All the Best People Are | ✓

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"You," he said, "are a terribly real thing in a terribly false world, and that, I believe, is why you are in so much pain."
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Listen to We'll Be The Stars by Sabrina Carpenter for this chapter.
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"You have to go home, Skott."

The words felt like a needle plunging into my skin, leaving me staring at the open wound as the blood trickled down. One drop, then another.

"You showed me what love is and now you're asking me to walk away from it?" I asked, unable to believe what he was implying. I knew this conversation was bound to come bottling up, but at the back of my mind I hoped we could both move past it and live in the moment.

The blood was trickling down. One drop, then another.

"There's enough love back home for you to live the rest of your life," he said.

Another stab. This time, in my heart. No blood, just pain.

"I can't believe this. You're just like everyone else, aren't you? You walk into my life, destroy everything in your path and leave. It's as simple as that, isn't it?" I stopped to catch my breath. "You know for once, I was happy. You made me happy. I thought at least one thing in my life could be permanent. But no. Thanks a lot, Leo. You made a hopeless romantic out of a stubborn girl who didn't even believe in love, and then broke her heart."

He didn't even hesitate before retorting, "You damn well know that isn't true! If I cared so less about you, I wouldn't have even tried talking to you, much less helped you cope up with that miserable aura you've set around yourself. Honestly, Skott, listen to yourself right now. Stop acting like everything is about you! Do you think you're really the only one who's gone through stuff in their life? I know some things that have happened to you must really hurt, but stop acting like you have nobody! You have a family. A family who loves you more than anything." His eyes started welling up with tears. "At least you have someone."

Another stab. Blood, blood, more blood. But it was black that I felt. Black for the cold night sky that seemed more frightening than beautiful then, black for the color of his hair. Black for the hatred I felt at myself for being so selfish, but mostly black for the emptiness I felt in my heart.

"Don't even start comparing yourself with me. Don't blame me for what happened to you. You walked into that house that night. You lost your family. I didn't do that to you."

I regretted my words the moment they rolled off my tongue. I knew he didn't blame me for what happened to him. He didn't blame anyone. He prided himself on it. However, he didn't shout at me for what I'd said. Instead, he spoke with an air of sadness.

"I know it's not your fault, Skott. But if you don't listen to me now, you're going to lose your family too. I don't want that happening to you."

I matched his calmness. "I understand where you're coming from, but I don't need your help. My family's better off without me," I deadpanned.

I sounded like a problematic teenage girl, an adamant six-year-old throwing a tantrum at a supermarket and a businessman on the phone, all at the same time. I didn't know how I managed to pull it off.

He shook his head. "Okay, seriously, what is your deal? Why do you have to be like this? Let's keep this realistic. This isn't even about your family, is it? It's about you. You don't think you're good enough. You think you're the one who's caused all of this to happen. You think everyone is blaming you. But for what reason? Grow up, Skott. It's all in your head. No one's going to have respect for a woman who doesn't even have enough self esteem to live an ordinary life."