I put my palm against my chest and frowned lightly. The pain wasn’t strong, but it was there. My parents had arrived at the hospital soon after I’d called them. Alex told them everything he knew, as I overheard while they were talking outside the room.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVaLAIEr5Vh
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJ39zUCs0o
Apparently I needed to stay in the hospital so they could monitor me; make sure that this wouldn’t end up with me having a heart attack or at least until my new doctor came back from her vacation. She was going to have the last call on when I would be going home.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpdgjQTKJ8K
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN61wME0TxN
A knock on the door made my parents and me turn towards the door. I managed to send Alex home to get some sleep just two hours ago so I didn’t expect anyone else.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡltOrfbIDec
I didn’t want to call Max because I felt embarrassed therefore I didn’t expect him to show up at the hospital.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡckbJbqhhSb
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcyVhpUlqhb
I couldn’t see who it was but I saw my mom smiling and getting up from her seat. That’s when Max and Cleo came into view. I sighed and leaned back against my pillow. I would have to explain why all these was happening.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzkWzPhRUZh
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRcOuCAkyW
“We’re going to the cafeteria. Want me to bring you something?” my mom asked and pulled my oblivious looking dad from his hand.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDzwFBlVbq0
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNMAmdWSDfB
“A juice,” I smiled “And a cake,” I said with a smug smile “Can I eat cake?” I frowned suddenly.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZZzoSNmUf
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb5xaLSTH2q
“I’ll ask,” she smiled and left. The twins smiled at my parents as they walked past them.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbBKkPnxsE3
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9mYlCTDJe5
“So?” Max looked at me and sat down at the foot of the bed. Cleo didn’t move.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx9HRdrzsEM
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡam2YlF5QuG
“What?” I asked, frowning; avoiding the subject.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi1fniT2tBy
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhutmr5TLqE
“What’s going on? My mom didn’t say much,” he explained.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkcjhb6T9a
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdl2COixOv
“Well, I had chest pains and they thought it would be better for me to stay in,” I smiled uneasily. Max blinked and tried to speak again but failed.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY3OUE6zRFh
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKLzgaTWBSn
“Why?” Cleo spoke for the first time; her voice kind of startled me. I haven’t talked to her for so long and I missed her so bad. I stared at my hands, my sight blurring, and the machine started to pace up. I noticed the twins turning towards it.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZHrldaTeB0
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl1FjqQirWg
“I don’t wanna talk about it,” I mumbled “Not yet at least.”487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpxVGHZLk2Q
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm0i6Uc10iJ
“When are you checking out?” Max asked another question.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxvziIfhwCA
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYq4LxscFNV
“When my doctor comes back from her vacation,” I replied “Tomorrow I think,” I winced and Max frowned “Yeah, I know bad timing,” I chuckled. Cleo looked more relaxed after my small joke and a small smile formed on her lips.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4mKwARtP2
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8eD38gYxGp
“I got you these,” she said and opened her bag, taking out three magazines. She moved closer and gave them to me.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs2uJO5Wrli
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8xah7Qykwf
“Music too huh?” I grinned as I saw my favorite music magazine among the fashion magazines she preferred.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24uF61gKuz
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdYDdP3U296
“Well, it’s not the time to be a bully,” she chuckled. I noticed Max gazing at the magazines, as if looking for something and then winced when it didn’t found it. I guess he was looking either for a car, a football player or a semi-naked woman. I smiled lightly and turned towards Cleo again.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡND4NYvQ0qS
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq9BZlAZ8ZL
“So,” I took a deep breath after a moment of silence “Tell me about the project,” I smiled at Cleo “What is it about?”487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7PtqTvtukt
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyS0vMFQMF0
“Um,” she breathed “Need to have a portfolio of ten summer outfits and sew one of them,” she explained.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtgmpQw84d
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfYN1NbYPFM
“Random summer outfits?” I asked while she sat down on the chair where my mom was seating earlier.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMwYKGs8cZi
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYUvglrG1I0
“Sort of, I need to show a work outfit, a party outfit, a brunch blah blah, you get the picture,” she chuckled lightly.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs7Kx4mDgeJ
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjfh4PZelye
“How close to the end are you?” I made an effort to smirk.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ4KthF6keJ
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBfbjX9dQR1
“Surprising, she’s almost done,” Max mocked. I grinned at him and turned to Cleo again as she spoke.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4fmMg3HOyI
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3vXWWc9k8P
“I’m actually drawing the last one but I can’t stop thinking about the previous I’ve done, so I’m gonna sew that one,” she said.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcjDJt09q9J
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsP8kYja5O5
“Cool,” I smiled.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaFk4nISzOg
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi3EERZyTNH
I tried my best to ignore the fact that although she knew that Damien left, she only contacted me the first day. But as I couldn’t afford anymore drama these days, I turned to Max for a while, asking about Lexie. I understood that he didn’t want to say much maybe because he didn’t want to remind me Damien’s departure. Not that I have forgot about it at all.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyNMNtrZ84Z
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu2uHC1iZFU
Max had to go outside to answer his phone a little while later and that’s when Cleo came and sat at his spot.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5O4ZGAdbGl
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvblOD0EW6P
“Um,” she begun and exhaled deeply “I’m really sorry that I haven’t contacted you since you came back or since you left actually,” she frowned. “I was mad at first because I didn’t want you to get hurt and then…” I swallowed hard figuring out for where this was going and I felt being dragged down under by a black hole. As my sight blurred I averted my eyes from her.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD4nZYxlrO4
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN4cJG8CgcA
“Please don’t,” I interrupted “I’m not ready to talk about that yet,” I mumbled; my hands curling up into fists.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZGE5r93yJD
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW1sZFCYIwZ
“Damn,” she breathed out as she studied me.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLAbou4i1rG
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNamturKea6
“Yeah, I know.”487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjhW9jIb5vj
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡle8wHsVam1
[+++]487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJsdqdGhM2
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl94bqeoPQO
Thankfully, the very next day the new doctor came by my room; a young woman of medium height and slim figure with curly blonde hair. I was suspicious that Alex had something to do with the fact that I was her first patient; especially since she was stunning. But then she informed me that she was a psychologist; she couldn’t have many patients actually staying in the hospital.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYzoyKllcan
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWnxuJX2iBt
“Can you please leave us for a moment?” she asked my parents. As soon as we heard the door closing, the doctor sat on the foot of my bed. Popural spot.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTfBpVgDTmR
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvMMbCJI6WB
“As your pathologist may have told you, right now there’s nothing wrong with your body, it’ s just reacting to emotional pain,” she explained “So, we need to work on that,” she smiled.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoQCSEHlciQ
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡto4fY2BdNx
“Okay,” I nodded. “So, when I’m getting out of here?” I grinned. Mrs. Abbott chuckled.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BD0onIu2A
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXTKxZtVZNG
“I’ll come by in two hours, for a session and we’ll see,” she smiled.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaCj31wYwPu
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wz9HxBz1q
“But I’m fine,” I winced.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzxrmt6Sx0b
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZlkWOB8iBg
“We’ll talk about it later,” she smiled and nodded me for a goodbye.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUEf0B0oFT
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfRnFu3y5Tm
She must have informed my parents herself because they didn’t ask me anything when they returned to the room. They left soon afterwards, leaving me to read a book I asked from my mom. I would probably have to study for my exams but I didn’t felt ready and just the thought of it made me anxious.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLatXDBcDCn
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWTPyK15qNn
[+++]487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgUtMVEAaCB
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMydkrs7wMg
Samantha Abbott, my psychologist, was sitting on the chair across from me; a notebook on her lap. I was getting impatient. I wanted to go home and hide under the covers of my own bed. I felt oppressed in the hospital as I had to suppress every feeling I had; unless I wanted everyone to witness my weakness.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9h2GbHUSyZ
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡculn6zDmrl
“Is this really necessary?” I mumbled.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLRgVxA9tED
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrvevwCnGb
“How are you feeling today?” the blonde doctor asked me; ignoring my question.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsuc7ylpR9Y
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ012dufgoSp
“Fine.”487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmP4o0JnUrq
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE44znxobkW
“Fine is not a feeling Erica,” she noted.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfEAf90leE
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj81ExrOVht
I breathed through my nose. I wasn’t anywhere near fine. I couldn’t understand why Damien left. It killed me even more that I knew it was a matter of time that he’d do it. I just hoped he would prove me wrong.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAwi5yeX1G7
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0z0R3okz3U
“Okay then,” I exhaled “I feel ridiculous about this,” I motioned around me “People get dumped all the time,” I said and my eyes stared on my lap “So I don’t get it why I have to do this.”487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR1lq5ZZFEg
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTioOdNkMhO
“Because we want to make sure that you’re healthy enough to go home,” she smiled. I looked at her. I guess this could be done two ways; the easy way or the hard way.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqBU0kSTwD
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9JgUA7OmHT
“Yeah, still… I mean, people get dumped all the time but I ended up in the hospital. Always full of drama,” I rolled my eyes.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWJzBP084Am
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6nfVMlbicM
“It’s not your fault you’re here,” she said “When things bottle up inside they’re bound to overflow at some point.”487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7adeGTnfsS
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDwSFXYH3xv
“I know,” I nodded. A deep sigh escaped my lungs as I curled my knees in front of me. “I feel it’s beyond me,” I confessed.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsIFz01Axjc
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMuYZpLL6Mv
“What is?”487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkjiRHRcK9u
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlOJn6UCjog
“How much I love him. I can’t handle it,” I paused “And obviously he couldn’t either,” I raised my eyebrows “I knew it was a matter of time before he’d leave me,” I confessed.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy2BLqFdeZp
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaaETjilYnz
“Why do you believe he would leave you?” she asked. The tone surprised me. I always thought that psychologists ask blank questions, just to get into your head. I blinked and then scoffed.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcBAF4HJp3l
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiUG0NW622z
“Why wouldn’t he?” I smiled a bitter, small smile.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtXaZADwDJV
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsgkFnMpMit
“You should answer to that,” Samantha told me and saw her hand moving her pen on the notebook she was holding.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlnUqpaOwSe
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQIXKbS1jB6
“Okay,” I exhaled. “I always loved him. That will never change. For the most part I was alone in this since he never knew and will never know how much I loved and will love him. I’ll just deal with being alone again,” I shrugged my shoulders “It’s not a big deal,” I smiled.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWqjxKbnv4
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEuQgq1ncIh
“Erica, I don’t think you realize how much of a big deal this is,” she looked at me “You’re body reacted to the emotional pain you pushed away. You need to deal with this before you’re body looses this battle. I’m not going to lie to you. You can give you’re self a heart attack,” she kept talking and the only think I could think of was “Fuck, he’ll actually be the death of me”.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGA4GORsCPn
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ1qcpVgoXC
“Other people get headaches from stress and emotional pain, others get nausea, others all the above, others get heart attacks. Every organism deals with emotional pain differently. Yours is on the verge of giving you a heart attack. You’ve pushed yourself to the limits,” she said and I began fuming.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBpXHl3WQCb
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxlx7Mw70px
“So what the hell am I suppose to do? Make him love me so I’ll stop the pain?” I asked, my tone rising and my hands cutting the air in front of me. “You can’t make people love you! Hecan’t love me! I’m not…I don’t think…” I stopped to think the best way to say this “He’s too good for me anyway,” I whispered.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3VmiOX3Zc
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0UHQkHRPDu
“You need to build up your confidence. You’re a beautiful, smart, young woman, Erica,” she said and I wanted to laugh.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhkwr9yrb01
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWSOB1cSrO
“Well, I still didn’t worth his time,” I mumbled.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ1OEqmQFV6
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkQbYhTSaHh
“Have you talked to your friends about it?”487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGNBFJOio3h
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvIEYoduDfv
“Not completely,” I replied and rushed to explain “I think you run into them earlier; my friends. They are twins. It’s their older brother,” I sighed “So, it’s complicated,”487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUnTHfhxoWS
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGKJQTDm3Y
“Why is that?” she asked again. Her questions were starting to annoy me.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKYQsynfOPT
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxvR0ypGQmT
I explained all the reasons that made this so complicated for me. I figured that if I couldn’t get away from this, I might as well take advantage of the situation. Since I thought my best friends weren’t keen on listening what was going on inside my weird head, she was the only option.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbEGvijNwoR
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOtjFUrsUPy
She discharged me from the hospital the very next day. I went home with four different pills to take each day and an appointment every two days for the next ten days.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLQmoDnw6Jj
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRFgaiQP0cp
I had asked Cleo to wait for me until I was ready and felt comfortable to talk to her. She was supportive through those two weeks that it took me to actually feel human again and I was glad to have my best friend back. I could see, however, that she didn’t feel as comfortable, maybe because she was scared that something she would say or do would trigger me.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl0wHz7xcbA
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnYYzXppcWU
I didn’t even bother studying for my examinations using the hospital and the whole situation as an excuse. My parents of course were supportive about that, reminding me that what mattered what for me to be okay; an extra semester at the university wasn’t going to harm anyone.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfwy1RbztSu
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUipLLCLjF
The first month passed quietly and I managed to actually control my outbursts about Damien whenever I thought about him. Now, I would only cry during my sessions with Samantha, when I had to talk about him, or not even there. When Cleo couldn’t keep me company, Max would or when he wasn’t available Alex was there to keep me occupied.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxM2bqPADk
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDcvahBPmOO
“Are you okay so far?” I turned towards him from my seat as he stopped the car.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVZcwyFlAdH
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcFdxZQCc8R
“Yes,” Alex sighed. I smiled and got out of the car, the bouquet of flowers in my hands. We met at the front of the car and I gave him the bouquet. “Okay,” he straightened up and sighed.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKHdZoZTzh
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjkla9dI2sV
I check his black tie with my fingers to see if it was straight and put my hands against his shoulders.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBYR5o668Eo
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4WNFOG9UuN
“Ready?” I smiled.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPnuJSCEWIi
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5C2ax78QE9
“Yes,” he smiled back and led the way.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xzvdKf0wc
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡObrTqy1OQi
We walked quietly for a while before he stopped in front of a beautiful white stone. I noticed the name “Elizabeth White” curved carefully against the stone and knew we were there.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5IVacTUrUf
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOkhrlT82zT
“It’s been two years,” he sighed.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9870Zq1UZ
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtWeyLmxQ5l
“That’s okay,” I told him “You’re here now. She knows you’re trying your best,” I smiled.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBjxhElII4B
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqhgNnVWCD
He turned towards me and smiled too before he walked away from me and crouched down in front of the stone. He left the bouquet in front of the grave and stayed there for a minute.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ39Nvb3FlaO
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3aioUu2KeU
“Do you want some privacy?” I asked quietly.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5dDQnOW7cd
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9ovfrNY0e
“No, I’m okay,” he replied as he stared at his mother photograph; his fingers brushing her face.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJjlk83hJXH
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvbtZfF80jk
Sometimes Alex confused me so much. Sometimes I wish he was like that before we broke up. Why did he have to show his soft side to me after all of this? If he did it before maybe we would still be together and maybe I wouldn’t be that hurt right now. But I treasured those forty days with Damien so much. They were some of the best days of my life and I felt guilty for even thinking that I would be better off.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIgZ6cU6Jt3
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlCBpDUUjN3
Alex got up and stood beside me again; bringing me back to the present. He took my hand in his and held it.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMwR9YJR5Dx
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlByiPqR9Gj
“Thank you,” he whispered and lightly squished my hand. I turned towards him and as our eyes met I smiled at him.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJSrAtYMdc
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPIPQNNN7qq
I turned my eyes forward again and sighed.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpDVRglbtQJ
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFCk9udmfsa
[+++]487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBK1ndwdlxU
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnZKnD6Tgbf
The same week, Samantha informed me that she will cut down our sessions to once a week and I figured it was time to finally talk to Cleo. As far as I knew she had no idea how things with me and Damien were before he left.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8RJBkl5suj
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQArmuxmZhK
I invited Cleo over for dinner and left the option to invite Max up to her. I tried to keep it light, do what we did before everything happened; just order dinner and watch television next to the fireplace.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvc4UGbkgvS
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwdHzimP2sb
She arrived alone so I figured she would like for us to talk like this. We sat down and decided what to order at first. When the food arrived and I returned into the living room with plates and as my mind was already spinning I couldn’t help myself anymore.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe0bjFKoKZ5
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuwMQaa6Wk3
“I just wanted you to be okay with it,” I winced. Cleo sighed and left everything at the coffee table.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSX1WdstOvS
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpuIL7bO8Dw
“I’m sorry,” she mumbled “I just didn’t want you to get hurt Erica,” she frowned as she looked at me.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn1yX6Cq90Z
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“I know,” I mumbled and sat down on the chair. “I left because I didn’t want to get between you two. I would never make him choose, even if he’s the love of my life,” I confessed, not realizing what I said.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWzzGJRtS5C
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“You really love him?” she asked and a deep sigh escaped my lungs.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOipl1IaD9a
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“Why do you think I’m in this mess?” I asked softly “Though he’ll never know,” a bitter small smile appeared on my lips.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdSHXPecVoq
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“I had no idea,” she replied. Of course she didn’t, because she wouldn’t listen to me. “Were you okay before you left for the City?” she asked after a moment of silence.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd13yj3clJF
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“Yes. I actually made several attempts to talk to him, to tell him how I feel but the only thing I’ve managed to say was that I was scared,” I scoffed.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBzcaouhCq2
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I explained how he wanted to visit and talk to me, while I was away just to let her know that it wasn’t entirely into my head. Told her that he kept saying that he wasn’t going anywhere and that he wouldn’t leave me and that’s why it hurt so bad. Because he knew I didn’t want him to promise me things but he did it anyway. And then he broke those promises; and broke me into a million pieces.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6lFAX232yH
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Cleo wasn’t talking by this point. She would only make small questions to get the whole picture of the relationship I once had. Then I had to do the unavoidable; tell her the impact her words had. I tried to phrase it better though. I told her that I knew he was between relationships and that he never stayed with one girl for too long. I also knew right from the start that I’m not enough for him, that he wasn’t for me and I’ll never be enough for him.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdQdy08bIxJ
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“I’m sorry for saying or implying those things,” she sighed deeply.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ABog1cebW
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“I know you are. But it’s the facts,” I bit my lip. Before she said anything else I started talking again. “Before I even started getting back to normal, he told me he was going to Italy,” I said “So, I never really had the chance to talk to him again.” I explained.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9QCMtsjVHK
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“If I knew it was serious, I wouldn’t be like this,” she frowned.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr5DbCMLaWy
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“Don’t torment yourself. Obviously, you were right. I was right. It was only a matter of time before he left.”487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu2FTUQGBrG
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“But, I don’t get it,” she mumbled “If you guys were fine when he left the City, why he left for Italy earlier than planned and didn’t even say a word?”487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAcW3rwfOsv
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW4f2F6GTJD
“If you find out, I would love to know,” I told her and now that I got all of that out of my chest I decided to grab a bite from my food that was waiting on the coffee table in front of me.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIoP3siAU5p
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“I’m gonna call him,” she said; sounding determine.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyPM8ucwD2U
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“Don’t,” I rapidly shook my head.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpQ3MTb46g8
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“Why not?”487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjiio4ATs8b
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“If he wanted to say something, he would. He’s the kind of guy that stays quiet and you know that. So, I don’t wanna ambush him like that.”487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZdkiQxMjDq
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“Okay,” she nodded. “Do you want to tell me how it started? I hate it that I wasn’t near you when it all happened,” she smiled a shy smile.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWyFu6WciX4
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“Remember that night at the summerhouse when Mike visited?” I asked and she nodded. “Since he had nowhere to sleep and I was drunk, we slept together,” I said and her eyebrows rose.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8wwUp4t6Jt
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“Not like that dude! Slept for real,” I explained and she chuckled “Anyway, the next day we stayed back at the house and Alex pissed me off, I had to calm down and I got into the swimming pool. That’s when he kissed me for the first time,” a smug expression on my face as I remembered my heart bouncing, butterflies attacking my body and his lips tasting like chlorine. I shook my head to push away the memory.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGFBGcsNUu5
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“He kissed me again after the renovation. We spent a lot of time together in the garage,” I said softly looking at the floor as the memories consumed me.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoac3bEwLEQ
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“Eat, your food is getting colder,” Cleo said out of the blue. I sighed and nodded.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9HFnKPmDmK
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“When Alex left the first time, that’s when the chest pains begun,” I told her after a while.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWD2iYxaLYU
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“You never said anything,” she frowned, when she swallowed her food.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOKiAQaACrL
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“It only happened twice I think and once after he came back and he wanted to take me to the doctor but I convinced him I was okay,” I explained.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfDcMLqg3J
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“Is that why he was at the hospital?” she asked.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC9z8d8E3Jj
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“I hope not,” I chuckled thinking she meant that he felt guilty for not taking me to the doctor back then “I run onto him my last night in the city actually and he was a mess,” I said and she looked bored; Bored of the over-dramatic Alex. “Seriously, from his half words I understood he almost killed himself or started doing drugs. He had no one else, so I made him talk to me,” I shrugged my shoulders.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCCLCqoGpB8
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“Good thing you run onto him, then”487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZxtlb4qIS5
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“It was,” I nodded “Anyway, when Damien left, he contacted me to see how I was, I lied at first. But you cannot lie to the master of lies,” I explained and she scoffed; agreeing with me. “He got me to tell him everything and as I talked the chest pain was there and he noticed. Only this time he dragged me to the hospital for a check-up. The next time it happened, two days later, I called him and the rest you know,” I explained.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn2bWassLF5
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“Oh, that’s why he’s there,” she mumbled.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJuBizqao9
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“Yeah, I got him to go to the cemetery the other day, after two years,” I said; feeling proud of myself.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1MZxH8rSqJ
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“Are you…” she trailed “Are you feeling anything for him?” she asked finally her voice small. I shook my head.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTGUAlWgVCJ
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“He’s only a friend now. He keeps my mind occupied and plus, I don’t want to be in a middle of a romance anytime soon,” I mumbled looking at my food before taking another bite. As that night came back to my mind, the second time Alex took to me the hospital, the reason came to my mind and a deep sigh escaped my lungs. I left my food on the table and leaned forward, touching my elbows on my knees.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn7hojVP7gS
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“What?” Cleo asked softly.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKDSp5FmSpc
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“The second time I went to the hospital, I had called Damien and he answered. For the first time he left, he had answered his phone,” my voice trembled.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBVGbZO3mLN
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“What, what did he say?”487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0iww4p2mjJ
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“I told him that I just needed to hear his voice and he replied with a «So what?» I hang up the phone then, because I didn’t want him to hear me crying,” I explained but tears filled my eyes and I sobbed hard. Cleo put down her food and came to sit beside me. She put her arms around me and hugged me.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZN0ZJPb7N0
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“You’re gonna be okay. I’m here now,” she mumbled. That gave me strength and calmed me down a bit. I sighed as the sobs stopped and I hugged her back.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfYWhihUot9
487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLqze9qudaJ
“Thank you,” I mumbled as she brushed my hair and kept me into her arms. I had missed my best friend so much. Now that she was here, everything seemed easier.487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7DV3F4omIq
♠ ♠
Title Credit:487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA2uh3PB610
One Last Goodbye by Anathema487Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ8e3bknwJu
