The Way He Does

Chapter 37

My mind has gone blank, as I watch paramedics treat Leo's wound inside the back of the ambulance. The police is also already here, the party has been shut down. Every time I look back at Leo, I feel this urge to apologize to him, for how much I messed up this night for him. If it wasn't for me calling Adrien, nothing of this would've happened. Despite telling myself, that I will get over him, I keep crawling back to him and allowing him to be part of my life. This gotta end, for good.

Vicky clamps me between her arm and her body, reassuring me, that everything is going to be alright. I feel like a fool, for yelling at her earlier, she has been there for me like no one else.

"This is all my fault."

"No it's not, you didn't ask him to do this to Leo."

"You think he won't be mad at me?" I look at Leo again, his eyes have caught me, but he doesn't allow an expression on his face.

"He's not mad at you." I nod my head and rest it on Vicky's shoulder. She takes a deep breath and continues her speech. "You should talk to Adrien."

"I won't ever talk to him again." This is a promise to myself and Leo as well as Vicky.

"No, but you have to end it with him here and now."

No matter how hard it will be for me, she is right. The only chance I have is here, Vicky will make sure, that I won't ever have to talk to him again. I turn around, he's sitting right there on the doorstep, eyeing me from the distance. I don't want him to give me that look, he messed up.

Even though it's hesitant, I still walk up to him and take all my courage to even face him properly.

"Hey." He says.

"I'll make it quick. Get out. Get out of my life, this is the last time I wanna see your face. You're also lucky Leo won't press charges against you." It didn't come out as fierce and confident as I hoped it would.

"I know. I fucked up."

"Not only once." I scoff. This wouldn't have happened, if I didn't allow him to.

"I wish I could turn back time." My eyes narrow at his response, which couldn't have been any dumber.

"Me too, I wish I could turn back time and not have gone to this stupid club where I allowed you to become part of my life. No, you practically invited yourself into my life and I didn't do anything to stop it from happening. Then I thought I needed you, when I am the one you need-"

"Yes I need you Lola, I've become addicted to you. I'm sorry for doing everything I have done to you."

"No." I shake my head, confused about his words and this situation. "Don't say sorry, I don't wanna hear it."

"I know."

"Take your phone too," I hand him the phone he gifted me, but he refuses to accept it. "Take everything that reminds me of you." That would be my whole life.

"Keep it."

"I don't want to. I wanna erase you from my mind, don't you get it?" He nods. "I... hate you Adrien."

He lifts his head and looks into my eyes. They look regretful. How much of this does he really regret? Does he regret playing with my feelings and beating an innocent person? I hate Adrien. I wanna hate him. I'm trying.

"Lola..." is all he manages to say. "Fuck." I watch him as guilt and shame overcome him. Never have I thought, those words I would say to someone, could have such an effect. How many times have I told my parents I hated them? Or Vicky? But with Adrien, it's different. I can't describe it, but it feels so painful. My tears pool up and my lips are too shaky to get another word out. Maybe this is where I should end our conversation.

"I get it." He says, more to himself. "I hate myself too, because I screwed you over."

"You did." I cry, "This is not only your fault, but also my fault. We're just not meant for each other." He stays silent and looks down. "I'm sorry for trying to shape you into someone you're not. I was pressuring you into having a relationship with me, because I didn't understand the concept of not wanting to be in love and-" My tears come out like streams. "I understand you're not capable of loving someone like that."

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For understanding me, you're the only one who does." I walk past him toward the door of my house and stop as I grab the handle.

"Goodbye Adrien."

"Goodbye Lola." He doesn't get up. I will have to walk out of his life, because he won't walk out of mine.

Before looking a last time at him, I close the door behind me. All that with a heavy heart.

***

"Do you need anything Madmoiselle?"

"No thanks, I'm alright." I smile at the flight attendant, who stops at my seat with a serving cart.

I look out of the window, the foggy landscape is disappearing behind clouds. This feels surreal, almost like a dream. Just like everything, that has happened in the past three months. Was it? What if I fell asleep on my way to Orleans and found myself in a dream where I fell in love with a man who seemed too fairytale-like to be real, only for him to turn into my worst nightmare? A billionaire Lola? Seriously? I look at the business man seated next to me, who is typing something in his notebook.

I was dreaming. Was I really?

If it was a dream, it was one hell of a vivid one. The feelings were too real for it to just be a dream. And to be honest, no matter how much I tell myself it was a dream, deep down I am aware that it wasn't. All I can do is turn it into a memory, that I will look back at when I am older and wiser. Something that is only in the past, that doesn't haunt me. Right now, I'm going back home, to Orleans. To my family, where I will start a new chapter. Paris reminds me too much of him. I promised Vicky to come back, when I'm ready. She understands. All throughout this journey I learned how important she is to me. Our friendship has taken a toll, but she still remained there for me. I will never take that for granted.

As sad as it's making me, I have to tell you guys, that this is the ending of The Way He Does. This story is officially done. I wanna thank everyone who read this story I have worked on for almost three years now. Thank you for the sweet comments and for adding this story to your library, also thanks for the votes. I have never imagined this would happen. This story simply started out as something vague I had in mind, before I finally turned it into a real story. I was very invested in this, but I also had times I had doubt about it. You guys really gave me a reason to continue and become passionate about this story again like in the beginning. Thank you. The journey of Adrien and Lola was a whole rollercoaster, some will want a happy ending, some probably don't even want them back together. I decided to end this story like that, because squeezing in a happy ending when all that drama happened is way too unrealistic. Now what am I gonna do with this ending? Am I gonna leave it like that or am I going to write part 2? Well I have played with the idea of continuing this story with a part 2, and to be honest, I'm completely down for it. Your response has showed me, that you guys will probably want a continuation. So I will give you one :) I think I will publish the first chapter next year, maybe in January or February, but I promise there will be one coming soon, so stay tuned. Again thank you for everything, from the bottom of my heart and I genuinely enjoy writing for you guys. Now I don't wanna make this ramble too long, I'll cut it here. Merry Christmas again and happy new year, love you. X

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