Chapter 21

• Zayne
• I close my eyes as Maija falls asleep, but every time I close my eyes, her face pops up in my head. How do you sleep when you feel your chest caving in? I spend hours just listening to her breathe as I hold her. I open my eyes to watch her sleeping face. She looks so peaceful and beautiful, my angel. I would have fought harder if she gave me any indication that she felt the same way that I do. I would have said to hell with our parents, marched into that house, and told them we would be together whether they liked it or not. But all she feels is a sexual attraction. I guess I was too busy falling to notice she was not falling for me. My heart hurts, but there is something I need to say before I can let go. I wish you were awake to hear them, my love.
• “I like you. I want you. I need you because I fell for you the moment I met you,” I say out loud. I know she can’t hear me, but it makes my heart feel lighter just saying it out loud. She believes we can fall in love with other people. I sigh as I take her hand and kiss it before placing it over my heart. It is probably too late for me; my heart already belongs to her. I close my eyes with her hands still on my heart as I listen to her sleep.