We're Neighbors

He Didn't Deserve

I frowned and pulled items out of the box. Each one brought me closer to tears. Then, at last, i reached the bottom of the box and froze.

I slowly pulled it out and noticed my hands were shaking. It was a shirt. Just a plain navy blue t-shirt.

But it made me feel so much. It held so many memories. It was the shirt i wore when i first laid eyes on him. The shirt i wore when we shared our first kiss, when we first told each other how we felt. And it was the shirt i wore on the day we ran away.

And it hurt to even look at it. I dropped it back in the box. It was in good condition, and it was always a little baggy, so it'd probably still fit, but it was too much. It would hurt too much to even look at it. So i sealed it and threw the box into the closet.

I grabbed a bag and threw my things into it. Was i really leaving? I didn't even know. I knew it would be a mistake to stay, but i had just gotten what i had always dreamed about. Freedom. A home. A new, clean life.

And here, out of all the places in the world, he happened to be here.

I grabbed my bag and headed out the door.

"Where are you going?"

I froze and clenched my fist. "I'm leaving".

I heard him chuckle, surprised.

"What's so funny?" I asked, turning around.

"Well, I didn't think you were going to", he said, leaning against his door.

"And why not? I mean what I say".

"Okay. You said you weren't going to let me ruin your life anymore, and I'd say I'm doing a heck of a job at that. After all, I made you leave."

I scoffed and turned back around, not exactly sure how to answer.

I rushed down and sat in my car. Was he right? Why did he care so much? Did he want me to stay? If he did, I couldn't give him the satisfaction of staying.

But what if he did want me to leave? I couldn't do that either. If only I could read him. He was like a total mystery to me.

But if, IF I stayed, and I showed him what I could do without him, That would be worth it. To prove to him that I was stronger than he thought.

I grabbed my bag and went back inside. I set my bag down in my room and unpacked it. I didn't know how, but I was going to blow that stupid smirk right off his face.

He wasn't going to ruin my life anymore. I wasn't going to let him.

He didn't deserve to see me fail. He didn't deserve to see me cry. And he didn't deserve to ruin my life again.