Page 99 of The Right Kind of Wrong

You trust them not to break it and keep it safe; to cherish it and mend it when it hurts, to give you hope when there is none and help you stand back up when you can't find strength.

And yet, what many people get is nothing but absolute heartbreak.

Maybe that had been my mistake—trusting him blindly. I should never have.

“Here, drink this,” Carter said.

I gave him a small smile and took the drink in my hands, sipping on the hot liquid. I was so numb I couldn't even taste it.

“What happened, Evelyn? Hm? What's wrong?”

“I don't know,” I replied quietly. “One minute everything was okay and the next…I don't know.”

Placing the mug back on the table, I closed my eyes. My head throbbed, my mind was overwhelmed trying to figure out what I did wrong. Carter wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his embrace, giving me the most comforting hug I could receive.

The simple gesture had me in tears in a few minutes once again and I cried on the shoulder of the man I considered my father. He didn't ask me any questions, didn't pry for more information and simply held me, every so often soothing me with the calmness of his voice.

The only man I had ever loved had broken my heart, wounded me so deeply I didn't think there was a medicine in the world that could heal it.

Carter shifted after a moment, muttering a curse as he stood up. His phone was ringing and he looked at the screen, shooting me a confused look when he saw who it was.

“It's Nathan. Do I answer?”

I shrugged. “I don't care.”

Carter sighed and with one last glance my way, he answered.

“Nathan…calm down.” he frowned, looking my way. “No…she's okay, she's here…right…good night.”

He hung up, taking a seat next to me once again.

“I don't know what's going on, but he was worried about you. He was losing it,” Carter said quietly.

“He's just afraid that I do something stupid because of him,” I scoffed. “I won't. I'm not an idiot. I just can't be in the same house with him right now.”

“Couples fight, Evelyn, it's normal. It doesn't mean it's over.”

“It is,” I swallowed. “For us, it is over.”

***

The next morning I woke up ready to confront the situation. Only on a few hours of sleep, I realized I couldn't hide forever. Eventually, I'd have to see Nathan and I had to be strong when I did. I didn't want him to see the pain he'd caused, much less let him know how weak I felt. He didn't deserve my tears, not if he'd used me so freely.

“Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?” Carter asked in a concerned tone.

“I'm fine, Carter. Thank you for letting me stay here, though. I appreciate it.”

“You know you're welcome to stay here whenever you want, Evie. This is your home too.”

I decided to walk to Nathan's house; the fresh air would do me well.

However as I neared the house, the same sense of sadness from the night before started taking over. I swallowed, trying to not feel anything.

The sadness only intensified when I saw my sister's car there along with Nathan's. Not only that, but I also recognized my parents’ car and David's. I couldn't understand what could possibly be going on.

“You are stronger than this,” I told myself, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath.

When I was sure I wouldn't have a breakdown, I opened the door to the house and walked inside, willing the tears to stay at bay. I heard voices coming from the dining room so followed them there, curiosity getting the best of me.

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