Page 28 of Love Me

With a pep in my step, I return to my room. I drop onto the bed, shutting my eyes. But darkness thrives in my mind, keeping me awake.

We will ruin each other.

I guess this happens when you chase love away. I tried to save her. Now, all that’s left is showing her my bleak world.

Suddenly, I blink awake. The air is being cut from me.

Celine’s feverish eyes pin me, her hands wrapped around my neck.

Awake now, I roll us over, dragging in a lungful of air. A maniacal expression spreads across her face. “Tell me where it is, Kaden.”

She wiggles out of my hold and straddles me, attacking my neck again. I give in to madness. She wants to kill me. Let her. I am dead without her, anyway.

From anger to confusion, she goes slack with my lack of reaction. I want to kiss her, hug her, fuck her, and tell her everything.

“Defend yourself, damn it.”

Her eyes, like the midnight sky that stars in every one of my dreams, search mine.

“Why did you go into my room?”

“Take your pick.”

Eyes locked, a pregnant silence follows.

“I want the necklace back,” she says through gritted teeth.

“Why?”

“It’s mine.”

“I gave it to the girl who swore I was the only one for her.”

She drops her chin, head hanging. I hope she feels guilty.

“It’s not like you’ve kept yours.”

“You don’t know what I did or didn’t do.”

“Denying your betrayal? You’re with Abigail.”

“Jealous?”

“You wish.”

Her long hair cascades down her back, and memories of me braiding it infiltrate my mind. How do I compartmentalize and reconcile my love for her with the guilt over what my decision made her become?

As if staring at her makes her uncomfortable, she points a finger at me and hops out of bed.

“I’ll trash this room.”

“Haven’t you done enough damage already?”

She looks at the spot where the piano used to be and shrugs. “I told you to stop playing.”

She starts with my desk, yanking at the drawers and dumping my papers on the floor.

I tug at the necklace, letting it hang down my shirt. It glistens in the dim moonlight, catching her attention. She jumps on me and we land on the floor with a thud. She ends up on top of me. Holding her hands prisoner, I flip our position. The necklace now dangles in her face.

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