Page 98 of The Right Kind of Wrong

I was sure I knew Nathan. I trusted him; not only was he the man I loved but my friend, my very, very best friend. But the man that stood before me was a complete stranger. His gray eyes showed nothing, no remorse, nothing.

It all hurt. His indifference and the way he was minimizing what I thought we had was shattering.

“This. What you're doing now. It doesn't help at all, so stop it, Evelyn.”

“Why?” I asked one last time, forcing the single word out with trouble. I could hardly speak. “I don't understand why you're doing this to me, Nate.”

He sighed, running his hand through his hair.

“Because the things I thought I wanted…I was wrong. I don't want them anymore. Not with you.”

“Oh,” I whimpered once again. I rushed towards the door and ran out, unable to bear being in the same house as him. I heard him call out my name as I tried to get away from his voice.

From his touch.

From his kisses.

From the memories.

But he was too fast and caught up, taking my arm in his hand.

“Evelyn, where the fuck are you going? It's late,” he hissed.

“Away,” I sobbed. “Let me go, Nathan, let me go!”

“No, get inside.”

I shook my head desperately, shrugging away from his grasp. When he tried to touch me again I slapped him, the stinging sensation traveling from my hand and seething its way into my wounded heart. He looked shocked…I would have thought he was hurt if it wasn't for the words he said earlier.

“Don't you dare fucking follow me,” I hissed.

Before he could say anything I ran off without a destination, trying to find a way to distance myself from the pain.

***

I knocked on the door one time, two with no success. No one answered.

I sat on the porch and closed my eyes. I was tired, both physically and emotionally. All out of tears, all out of strength. I buried my face in my hands and closed my eyes.

Quietly, the door creaked open and a very sleepy looking Carter stepped out. The confusion soon turned into shock when he took in my tear-stained face and my unruly appearance.

“Oh my,” he said, kneeling in front of me. “Evelyn—”

“I'm sorry. I had nowhere else to go,” I croaked. “I can leave if you want-”

He cupped my face in a hand, running a thumb over my cheek. “Oh, my precious girl. What happened to you?”

“I just, I don't have anyone else to go, Carter. Can I stay here? Just for tonight.”

“Of course, Evelyn. Come here, stand up.”

I stared blankly at the pictures in front of me while I sat on the sofa of the small living room. Carter was in the kitchen preparing a tea for me though I wasn't sure I'd be able to drink it.

I was so tired.

Each lie, each betrayal hurt more than the last but I didn't think it was possible for anything to hurt more than this.

When you love, you trust another person with the most important part of your life: your heart.

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