55. I’m so sorry
I’M SO SORRY
Iheld my hand against the door, not sure if I was really going to do this or not. Last conversation I had with Summer ended with a bullet in my side. The bullet that was now taking up residence on my keychain. My knuckle rapped against the wood, and the door opened a moment later.
“Cole,” Scott stood there looking surprised to see me.
I looked him up and down. There were a few bruises scattered across his arms and a hickey on his neck but he looked good.
Healthy. It had been so long since I had seen him.
Our last meeting ending in him leaving me bleeding out on the tracks.
He looked down and then his eyes flitted back toward the house. As if he heard something.
“It’s good to see you,” he said and then opened the door wider, “come on in.”
I followed him into the house looking across the room then my eyes landed on her. Curled up with a blanket and eating a bowl of cereal. Some chocolate looking concoction with some marshmallows in it.
Summer stood setting the bowl down on the table in front of her.
“Go away,” she whispered.
“No.” I took her hand and she shook free.
“Get away from me!” She screamed. That hurt, but I remained there still looking at her with sorry in my heart.
“No.” I swallowed. Movement flickered in the corner of my eye as Scott stepped closer but remained silent.
“You let her die,” her eyes full of venom. “Go. You’re free. We are nothing.” She turned away.
“How could you say we were nothing when I gave you every part of me? I poured everything I had into you. Every. Single. Day. I didn’t lie to hurt you. I lied because I couldn’t face it.” My voice broke.
“You knew, and you didn’t tell me.” Tears ran down her face as she swiped them away furiously.
“I knew it was him. I didn’t want it to be true.” I admitted. Shame coursed through me. Regret and disappointment in myself. Scott shifted and the floor groaned with the weight.
“You decided for me.” She shook her head and walked towards Scott.
His hand tightened around hers. His eyes flicked to me with sympathy as he continued observing silently.
Jealousy ripped through me as I watched her hang on to him.
He was always better than I was, and my mind was a mess.
I loved Gabriella like a daughter. I didn’t want to believe that my father was behind it all.
For some reason I clung to the idea that he would change.
That he wasn’t always going to be the monster.
There was something deep in my heart that told me he was never going to change, especially now.
“Did you ever love me?” My hands shook, the words that had been bouncing around my mind like a ping-pong ball settled in air.
“I did.” She said finally.
“Past tense.”
Something in my chest gave out.
I nodded once. That was fair.
“I know where he’ll be.”
Her eyes flicked back to mine.
“If you want him—be there.”
I didn’t wait for an answer. Dropping the page on the table and left.