AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“August, stop it,” he says.
“No,” I spit, unzipping it and upending it onto the bed. Clothes tumble out and I’m throwing them back into the drawers, stuffing them haphazardly inside. Some fall out onto the floor, but I don’t give a damn. He’s not fucking leaving.
“August, you can’t just put my clothes away and think I’m staying.”
“Well, at least you have to take the time to pack that shit back up,” I mutter, shutting the drawers with a grunt. They don’t even close, just gape open. Kind of like my fucking heart.
I’ve completely lost my mind. This is not how I behave. This is so unlike me. What is happening?
“August, I’m not staying.”
“Yes, you fucking are,” I grind out as I run a hand through my hair in aggravation. Anger surges through me and I tremble with it.
“You wanted me wrecked, well here I am! Mission accomplished,” I shout, shoving the suitcase in the closet and slamming the door shut. It rattles on its track. “I can’t sleep. I can barely fucking eat. I am fucking heartbroken. You fuckingbrokeme, Em. Come back. This is your home. You’re not nothing. You’reeverything. Can’t you see it? Don’t you see what you do to me? Can’t you feel it?”
“August,” Em whispers, his eyes wide and I step into his space, tearing the lollipop from his mouth and dropping it to the floor.
“Stay. I’m sorry that I said it was nothing. That you were nothing. It was a lie, said in a moment of panic. I didn’t mean it, not even for a second. You have to know that I love you.Stay. Please stay.”
He trembles against me.
“You hurt me,” he finally whispers.
My hands clasp onto his waist. “I know, baby. And I’m so fucking sorry. But if you’d have only waited just a minute longer, you would have heard the rest. Where I told her it was a lie, where I said I’m so into you it hurts. You should have stayed, but you ran away. Youranfrom me.”
Emery eyes me and nibbles on his bottom lip nervously. “You’re angry.”
“Of course I am. You didn’t let me explain. And you hid out at Lex’s. You didn’t even give me a chance.”
Emery shifts on his feet and peeks up at me.
“I was upset.”
“And so was I. But you gave up too quickly. Why is it always you running away from me? Do you need me to chase you, Em? Because I can do that.”
Emery blinks furiously and I grasp onto his shoulders, pulling him a few inches closer.
“Listen to me. You put me on a pedestal. I told you not to, and you did it anyway. And because of that, I ended up not living up to your expectations. I disappointed you.” My voice breaks and I have to swallow around the lump in my throat. “I love you for who you are. Can’t you do the same for me? I’m not perfect, but I willalwaysfucking love you. It’s enough––it has to be.”
Emery blinks up at me and then leans closer.
“It is enough, August. I’m sorry. You’re right. I was too impulsive, and I shouldn’t have run like I did without talking to you first….”
My shoulders slump and I exhale shakily, but it’s too soon to relax because his next words nearly break me.
“…but I do have to leave. Lex will be here in a minute to pick me up. We sort of made plans. Well, more like he made plans and now I feel a bit stuck.”
I frown and take a step back, my hands slipping from his shoulders.
“What?”
“I uh,” he begins, shifting nervously. “Lex is taking me on a cruise. To Cabo.”
An ache begins to throb behind my eyes. “A cruise? What are you talking about? Are you fucking him?”
Emery shakes his head furiously. “No, god, no. We’re just friends. It was an impromptu thing. He wanted to cheer me up because I’ve been such a mess these past couple days. He just sprung it on me this morning. It’s only for a week….”
“A week. Withhim. On a cruise.” I cannot even believe this is happening right now.
