The Noble War// Tate Langdon

Avoid and Ignore

Lylah's POV

It's been a week since I found out what Tate did. A week and I haven't called the police once. A week of pure and brutal pain.

You can't love a murderer.

Yes you can, rumor has it an actress from the fifties fell in love with the notorious James March.

I can't.

You can.

No.

Yes.

"Lylah? Are you ok?" A voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

"Oh, hey Kace, yeah I'm fine." I said and flashed a fake smile at his glasses covered eyes. He returned a dorky grin and sat down with me.

"Aren't you gonna eat something?" Kace asked.

"I'm not hungry." I said. I involuntarily let my head fall into my arms.

"Lylah, what's wrong?" Kace asked. I looked up a bit to see him. His eyes had this sincere look of concern.

"Tate and I." I said. I felt like weights had been lifted off my shoulders.

"What's wrong with you guys?" Kace asked.

"Well nothing. And everything. It's complicated, but long story short, we can't be together anymore." I said. My eyes started to water. Out of everything in this world to be afraid of, losing him was the worst. And it actually happened.

"I'm so sorry Lylah." He said. "I know what it's like. Wanting to be with someone you can't." He looked into my eyes with this sense of longing.

"Hurts." I simply said.

"Yeah it does. And pain doesn't go away. You just have to learn to deal with it." He said. I scanned my eyes around the cafeteria. Tate was no where to be found. He wasn't in English either. I had one more class with him, sixth period Study Hall. We would meet at the same spot in the library every day.

However when sixth period came I had to find a different spot. Because Tate was, in fact, there. He hadn't seen me when I turned the corner to go to our spot. I looked as if I'd seen a ghost and practically ran away. I picked a spot by the window and opened a book to read. It all just seemed like jumbled, senseless words though. I couldn't focus. I squinted at the book and tilted it a bit to see if I could get the words to become clear.

"Can the freak read or what?" A girl called. A tear threatened to spill. This never happened. I was never sad about them bothering me. I'd just throw a snappy comeback right back at them. But this was different. I was weak. Because of having to avoid the only person I love more than anything.

"Oh did we finally shut the girl up? Are you out of things to say?!" The girl shouted. Laughing. I let my head fall, looking at the desk. I also let the tears fall. I sniffled.

"She's crying! Holy shit guys she's crying!" She called to her friends. They all started laughing.

"Let me see. Let me see the shitty makeup run down your face." She said, whispering into my ear. I shook my head, still looking down. She grabbed a fistful of hair without warning. This brought on more tears. I was practically looking at the ceiling because she was was rough.

But all the sudden a voice shrieked as if it was in as much pain as I was.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" He screamed. It might have been blurry because of the tears. But I know a Tate when I see one.