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She steps outside wearing leggings and a sweatshirt that's too big for her tiny frame, and my heart rate picks up. My palms start to sweat. And I've officially lost my train of thought. I was going to wait until tomorrow to see her since she and her mom just got to Wilmington today, but I'm a selfish bastard. I needed to see her. I don't care how late it is. I don't care that we have the whole summer ahead of us.

She walks towards me and my eyes stay fixated on her. My lips form into a smile. And I feel the temptation to run to her with every step that she takes in my direction.

I can't hold back, I need to have her in my arms. So, I act on my impulse when she gets in front of me. I place my arms around her waist and pick her up, holding her tightly. She wraps her arms around my back and rests her head on my shoulders. Shit...nothing beats this feeling. Nothing.

I finally set her down and take in her beauty. She has my attention. She owns my heart.

"Now, where we going?" she asks me.

"Melly's," I smile.

***

I can't focus. For two reasons. One, because the girl that I'm in love with is sitting across the table from me. And, two, because the girl that I'm in love with is not the girl that I'm currently dating. The thought of breaking the news to Bella that I'm seeing Cara is tearing me up inside. I know that Bella won't care when I tell her that I'm in a relationship, but it's bothering the shit out of me because the only girl that I want to be with is Bella. She's the only girl that I've ever wanted to be with since I was 8-years old.

If there's anything in her life that my mom did right, it was stopping at Bella's lemonade stand that summer. The second that my mom rolled down my window, I was in awe of the girl standing behind the table who was patiently waiting in the heat for a customer.

To this day, I'm still in awe of Bella. Of her humility. Of her determination. Of her selflessness.

We're complete opposites - our personalities, lifestyles - but that shit doesn't matter to me. Because I know my heart, and I know what it needs to keep beating...and that's Isabella Cooper.

She's looking at me from across the table with a look of skepticism on her face, and I know that she knows that I'm nervous. She knows me better than anyone else; she knows me better than I know myself.

I should just blurt the words out right now: "I have a girlfriend", but I can't bring myself to do it because it's just a reminder that I'm lying to myself. I don't want to be with Cara. I'm only with her to get my parents off my back. You see, her parents run in the same social circle as mine, so dad's been up my ass about fucking appearances. Appearances, appearances, appearances - that's all that he cares about. Maybe he should start caring more about his wife. Maybe he should start caring more about me.

I'm trying to get out of my head and enjoy being with Bella at our go-to spot, but it's tough.

And it gets tougher when our waiter Benny says, "blondie doesn't hold a candle to you."

I immediately glance at Bella, who appears confused.

"Blondie?" she asks.

"Benny!" the hostess at the front calls out, and Benny's tense body relaxes. He's lucky because I'm on the verge of going ape-shit.

I guess this is my fault. I waited too long to tell Bella about Cara.

***

I end up spending the rest of our night telling Bella about Cara - but leave out the fact that I was practically forced by my parents to date her. By the look on her face, she hates every single word that I speak. And while I hate that she appears upset about what I'm telling her, I love that she doesn't like hearing it. Is she jealous? I selfishly want her to be. Does she care about me the way that I do her? Does she want me with the way that I want her?

Bella's frustration quickly turns into the opposite. She's now smiling, telling me that she's happy for me. But I don't want to hear that. I want her to tell me to end things with Cara. To choose her. To choose her and that she'll choose me, too.

All the years that I've known Bella, I've felt unworthy of her, like she deserves someone who doesn't come from such a broken family; someone who actually goes through with their dreams and doesn't take shit from others about the direction that his life should go in. But, like I said, I'm a selfish bastard when it comes to her. I want her more than anything else in this world. I need her more than anything else in this world.

For right now, though, it has to be this way. I have to be with Cara. And Bella? She doesn't want me. She could never. She's too good; too hard-working; too driven. I'm too...not.

But, I'll tell you this. I'd give up all the money in the world if it meant her choosing me. I wouldn't even think twice about it; I wouldn't even hesitate. I know a soulmate when I feel one. And Bella...she's my soulmate. I know it in my heart. I've always known it.

One day, Bella Cooper...the girl that I've known since I was 8 years-old...the girl that lives across the pond from me...will be mine in the way that I'd always hoped for. Because she's my soulmate. The girl from across the pond is my soulmate.