But she refused.
And then she blocked my number.
Which was an exceptionally big pill to dry swallow.
So, I poured my aching soul into music once again.
We recorded three new singles, and we’d released the first one two weeks ago.
It was, naturally, the most gut-wrenching of the songs and 110% about losing Cadence.
I wanted her to hear it.
I needed her to know.
I truly cared for her.
Over the duration of our relationship, aside from all that sexual tension, we developed a friendship, and I missed that.
A genuine friendship.
And ultimately, I just wanted her to be happy. If leaving me behind was the key to that, I’d stay the course.
Even if I was dying inside.
My phone, lying beside me on my couch, rang, and Idragged my gaze from the divots on the smooth white ceiling to it.
I answered with a gruff hello.
“You’re not still sulking in your house, are you?” Violet’s voice punched through the receiver.
“Maybe.”
“Come on. You are better than this.”
“I’m doing the best I can.”
“No, you’re not. You’ve forgotten who you are. This…” she paused, and I could envision her gesturing toward me. “Is not who you are.”
“Violet…”
“Do I really need to remind you, Rascal?”
The nickname pulled at my lips, lifting them a little bit. I’d always been her troublemaker, always doing things I wasn’t supposed to, making her worry for no reason. Never listening…
Ironic how suddenly, I’m being such a good little boy.
I ran my hand through my hair. “No, I don’t need you to remind me. I just… I don’t know. It’s different.She’sdifferent.”
“Tell me how.”
“It’s like she sees me and who I really am. What’s underneath the man on stage and beyond that persona I put out to protect myself. Somehow, she got beyond all that, and I started letting her in.”
“It’s difficult for you to let people in. So that says a lot about how much you trust her. Does she realize how you feel?”
I shook my head. “I never got the chance to tell her. I pulled away before I realized, and after that, she wouldn’t listen.”
A few moments passed before Vi spoke. “I hope you understand how much I appreciate everything you did for me. I don’t think I’ve told you enough, but thank you, Damien. It couldn’t have been easy to let her go because of me. To be put betweenthose two choices. I’m so sorry you were thrown into that position.”
