a hurry, desperate to escape this atmosphere and make my way home...

"12th floor. Doors, opening."

I exit the elevator and walk towards our apartment with purposely slow steps, hoping to stall whatever consequences I'm about to face.

This would be so much easier if I could just blame him... And yet for whatever reason, I didn't push him off.

I... I have to tell him.

But Keith's such an amazing boyfriend, I'd have to be stupid to tell him the truth. He might leave me if I do...

But I can't just lie to his face... Right?

My heartbeat quickens dangerously when I finally unlock the front door and enter our apartment. The indoor silence seems to calm my nerves as I remove my shoes and jacket, but just when I expect Kieth to be asleep, I enter our bedroom to find him seated on the bed with his chin between his fingers... Patiently waiting for me.

"Keith! ...What are you doing up?"

"You were taking a while to come home so I just thought I'd stay up. You know, make sure you got back safe." He shrugs, "Any reason you took this long?"

The unfamiliar arch of his eyebrow has my head shaking with sudden nervousness. "Nope... N-no reason."

"Hm." Keith nods with pursed lips and slightly furrowed brows. He then removes his reading glasses and places them on the nightstand before standing up.

"Shego, I'm not stupid. You've never taken this long to come home without reason yet suddenly you do the day after JK visits? What's going on? Just be honest with me."

A scratchy sensation arises in my throat the more I refrain from crying. My focus lowers to the floor as I begin to chew on my lip anxiously.

This is it. I have to tell him.

"I um... Well..."

Taking too long to muster the words, Kieth elevates his eyebrows whilst leaning forward.

"...Were you with JK?"

His clear and firm tone makes me slowly nod with entangled fingers. Keith manages to keep a calm composure before asking;

"And did he try anything?"

Once again, I nod. Slower this time. My lips part hesitantly and eyes blink rapidly to filter out any upcoming tears...

"...He kissed me."

Keith looks away and sighs out of frustration. I notice the clench in his jaw when he wipes down his mouth and nods in thought.

"Look, I'm not gonna get mad at you for a stunt that he pulled. That's not your fault. But I need to know what YOU did that's got you all jittery like this. You still have feelings for him, don't you?"

In my mind, I'm battling my case with a thousand words, though not a single one translates to mouth. I continue to look down in guilt and squint silently from the creeping tears... My lips trembling slightly before Kieth shakes his head and heads straight towards his wardrobe. "I knew it."

"Keith I'm so sorry—"

"No— No, I've BEEN patient enough when it comes to him. In fact I've been patient our entire fucking relationship!" He turns around to angrily count his fingers, "I accepted that you never wanted me to acknowledge Compton, or the tattoo he gave you... Hell, even the fact that you refused to let me call you 'She!' You gave me all these rules that I obeyed because I loved you and I NEVER asked for anything outside loyalty! But what do I get in return?? Fucking cheated on!"

"I didn't mean to—!"

"You kissed him!"

"He kissed ME!"

"And you didn't kiss him back?!"

Our yells stack up like a tower, only for mine to crumble at the sudden seal of my lips. Silence engulfs us as I now sob silently while Kieth fights back tears of his own and packs.

"That's what I thought. To think you've known me more than triple the time you've known him... And yet I would've never done this to you Shego."

"But Kieth, I still like you... T-this doesn't change anything I feel this towards you—"

"Yeah no shit." He scoffs, "And that's exactly the problem. You've ALWAYS liked us both, just him more than me. You think I wanna go Shego?? Of course not! But this guy's been back TWO DAYS and my girlfriend's already kissing him! How the hell am I supposed to ignore that?? You can't keep playing this game where you string one guy along because it's convenient until the other arrives. I'm not playing this anymore."

"Keith..."

"I really wanted to believe that you were in love with me too, but I should've known by how quickly we were moving that I was just the rebound."

I watch with misty, tear-filled eyes and a sniffled nose as he seals the zipper around his suitcase before finally standing to retrieve his shoes. All the while not looking at me. I manage to tug on his shirt as he walks past me, but it does little impact.

"Keith don't go, please..."

He slips on his jacket and ignores me whilst containing his sniffs. As much as I wanna beg, explain or even force him to stay... I know it's all useless. I screwed up. There's no way around it... So I hold my arms and sob as Kieth exits through the door with his belongings, wiping his cheek and sparing me not a single glance as he slams the door shut.

It doesn't take me long to cry behind one hand at the harsh thud of the door, before slowly following with the other and bawling into both palms. Before I know it, I'm crouched down with my back to the wall and face buried low as tears become swallowed in by cloth of my sleeves... I screwed up.