Page 199 of Don't Leave Me

Emily gulped and looked at me while shaking her head. “No. I asked her if that happened often. She said no. I asked if it was consensual and she said yes. She didn’t give me details. I don’t think I’d wanna know,” she frowned.

We heard Michael sigh heavily.

“And did you see the rest of his record, Michael?” I asked, eager to move forward.

There was a pause. “Yes. I had Dan pull it up. The assault and the stalking and all that? He’s trouble. I can’t see this going well at all.”

“I think he has her fucking brainwashed or something. I mean, I don’t know what I believe anymore. But Emily and I have a plan,” I started to explain. “Michael, would you be willing to talk to Hana? One on one?” I held my breath.

Another pause. “I don’t think she wants that. I mean, does she? Of course I want to talk to her but I don’t believe she’d be willing to. Or if Jack would even let her,” he replied warily.

I gave Emily a frown. “Well, you could try. We thought maybe…maybe you could just sort of surprise her?” I shrugged, but feeling desperate.

Emily chimed in. “I’ll get Hana to hang out with me. Then I’ll tell her I forgot something at my apartment, and you’ll be there, all ready for her,” she explained, not even asking but demanding it.

We heard Michael sigh.

“That’s not conniving, is it? Won’t she be angry at us?” he asked worriedly.

Emily answered first. “It’s the only way it’ll work. Michael. She still loves you, I know that. She is torn up about not being with you, I can tell. We were in Chelsea yesterday and she bawled her eyes out because just the fucking neighborhood reminds her of you. She couldn’t even go to The Park because you two always ate there. She had a nervous breakdown about it,” she explained.

Michael seemed finally convinced. “What do I say to her?”

Emily and I looked at each other.

“Just tell her you love her. Ask her for the truth. We’re hoping you two being alone will finally help her understand that she shouldn’t be with Jack,” I explained.

Michael sighed again. “Okay. I’ll do it. Just tell me when and where.”

* * *

HANA.

Jack stayed close to me the next couple of days after my realization that I actually truly, honestly loved him and wanted to stay. A month prior I would have given anything to walk out of that loft door by myself, putting this all behind me with Jack behind bars and going back to wedding planning with Michael. But now all Ineededwas Jack; he was my purpose in life, my reason for living, my soulmate that would wilt away and die without me. Would I die without him? I didn’t want to think of the possibility. I didn’t ever want to be without him.

I even denied an invitation to go out with Emily. She asked if I wanted to grab lunch and maybe see a movie, but I knew Jack would be home all day and that wasn’t something I wanted to miss out on. I wanted to stay in bed with him, breathe him in, write essays in my head about how much I longed for his lips.

But by the end of the week, Jack had yet another band meeting to go and I knew Emily would invite me out again. I only accepted because I didn’t want to be alone. The only person I wanted to be around wasn’t available, so my second favorite person would do.

Emily and I decided to meet for lunch in Greenwich Village. I had hoped with all my might that she wouldn’t bring up the bruises, or sex with Jack, or really anything negative about him. We sat at a window near the table of a small cafe and made small talk while we waited for the server.

“Did you hear the new songs yet?” Emily asked, eyeing me as I looked down at the menu.

I shook my head. “No. Not yet,” I shrugged - I knew she would question why so I continued. “I want to hear the final product.”

Emily shut her menu. “I listened to the first track, the single they’re releasing. It’s pretty angry,” she raised her eyebrows at me.

“As it should be, didn’t you say? Love songs don’t sell well?” I tensed up.

Emily rolled her eyes at me, half playfully and half like she couldn’t deal with me.

“Aren’t you worried that there’s notonelove song about you? Like, they are just all angry and full of heartbreak and stuff,” she raised her brows at me with concern.

Now I shut my menu, annoyed at her doubt about Jack. “Can we talk about something else?”

I eyed around the cafe to flag down the server.

Emily sighed. “I’m sorry. You’re right,” her tone was sympathetic. “I got a bartending job,” she announced, the happy, enthusiastic Emily that I always knew finally back.

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