He looked so innocent, as if he had done absolutely nothing wrong. It was too bad for the both of us that I had had three different people tell me he had. I thought he loved me. God knows I loved him. How could he have done something like this to me after he had promised me he wouldn't? The thought of him in that slut's arms made my skin crawl.

His hand was unusually warm considering his hands were most-often freezing. He squeezed my hand gently and leaned down to kiss me. I kissed back half-heartedly, unable to return his affection knowing what I knew of him. I looked out across the water of the pond as we walked. I hadn't seen him in well over a month because of touring and the like. He seemed all smiles today, very happy for some unknown reason. The last time I had seen him, there had been an air of sadness about him. I'd asked him what the matter was and he had simply replied nothing. Now I knew what had been the matter with him. He had felt guilty for doing what he did.

I sighed to myself, knowing what I had to say but not wanting to say it. I didn't want to leave this man I loved so dearly and I didn't care how much his foolishness had hurt me. But I had decided that I did not and would not tolerate cheating and therefore, was determined to stand by my word. I suppose he detected my saddened demeanor because he crinkled his brow and ceased walking.

"What is it?" he asked, his voice just above a whisper as he examined my face for a possible answer. I suppose he feared that I had discovered his secret. It was too bad for the both of us that I had.

"What's what?" I asked, feigning idiocy.

"What's wrong? You seem distant..."

I sighed again and decided to be frank with him. The sooner I got this out the better it would be for the both of us. "Who's Cleo?"

All the color drained from his face and I could have sworn his heart stopped. His lips parted to speak but only air came out. He looked down and away from me as words finally managed to escape his lips, "No one.."

"That's not what I was told."

"By whom were you told?"

"Isaac first, then your mother and Zac confirmed it."

"What did you hear?"

"That you slept with her a few months ago." He didn't say anything, only stared at his feet and began to shuffle them awkwardly. "Well? Is it true?" I dropped his hand and stepped away from him, his silence proving to be too much for me.

His voice was shaking as if he were on the verge of tears, "Yes..."

"Why?" I glared at him.

"I..."

"You what, Taylor?! You what?! You felt like a fuck and she was convenient?!" I was yelling. I hadn't planned on yelling. That got other people involved, created a crowd. The last thing either of us needed was a crowd. He still refused to look at me. I don't know if it was that he didn't want to or that he was unable to.

"I couldn't help it. It's just.. it's in my nature. I felt lonely without you for a month and when I get like that I need affection and my brain goes for the quickest possible fix. She came along at the wrong time and suggested the wrong things and I fell for it. I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't excuse anything, especially not something this big. If you thought you were lonely then, you're in for a whole new world of lonely now... I told you from the beginning of this relationship that I do not and will not tolerate cheating and I stand by my word. Goodbye, Taylor." I turned and began to walk back to my house, fighting back the tears that wanted to come out so badly. I wasn't going to let him see me cry. I couldn't. After a few minutes of walking, I heard a phone ring and turned to see Taylor heatedly speaking with someone on his cell phone. I turned back around and continued walking.

Zac was sitting on my porch when I reached home. Neither of us spoke as I unlocked the door and walked into the house with him following. I took a box of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream from the freezer and two spoons and met him in my room to eat. He had known what I went to the park to do and I suppose he didn't ask questions of me because he knew I wasn't ready to answer them.


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