Glass Hearts [BL]-Chapter 234: You’re Worth Staying For[June’s POV]

"So... what about you?" Ian asked, turning towards me.

"What about me?" I laughed nervously. "I didn’t do anything wrong. Did I?"

He shook his head. "I didn’t say you did something wrong. I’m asking... what’s your story, June?"

Oh.

Real stuff.

My stomach twisted.

Talking about myself always felt like picking at a wound.

"If you don’t want to...." he started.

"No," I said quickly. "It’s not that."

I stared at the blanket for a while.

"It’s not just a....pretty story." 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

He didn’t take his eyes off me.

I took a deep breath. My fingers picked at the hem of my shirt.

"I don’t need pretty," he said. "I just want real."

I took a breath.

"Okay... real?" I whispered.

"My mom left. When I was like... five. One day she kissed my forehead and said she was coming back. And guess what? She never came back. Yayyy."

Ian’s face fell, just a little.

"And now she’s out there," I continued, my voice started shaking, "with a new husband who can literally buy a small country, and this perfect daughter who’s wayyy cooler and prettier than I’d ever be."

A tear slipped but I wiped it away before he noticed.

He hesitated before speaking again. "She never reached out?"

"No." My laugh came out broken. "Not a birthday. Not a ’how are you doing.’ Nothing. Thirteen years, five months and... I don’t even know how many days. I stopped counting because I thought it would hurt less but...."

My voice cracked. "It doesn’t."

Ian’s expression softened in a way that made my chest sting.

He leaned closer, like he needed to shorten the distance between us.

"You’re not someone people walk away from," he said. "She walked away from everything good without realizing."

"That’s dramatic," I sniffed.

"It’s true," he insisted.

I looked down. Compliments felt like lies, even when they weren’t.

"It messed me up," I admitted. "For a long time, I thought... if your own mom doesn’t choose you, why would anyone else?"

He shook his head. "She’s the one who didn’t see your worth. That’s her failure. Not yours."

I didn’t respond. I didn’t trust my voice.

"You’re funny. You’re stubborn. You feel everything so deeply it scares people. And you act tough but... you love harder than anyone I’ve ever met."

I tried to laugh but it came out raw. "You’re just saying that ’cause you want to have sex with me."

"No," he whispered. "I’m saying that because it’s why I fell for you in the first place."

I froze.

He looked like he regretted saying it immediately.

But it was already out there.

"I fell first," he admitted quietly. "And I fell harder."

I swallowed, trying to breathe because this... this felt like too much.

My eyes burned again. "So what’s your own story?"

"My parents divorced when I was a kid," he sighed. "A lot happened after that. Pressure. Expectations. I wasn’t enough for either of them and... I hated myself for it."

"So you turned into a bully," I muttered.

He almost smiled. "Yeah. I dumped my anger on people who didn’t deserve it. And I regret that every day."

My chest tightened.

"You made me want to change," he added.

"Me?" I looked at him, because surely he meant someone else.

"The day at the station," he said. "You didn’t give up on your friend. And it made me want to fight to be better."

He held out a hand before touching me, like he wanted permission.

Then he gently took my fingers and placed my palm on his chest.

"You’re worth staying for," he said.

I didn’t know what to say to that.

"Well... Marcus doesn’t think I’m good," I whispered. "He hates me now. He left Blackwell, stopped being friends with us."

"Why?"

"Said you guys made his childhood a nightmare. And he hates us for choosing you guys over him. And honestly, we didn’t."

My voice cracked on the last word.

Ian’s jaw tightened. He looked away like he understood what that meant.

"I...I’m sorry for being a bad person."

He wiped under his eye before a tear fell, pretending it was just an itch.

"I don’t want to be the reason people leave," I confessed. "Not again. Not like her."

Ian pulled me into a hug before I could overthink again. His arms were warm.

I let myself sink into it for a second, because my chest hurt in that stupid, hopeful way.

Then he pulled back a little, his hands still on my arms. His forehead touched mine.

"June..." he whispered.

My heart dropped.

Why did his voice sound like that? Why did he look like he was about to say something that would ruin me in the sweetest way ever?

"Will you... be my girlfriend?"

Oh. No. No no no no.

Every cell in my body went into panic mode.

I froze.

Don’t hurt him.. Don’t say yes. Don’t say no. Run. Jump out of the window. Do something June!

His eyes searched mine, and that made it worse. That hope in his eyes.

"I...Ian..." My voice cracked..

He smiled a tiny nervous smile. "You can take your time to ans..."

RING RING RING.

Phew!

I have never loved a phone more in my entire existence.

He blinked, startled, and stepped back to grab it.

"I-It’s John..the butler," he sounded surprised. "I hope everything’s fine."

I nodded too fast.

Perfect timing.

He answered the call and widened his eyes.

"I’d be there right away," he said, ending the call quickly.

"What happened?" I asked, even though I was not emotionally prepared for anything.

He sighed.

"It’s Nari. She’s furious about Dominic’s engagement. Apparently she’s throwing... literally everything in the house. Saying her dad should stop the whole engagement because Dominic is her soulmate."

A tiny laugh escaped me before I slapped a hand over my mouth.

"I...sorry. That’s just... wow. What even is that?"

He huffed a breathy laugh too.

Then he looked at me again.

"We should go," he said gently. "I’ll drop you off, change into the outfit I got."

I nodded, trying not to look like I was sprinting away from the most important question of his life.

Why did everything have to happen today?

Ian and I had trauma-bonded, made out, almost... yeah. Then suddenly, we were about to leave like normal humans who didn’t completely ruin boundaries overnight.

I peeked inside the shopping he handed me. Cute fitted jeans and a white top that actually looked expensive.

"How did you even know my size?" I raised a brow.

"Oh, I have a very photographic memory of you from last night." He winked.

Omg. My face went red.

He saw me naked last night. Yay, love that for me.

Ian got up, and walked into the restroom.

I took a quick glance in the mirror.

The jeans hugged my body perfectly.

The top made me look... actually really pretty.

Great. Now my anxiety could look stylish too.

Knock. Knock.

I opened the door and..boom Ren.

He shoved his hands into his pockets, and smiled nervously.

"H-Hey," he said, scratching the back of his neck.

He blinked.

"Wow. You look... really good, June."

My heart tripped.

"Thanks," I mumbled, trying not to melt.

Ian walked out and saw me.

"Damn, babe. Hot as hell. If we weren’t in a hurry, I’d eat you ou..."

"Oh my God, Ian!" I cut him off.

He laughed, loving the effect he had on me.

"What’s up?" Ian turned to Ren.

Ren glanced between us. "Uh... I don’t know if I could get a ride? You could drop me off to pick up my car. It’s still in the repair shop."

"Yeah, sure," Ian replied immediately. "We’re leaving anyway. Nari’s throwing tantrums because of Dom’s engagement."

Ren winced. "Yikes. She still thinks they’re soulmates?"

"Yup." Ian nodded.

Ren squinted a little. "You guys didn’t tell her Dominic is... you know."

"Nope," Ian said. "Not my circus."

I pretended to laugh.

Hide it. Hide the nervousness. Hide everything.

We stepped out to the garage. Ian walked ahead to pull the car around.

The moment he was far enough away, Ren leaned closer, softening his voice.

"Take care of yourself, Jellybean," he murmured.

My breath stuttered.

"Think about the talent show," he whispered, forcing a smile. "You have an amazing gift. Don’t waste it."

I wrapped my arms around myself.

"Ren...."

"It’s okay," he said, eyes flicking toward Ian. "You don’t owe me anything. I’m also sorry about earlier. I shouldn’t hav..."

Ian honked. "Guys! Let’s go!"

"Yeah," Ren exhaled. "Let’s... just go."

I nodded, and walked behind him.

Why did everything have to happen today?

Why couldn’t love pick one person?

Ren got into the front.

I climbed into the back, trying to hide how shaky my hands were.

As the engine started, Ian looked at me through the rear-view mirror.

"That outfit should be illegal. I’m actually losing focus right now."

"Eyes on the road, menace," I snapped, but couldn’t stop the stupid smile trying to escape.

Then I saw it.

Ren’s frown.

The flicker in his eyes before he turned to the window, staring at the passing trees.

And my chest hurt.

Because he cared.

And I didn’t know what to do with that.

So, I crossed my arms, and sank into the seat.

My life was officially a triangle.

One sharp enough to kill me.