Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 62710 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 314(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62710 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 314(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
He exhales. “You’re coming to my house if it’s not safe. We will work it out from there.”
I rest my cheek against the window as he pulls back out onto the road.
I don’t care where we go.
I just want this pain to go away.
SINKING INTO THE HOT water, I close my eyes and exhale. Leo brought me back to his house and proceeded to run a bath for me, instructing that I get in while he makes something to eat. I do as he orders; I’m filthy and I just need to be alone for one minute. My brain has gone from working overtime to emptiness, utter emptiness. As the water coats my aching body, I reach for my phone and a sick feeling swirls in my stomach as I dial Western’s number. The moment I do, it automatically cuts me off. A pained sob rips out of my mouth at the realization that he has blocked me. He has taken away any chance at contact.
He's done.
He never wants to see me again.
The pain I’m feeling cannot be described.
I toss my phone to the ground and slide down into the water, letting it burn as it rolls over my face. I don’t care if it hurts; I want it to hurt, I want all the pain in the world to take away from my aching heart. I stay under that water until my lungs burn and all the screams have been ripped from my throat, only then do I surface, salty tears mixing with the bath water. I don’t know how people make it through this, this empty desperation of knowing you can’t have someone you’ve grown to love.
It's horrible.
The kind of feeling I would never wish upon anyone.
“Hey—” Leo cracks the door open, but doesn’t look in “—you okay?”
“Yeah,” I say, my voice hoarse.
“I’ve got your painkillers here, do you want some? They might help you sleep.”
I’ll take anything right now.
“Yeah, just put them by the bed. I’ll come and get them.”
“Okay.”
He closes the door, and I finish up in the bath before climbing out and wrapping a towel around myself. I walk out into the long hall and down toward the spare room. Leo has a nice house, and he works hard for his money. He’s always had expensive things, and he’s always enjoyed living the high life. This bachelor pad is everything a young man could want. It’s modern and sleek, fitted out with the best of everything, and he can do whatever he wants while he’s living in it.
The room that I’ve stayed in a few times over the years is nice. It’s nicer than my room back home, hell, it’s nicer than most hotel rooms. The bed is big, soft, and has the best comforters and pillows. There are large windows that open out and overlook the town, and it has its own air conditioning, television, and even a little sofa. A plush rug lines the floor, covering the already impeccable carpet.
I move to the bed and lift the clothes Leo has left out for me. One of his oversized tees, and a clean pack of brand-new underwear. I don’t even want to know why he has new packets of underwear, and I’m not going to ask. I take a pair out, giving them a once over to make sure they are indeed new, before dropping my towel and pulling them on. Then I take his shirt, comforting and familiar, and pull it over my head.
After that, I swallow the painkillers he put beside the bed with the new bottle of fancy water that I can’t even pronounce, before pulling back the covers and sliding in. I roll to my side, closing my eyes, staring at the hint of sunlight coming through the curtains. I don’t know what time it is, and, frankly, I don’t care. All I want right now is for sleep to take me so that I don’t have to face another minute of this awful feeling in the pit of my stomach.
The door creaks, and footsteps can be heard as Leo crosses the room and then flicks the covers back, climbing in behind me. His big arm wraps around my body, and he pulls me close. The moment he does, I feel my lip tremble with more unwanted emotions. I bite down on it, trying desperately to stop the tears that are threatening to come forward once more.
“You’re strong,” he whispers, “you’re brave, and you’re incredible. It’s bad now, but I promise you, it won’t be forever. You will get through this.”
He’s wrong, though.
I don’t think I can.
“I’ve never felt this kind of hurt before,” I say, my voice scratchy and weak. “It’s like my heart is on fire, and no matter what I do, the flames just keep getting hotter and hotter. I want to reach into my chest and rip it out just to make it stop.”