“Who did you lose?”
His question makes me stiffen.His gaze is hard, and heated, filled with the determination to break me even if it’s the last thing he does.My stomach dips, swirling with a whirlwind of emotions that make me want to puke.
“Don’t ask me that.”My voice hardens as I stab a chunk of beef.
“Who is it?”he insists.
“Leave me alone.”My voice trembles.
I look at him, hoping he’ll stop pushing, but his green eyes are devoid of emotion.Tears fill my eyes rapidly, and I angrily wipe at them, not wanting to break down in front of him.
“Is that why you can’t paint?”
“Have you been looking through my stuff?”I snap.
“I didn’t have to.The canvas and paint palettes are lying over there for anyone to see.So who was it?”he grits out impatiently.
“How are you so sure I lost someone?”I glare at him.
His lips twitch.“Eyes this dead can only mean one thing.The experience of a loss that changes you.”
“You sound like you have been there before.”
His eyes darken.“Loss is part of life.”
I sigh.“My best friend.That’s who I lost.”
“I ...uh ...I had been speaking to my parents a few weeks before the accident about moving out.They weren’t okay with it.They are so protective ...the two of them.We were fighting a lot about it, and it was really taking a toll on me.”I wipe a tear off furiously.
“Ria only wanted us to go to a party and have some fun.I didn’t really think much of it.I needed an escape from the constant chaos at home.We went to the party, and on our way back, my mom wouldn’t stop calling when she found out that I wasn’t home.I was trying to text her back and keep control of the steering wheel, but I lost control of the car.The last thing I remember was our car going over the bridge and plunging into the water.I made it, but Ria didn’t.She was already dead by the time they pulled her out of the water.”
The food before me turns blurry, and my lungs close up.I try to stand, or even grab the edge of the counter to keep myself steady, but I can’t breathe.
Strong arms reach for me in no time, lifting me on top of the counter.I grab on to his arms with burning lungs and teary eyes.Those olive-green eyes catch me when I’m right at the edge of falling.They keep me steady, thick with emotions I can’t decipher.
“You are not drowning.You are here.With me.”He keeps my legs hooked around his hip.“Let it out.You are trying not to cry and struggling to breathe at the same time.One has to give.”
He holds me until I’m able to get a hang of my breathing, then the dam fucking breaks.I shatter in his arms, wracking with loud sobs.
