“But I chased you.”
The laugh slips out bitter.
“And with a rap, no less?—
“just handing over another piece of me.
“After youalreadyleft. Like a fuckin' idiot.”
His face falls, feeling the hit.
But his eyes don’t leave me.
My voice shakes. My hand shakes.
My body shakes.
I admitted I’m scared,
and now my body’s screaming:handle it.
“I never let anyone back in once they walked out. That’s where the story ends. You already turned your back, Drew. And now you want me to trust you?”
I lean back, cocking a brow.
“And this isn’t me holding some grudge over your head. This isn’t me holdin’ on to shit I should’ve let go. Not somethin’ I’ll bring up again and again.” I slap my palm with the back of my other hand, so hard it stings. “This is me standin’ here, sayin’ you managed to shove me face-first into my biggest fuckin’ fear on night one.”
My eyes are going wet. His are too.
His have no right to be wet.
“That’s it, alright?
“That’s what I’m so fuckin’ afraid of.
“It’s bein’ left. Again.”
I huff out a laugh.
“And you did,
“and it felt like you slit my fuckin’ throat.”
Brandon didn’t say goodbye.
Andrew didn’t say goodbye.
And I’m stupid. So fuckin’ stupid.
“That’s why I don’t let anyone in deep enough to hurt, but I let you in like a goddamn fool. Proved me right. And you expect me to keep makin’ that same mistake? To throw it all away and trust you?
“The only shit that ever kept me safe.
“Toss it to the wind. Just like that.
“For a guy who proved he could walk
“the second things got hard?”
