The Rest of Me

by Ashley Munoz

Eat your heart out, skinny-jean-wearing men of America—country boys have you beat.

“Mommy says he needs a whole lot of Jesus, but I think Jesus is getting tired of his attitude,” Henley commented while reaching for the cookies.

I was falling in love with Layla Carter, and I had no idea what to do about it. She wasn’t ready for love, and I wasn’t ready to lose her.

“I’m always second choice, nothing fucking new there, but you’re my first choice—my only choice. I’m willing to wait for you, but don’t ever reject me, cry over your husband, and then ask me to fuck away your bad thoughts, because I know by tomorrow you’ll have sobered up and you’ll put it on me that I didn’t push back.”

“Just know…as you wish for the asshole who did this to you to get what he deserves, know he did. He fell in love, so hard, so entirely that he didn’t want to breathe without her. Know he pictured marriage and Christmases, graduations and soccer practice. I wanted the entire thing with you, and it’s so fitting to have it all ripped away. I deserve this. I’ll never forget you, Layla. I’ll never stop loving you.”