"I can't do this anymore."
"What-" The brunette pauses to find her words. "You can't keep doing this, Percy. Pushing me away and pulling me back in? I'm not a yoyo."
"You're one to talk! Look what you're doing with me! One second you're fine and dandy, and the next you're telling me to back off!" I shout, there are tears starting to form in my eyes.
"You know that I'm only trying to do what is best for myself and you!"
"And that's playing with me back and forth? Real healthy." I scoff. The brunette furrows her brows.
"You mean everything to me-"
"Oh don't even start with that 'you mean everything' bullshit. If I meant anything to you, we wouldn't be in this situation right now!" Before I can stop them, there are hot tears falling off my chin. "I trusted you, and again and again you hurt me. You played with me and I still loved you. I still do, but we can't fix this. This-" I motion between us. "Is wrong. You broke my heart one too many times and I'm supposed to be okay with that? With being around you?"
"Percy...I'm sorry-"
"No! Sorry doesn't cut it anymore. You lied to me, you manipulated me, you played and guilt-tripped me!
"I never meant to hurt you."
"Cut the bullshit. If you really loved me you wouldn't have emotionally abused me!"
"I love you, really I-"
"No, you don't." I'm sobbing now. There's a burning in my chest. It feels as though my lungs are collapsing as I make eye contact with the crying girl in front of me. "This was never going to work," I mumble, and I can hear her choke out a sob before I turn away.
"Percy- Wait, please." She cries. "Please don't leave me!" She grips my arm before I can get too far. Her touch burns on my skin, and I desperately want to turn around and forget this ever happened, to plant my lips on hers and melt in her arms like I used to. I don't. I rip my arm from her grip and storm off with a hole in my chest.
Alone. That is the only thing I can feel as I sit in the darkness of my room. Why? What could I have done to make this play out differently? What could I have said? There are still tears forcing their way down my cheeks. It hurts. Everything does. Could I somehow turn back time and fix this? What would I even do to make it different? Questions burn through my brain, leaving nothing but painful memories and a broken heart in their wake. I stand and trudge over to my bathroom, sluggishly turning on the light and staring into the reflection ahead of me.
My hair is a mess and my eyes are red and puffy. Giant purple bags hang from under them. My mouth lays crooked on my face, carrying a sad frown. My scrawny arms reach up to pull and poke at my face. I look horrific. Before I even know what's happening, I'm crying again and pulling at my hair. It feels as though my lungs cannot get enough air in them. Why? What did I do to deserve this? Why wasn't I good enough for her? I choke on a sob. My back presses against the wall and I slowly slide onto the floor. My vision starts to tunnel and there's a whirling in my stomach. It's my fault. I should have been better. I should have done more. A scream rips its way through my throat. I feel like a child throwing a fit over their first breakup.
"Percy?" My mother calls from behind the door. Before I can even think about it, I'm standing up and throwing open the door and jumping into her arms. Broken cries tear from my stomach.
"Momma, it hurts so bad!" I cry, gripping onto her as though she will somehow float away.
"Shh... I know baby." She coos. Her hands are gently brushing my hair. Slowly, my sobs turn into soft sniffles. I feel at home and safe once again. "You don't need her, honey." She begins again. "She wasn't right for you. You have plenty of people willing to treat you right. Focus on them." She's right. I shouldn't be focusing on someone who doesn't want me, but it still burns. I just need time.
