It Only Happens in the Movies

by Holly Bourne

Tiny fragments of myself fractured all over when I broke off the kiss. And I said the truth. “I can’t forgive you, Harry,” I whispered in his ear, my voice cracking. “I’m sorry, but I can’t.” Because I couldn’t forgive it. I couldn’t forget it. That’s just me. I’d seen too much pain from love. I couldn’t be with someone who had stung me so sharply so early on. I wasn’t strong enough. I wasn’t…romantic enough to work through it. Because what I’d learned was, love isn’t just a feeling. Love is a choice too. And you may not be able to help your feelings, but you are responsible for the choices you make about what to do with them. Dad had loved Mum. He had fallen for her hard. Then they’d grown old, grown dull, and he’d developed feelings for Jessie. He chose to act on those feelings. He chose to rip our family apart. He could’ve chosen not to. So many people choose not to. And Harry…Harry…he chose to drink too much that night. He chose to betray me. Even if he was drunk, even if he regretted it, even if he was sorry. I loved Harry. I felt it so hard, so deeply, that I was sure it would never go away. A part of me would always love him. The boy with the teeth, who made me a Hollywood ending. My love was something I couldn’t help, that I felt so deeply it was a scar. But I was choosing to walk away from that. Because my heart…my heart was too fragile for someone who had chosen to break it. He looked up at me, his face filled with horror. “What! I don’t understand. I thought…” I...

Good scene. Except for the "shaking feet" which don't make sense.