As JJ and I enjoyed our date, talking and giggling and having a good time, I notice from the corner of my eye that Michael and Rachel were leaving. I smiled a bit. Perfect. It was about time they left! Like geez... I’m really starting to think that they’re stalking us! I just don’t understand how they can coincidentally be at every restaurant that we’re at! Like, no. There’s obviously some scheming behind it, and the evil part of my brain has me thinking that it’s Michael...

“Peyton,” JJ says to me in a warning tone. I move away from my evil thoughts and focus back on JJ; my future husband. I smile back at him.

“Yes...?” I ask in a sing song voice. He gives me a disapproving look, as if he knows exactly what I had been thinking this whole time. He grips my hands from across the table.

“All you can think about is Michael and Rachel; I want you to stop,” he told me. I moved back in my chair and huffed. I decided that I was going to deny it.

“I am not thinking about Michael and Rachel! Why would I? There’s nothing to think about! They’re not apart of my life anyway! They mean nothing to me!” I snapped. JJ just laughed at me. He tried to hide his laughter but he couldn’t stop! “What is so funny?!” I asked him, beginning to get angry. If someone was going to be laughing, at least share the joke so I can laugh too instead of sitting here awkwardly. Like geez...

“Peyton, you and I both know that you’re still jealous over Michael,”

“I’m not jealous!” I screamed angrily. Who was he to tell me that I’m jealous!? Uh... no. I know when I’m jealous, not him!

“Yes you are, whenever you see him with Rachel I can see the envy in your eyes...” he began. I remained silent. He moved in closer to me. “You need to stop,” he said in a voice harsher than the last ones. “We’re together now. Whatever feelings you had towards Michael in the past, you have to forget,” he told me. I looked at him quizzically, something about the way he was wording this made me feel like there was a hidden motive behind it all, but I didn’t ask him about it. I just waited for him to continue. When he didn’t, I spoke up.

“I never had feelings for him,” I lied. I kept my voice rock hard. I wasn’t going to let it falter. He chuckled a bit.

“Yes you did, I could tell. Did you think that I was some sort of idiot back then? I’ve fallen in love before, I know what it’s like...”

“You’ve fallen in love now,” I reminded him as I smiled sweetly. He smiled back and kissed me tenderly on the cheek.

“I have,” he agreed, “But sometimes I wonder if you’ve fallen for me too...” he sighed. My mouth dropped a bit and I pulled him into an embrace.

“No! I do love you! I do!” I cried to him. He hugged me back, but not as tight as usual.

“Then why do you spend so much time worrying about Michael?” he asked me, sounding sad. I wasn’t sure if he was trying to pull the guilt trick on me or not, but it didn’t matter because it was working. He was right. We’re engaged and all I can think about is Michael!

“He just... ugh! He makes me so mad!” I screamed as I balled my fists.

“I don’t blame you. After all he did to you...” he sighed as he shook his head. I nodded slightly, agreeing with him. Michael has been tormenting me immensely, and it’s starting to take its toll on me. I have every right to be angry at him! To add, he practically stalks me! Okay, so maybe he hasn’t admitted to stalking me, but I can tell! All of these constant ‘coincidences’ are all just lies!

“I’m sorry,” I apologised to him. He smiled warmly at me.

“I forgive you Peyton, after all, you’re my girl. But you have to stop thinking of him. I don’t want to hear you say his name. Don’t look at him. Don’t acknowledge his presence. He’s of no importance to you, and I want you to remember that. I’m telling you this to make you feel trapped or to make you feel cornered, I’m telling you this because if you keep this up I-I-“ he stammered.

“You what?” I asked, although I had a feeling I knew what he was going to say. He bit his lip and then exhaled a deep breath.

“I won’t be able to stick around. I don’t want to hear about Michael anymore,” he told me. I nodded, proving that I understood. I guess talking and reminding him about Michael was kind of like bringing up an ex-boyfriend... it’s just forbidden. I looked up at him and smiled, trying to rid myself of all negative thoughts.

“Alright, I’ll work on it, I promise you that,” I told him, “Let’s just focus on us. Let’s focus on our wedding. I can’t wait you know that? I finally want to be yours under the law,” I admitted. He smiled at me.

“I can’t wait either. But we’ve already discussed this, instead, let’s just finish up our meal and go home. Relax while we watch a movie... eat some popcorn maybe?” he suggested. I nodded at the suggestion. It sounded great. A movie and popcorn.

Suddenly, at the thought of that it reminded me of Michael. Ugh! We used to always watch movies with a bowl or two of popcorn! Everything that I did reminded me of Michael! He was inescapable!

I shook my head. No. I can escape him. I can do this. I looked at JJ and quickly began to think of other thoughts... only, it was things that I shouldn’t be thinking of...

When I looked into his eyes, instead of seeing love, I saw pain. I remembered all of the years that I was trapped with him. Isolated from the rest of the world. The constant work. When he hit me. When he got drunk. When we got shot. All of those memories were flowing back to me and it almost made me wonder; why was I marrying him?

Whoa! Wait, hold up. How on earth did I start to think of that? I shook my head once more. This was exactly what Michael wanted to happen to me... He’s been trying to plant this into my head ever since I told him about the marriage, and it was finally beginning to work!

Ugh! There I go again about Michael! Okay, I’ve got to stop this.

Michael is a past chapter of my life, it’s time to move on...