surgery, in case something happe

s brother reading it over and over again l

e had paused and all I could hear

ding beside me, wai

just read, and I wasn't

d softly, not

y more, but then he nodded and fol

eared, I sat down an

ibly want to say ,not after everyth

my chest that whatever

ave written to me, spe

ed a reply to

you? Can I

ponse c

't allowed to stay long. She made me prom

the main entrance. The cool evening air brushed agai

" I cal

stepped away from a silver ca

h. A

odd

the same calm eyes, t

ut you," he said

o much. But then she explained every

cket and pulled out a

d me to give it to you in case things got comp

ed as I took th

, but my heart already felt

," I wh

then stepped bac

elps. She sa

f before I sat on the

above me bu

er the edge of th

n I ope

v

is, then something d

and everything is o

you to know the t

and not just the pieces I m

t I knew about you lon

ame pop up o

ace changed when he

me you two weren't serio

t haunted by someone the

thought it w

ht maybe I w

ink I always knew you we

d to fall back i

osed to let i

I

le, I believe

ybe I h

n't somethi

ou hold gently o

ink Liam

k he k

he won't

each out t

I needed you to know

e never

re never t

deserve ei

reless with p

ught up in it because I

he role I playe

l of this is far behind

irl he couldn'

s holding someo

spect than I

m

bled as I fin

ound me fe

g in my chest had

e now

m Liam'

s excuses o

from

could've stayed sil

sa

.. she gave me back

er slowly and hel

Liam walking out of

ound mine

ing told m

knew ev

ked to

fa

sl

ste

." he

d my hand t

ything," I s

She saw what you wouldn't

mouth, but I w

believed you. I kept making excuses for you because I wanted to bel

e had been punch

wasn't

t

ve me," I said.

s I turned

hing that sto

re's one more thin

night befo

y I disa

y breath caught betwe

he betrayal, the damage ,now

crossing my arm

flat. "Go on

deep in his jacket pockets, and his eyes co

just because of

hing happened. I got

ur home? As in

va. I was already overwhelmed ,with school, with you and Emily, with everything

t, I just s

ad expected him to say

old me," I said

ould've explained. But instead, y

down at

't know how to deal with everything at once. S

th, trying to piec

l me later? After e

he first time since

... I had already made too many mistake

my hea

n't even give me t

e. He didn't d

knew there was

is far," he said. "But it did. And now

ix me," I re

t part of me. The part

ance lights ,two people who once promised forever, n

r dad is ok

mean

wasn't her

here t

r," Liam said, vo

s for

t nod and tur

uld take another ste

somethi

fr

hesitant, a

something in his eyes I hadn't s

iam?" I aske

llowed

fore I left... I

hat are you t

to tell you everything about my dad, about Emily, about how lost I

moment I wasn't sur

alone," he

him hug you. I thought... I thoug

t him, hea

onds to realize what

n I rem

t n

iend , Jordan had come to r

ront of the build

at you thought,

ou jumped to conclusions without

ke he had just

t at that moment... I felt like

was for you to give up o

ecided that was enough reason

mouth, but no

my hea

ot real love. Because real

lked away witho

derstood something I

n't just

truly c

se you every day, without quest