"No." I shook my head, instantly refuting her white flag. "I don’t want to clear the air." I knew coming here tonight was a gamble, and I knew that saying these words to her was even riskier, but this girl had always been like crack to me, and the prospect of having her back in my life wasn't something I was willing to give up easily, even if she appeared to want nothing to do with me. "I don’t want our chapter to close, Molly."

She released a pained sigh. "It's been years –"

"I don’t care how long it's been," I replied, surprised by how steady my voice sounded. I sure as hell wasn’t feeling steady on the inside. "I still want you in my life."

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she turned around to face me and I found myself looking into the eyes of the only person on this planet that had ever really known me.

The only person that could take me down.

All burned, and broken, and hauntingly beautiful, she stood in front of me, wrecking my thoughts and crushing every protective wall I had erected around my heart in my feeble attempt to recover from the pain of losing her.

When she left, she took a piece of me with her, and facing her after so many years apart left me completely fucking reeling.

She was fucking ethereal to me, and always had been. Even when we were little, I tailed after that girl like she hung the sun, the moon, and the stars, and I had loved her with every inch of my black heart until that night.

Until everything changed.

"I've been right here, Daryl," she urged, sounding both distressed and pissed. "For the last two years, and you haven't wanted me in your life – a very impressive life, I might add. I've been to all of your home games, by the way. You're brilliant, and I'm hella proud of you, but please don’t make this harder than it needs to be. Don’t try to befriend me because you feel guilty or sorry for me." A pained, humorless laugh escaped her plump lips. "Christ, you didn’t even know who I was until today when Rourke spelled it out for you. Because he did, right?" Hurt laced her tone. "Rourke told you who I was?"

Shame filled me and I nodded slowly.

To be honest, I was surprised that I could look her in the eyes and not flinch.

A sad smile ghosted her lips. "Thought so."

Goddamn, she wore her heartache with grace.

"Look, I'm sorry," I came right out and said. "I fucked up and we both know it. And I can tell you how sorry I am a million times over, but my words won't change a damn thing. But my actions can, and I want to fix this. I want to make it up to you."

She shook her head and moved to step around me, heading for the door, no doubt. "There's really no need –"