“Was I not enough?” I yell. “I can’t even wrap my head around this. Am I that stupid that I didn’t see the signs?”
My hand flies to my mouth, scared I’m going to be sick.
There were signs.
“Is there someone else? Is that it?” As the words leave my mouth, my chest starts shaking as I struggle for air.
“Someone else?” His voice booms. “Never!”
I hang my head. “You promised me forever.”
He stands in a rush and grabs a bag.
“Where are you going?” Suddenly feeling frantic, I realize that this really is over.
He doesn’t answer as he leaves me behind in his room. I run after him, screaming his name, until my voice is hoarse. I grab the banister for support. “Don’t go, please, Nate.”
I reach for him, but he dodges my touch and quickly makes his way toward the front door.
Leo jumps out of his seat. “What’s going on?” His eyes ping-pong between us.
I physically can’t speak to him at the moment; the pain from my heart breaking in two is taking everything out of me.
The only thing possible for my body to do is sob my eyes out.
“I’m leaving. Can you help Maddie with her stuff?” Nate grabs his keys, and Leo pushes him full force into the wall.
“What the fuck did you do to her?”
Nate shakes his head, whips open the door, and rushes to his car. I drop to my knees in shock and howl to the moon in despair.
“Maddie?” Leo whispers, dropping to the ground beside me.
“He broke up with me. Left me.”
“No,” Leo says in shock. “What the fuck?”
I nod, not believing it myself.
I was completely blindsided, and even though my mind still hasn’t fully caught up, my heart sure knows how to break quickly enough.
And when Leo takes me in his arms, the reality of my life coming apart is more apparent than ever.
12
One Year Later
Maddie
A smilefrom across the table makes my heart pitter-patter with happiness. A feeling I yearned for most of my childhood, one I’m not taking for granted.
Mama’s here.
“Thank you for coming. It means the world to me.”
She takes my hand and smiles softly. “I’m glad I’m here.”
When Mase surprised me this morning, on my graduation day, with Mama, I lost it.
