Kill Me With Words (All Time Low Fanfiction)

Chapter 32

Alex walked away.

Left me standing alone in the middle of the parking lot.

I watched his figure get smaller, until it disappeared into one of the venue’s doors. And then I could breathe again - heavy, ragged breaths that sliced up my lungs with every breath that I took.

And then memories were coming flooding back.  My mother leaving me before she died - my father leaving every night until once he didn’t return - Jacob slipping through my grasp again and again and again and again -

And now Alex too. I thought about when I’d told him I didn’t want him to adopt me, and when I leaned against the door as I listened to the sound of his engine starting up then fading away into the traffic, until I couldn’t hear anything at all, just loud sobs that rocked my body back and forth and back and forth.

“Hi there.”

Simon’s voice scraped it’s way into my ear, into my mind. It would leave scars, I was sure.

I looked at him. Tears made my vision a little blurry, but I could still make him out clearly enough. He looked sad.

“Pity about you and Alex,” Simon said slowly, taking a step towards me. I didn’t move backwards. What was the point? “You know, I was supposed to threaten you with him... But he’s a good guy. I like him.” He bit his lip. “Wish we could stay in touch.”

“Y-you’re leav-leaving?”

Simon nodded, still advancing towards me. “Oh, we both are.”

The morning sunlight made every blond hair on his head radioactive. I closed my eyes.

“What do you mean?”

Simon sighed. It reminded me of a balloon releasing it’s air - he seemed to deflate as he breathed.

“Finley, we both know what I’m talking about. The things that were in Jacob’s letter to -”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” I told him frantically, “I swear!”

He sighed again. “Look here -”

“No!” I shoved my hand in my pocket and pulled out the letter, showing it to him. “See, this is it, read it, there’s nothing about you or anyone -”

Simon snatched it. He read it, then turned it over, then flipped it back and read it again.

 

Simon looked up, pale blue eyes looking at me desperately.

“I don’t know anything,” I repeated quietly.

“Then...” Simon looked down guiltily, “Finley, this doesn’t prove anything, I’m sorry. There could be another letter. Jacob could have told you it in person.” He shrugged.

“But I’m telling the truth!”

“Even if I believed you, I’m not the one calling the shots here. I’ve got people breathing down my neck too, and if I don’t kill you, then they’ll just send someone else to kill both of us.”

I blinked. Heart stopping, body freezing.

“Kill me?”

There was silence. Simon’s breathing.

“...I said I’m sorry, Finley.”

 

His hand moved to his pocket. Fabric shifting. Rustling. And then a high-pitched whine that scraped the lining of every nerve in my body, leaving me helpless.