You Won't Be Leaving My Arms Ever, I Can Promise You That

Craig was sick of Madison McCarthy.

He was done staring at her picture for hours on end, looking at her smiling face and wishing he could hear her voice again. He was done scribbling down lyrics about her as if the words on the page would bring her back. He was done wishing with every fiber of his being that she would kiss him again. Craig Owens was done.

When he saw her at the movie theaters with another guy, hand in hand, he told himself over and over that he was done with her. She was just one girl among the billions on the planet. But she was the only girl among the billions on the planet that he loved, not that he wanted to admit it to himself.

Craig Owens was never one for ignoring people. He considered it rude. So, when his stomach clenched in jealousy, his hands balled into fists, and his feet began to move towards the couple, he had no objections. But Madison did.

When Madison saw her ex-boyfriend, she blanched. Her pale face became, if possible, whiter and she sucked in a breath.

Madison McCarthy was not one for confrontations. So when her fight-or-flight instinct screamed flight, her eyes widened, and her hands began to drag Parker away, she had no objections. But Craig did. And Craig always got what he wanted.

"So, I'm Craig. I'm an old friend of Madison's," he informed Parker, smirking.

"Really? She's never mentioned you. I'm Parker, her boyfriend," he said, not liking the way Craig was eyeing Madison.

"That sucks. Watch out. When you tell her you love her, she runs away from you and breaks your heart. Agony can be a real bitch," Craig said, shaking his head in mock sympathy. He watched intently for her reaction, and he wasn't disappointed.

"Craig, you have no right to-" she started, and Craig was afraid to let her finish. He wasn't in the mood for heartbreak.

"Parker, does Madison hold you when youre sick, and then ignore all your calls? Does she kiss you like you're the only thing keeping her alive, and then pretend you never exist? Or have you not gotten to that point in your relationship yet?" he asked, as fury began to creep into his veins, which was a nice change from the miserable emptiness.

"Craig, I didn't do that to you. I could never forget you. But, hey, I guess that's the beauty of dating a rock star. Your ex is plastered on posters, television shows, commercials, the internet, and little fan girl's tee-shirts. Every time you even fucking go get coffee, you are reminded of him. You can never get over him. You can never forget how much you love him," she screamed, her voice rising with every word.

She was so busy shaking with rage, she forgot Parker was witnessing the scene she was making.

"Wait? You aren't over him? Fuck you," he said in a dangerously low voice, and pushed past her. Ignoring her cries, Parker stomped off.

"Now look at what you did!" she turned on Craig. "You ruined a perfectly good relationship. Wait, why are you looking at me like that?" she asked nervously.

"You aren't over me? You love me?" he asked, grinning stupidly. Judging by her stuttering protests and the red blush sweeping across her cheeks, she did.

Craig wasted no time listening to her stuttering excuses. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulled her close to him, and crashed his lips to hers.

Everyone always accused Madison McCarthy of thinking too much, so she was more surprised than Craig that she kissed back. She ran her fingers through his hair and attacked the lips she had missed so much.

After a few minutes of perfection, she pulled back, disappointing Craig. "What are we doing?" she asked him, looking into his eyes and taking ragged breaths.

He smiled. "The right thing." And when he placed his lips on hers again, she didn't pull away.