Page 8 of Say You'll Stay

“June? What’s wrong?” she asks, her voice laced with concern. I shake my head, unable to form words past the lump in my throat.

Propelled by a force I can’t control, I stand, my heart pounding as I make my way across the room. They’re laughing now, shared amusement lighting up their faces in a way that tears at the very fabric of my composure. I used to be the one making her laugh like that.

“Cara,” her name leaves my lips before I can think better of it, cutting through the low hum of restaurant noise, loaded with weeks of silence, pain, and misunderstanding.

As I approach their table, Cara looks up, her laughter dying on her lips as her eyes meet mine. I see the shock register on her face, followed quickly by something else - something guarded, something pained.

“Cara,” I say, my voice rough with emotion. “Can we talk?”

She hesitates, her eyes darting to the man beside her. He looks up at me, confusion etched across his face. “Who are you?” he asks, his tone polite but wary.

“I’m Juniper Deveaux,” I reply, my gaze never leaving Cara’s face. The Deveaux name feels like a shackle, a cruel reminder of the expectations that have torn us apart. “Cara’s… companion.”

The word tastes like ash on my tongue, a bitter reminder of everything we once were, everything we’ll never be again. I hate having to invoke my family’s weight, to flaunt the privilege that has suffocated me, when all I want is to be seen as simply June - the man who loves her beyond measure.

Cara stands, her movements stiff and awkward. “Juniper, I don’t think this is a good idea. I’m here with someone.”

I nod, swallowing past the lump in my throat. “I know. But please, Cara. Just a few minutes. That’s all I’m asking.”

She hesitates, her eyes searching mine. For a moment, I think she’s going to refuse, to turn away and leave me standing there, alone and humiliated by the very name I’ve tried to shed. But then she nods, her shoulders sagging in resignation.

“Fine. A few minutes.”

She turns to the man beside her, murmuring something I can’t hear. He nods, his expression still wary, but he doesn’t protest as Cara steps away from the table, leading me towards a quiet corner of the restaurant.

As we walk, I can feel the weight of Amethyst’s gaze on my back, boring into me like a physical force. But I don’t turn around. I can’t. Not when Cara is so close, not when I finally have a chance to talk to her, to try to understand what went wrong between us.

We come to a stop in a secluded alcove, the noise of the restaurant fading into the background. Cara turns to face me, her arms crossed over her chest, her expression guarded.

“What do you want, June?” she asks, her voice tired and strained.

I take a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts. There’s so much I want to say, so much I need to know. But in the end, only one question matters.

“Why, Cara? Is that Michael…” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. “The man you left me for?”

She closes her eyes, her shoulders sagging as if under a great weight. When she speaks, her voice is soft and sad.

“June, I didn’t leave you. You pushed me away.”

I open my mouth to protest, but she holds up a hand, cutting me off.

“No, let me finish. You pushed me away with your secrets, with your lies. I couldn’t do it anymore, June. I couldn’t be with someone who couldn’t trust me, who couldn’t let me in.”

I feel like I’ve been slapped, her words hitting me like a physical blow. “Cara, I never meant to hurt you. I was trying to protect you.”

She laughs, a bitter, humorless sound. “Protect me? From what, June? From the truth? From the reality of who you are, of what your family is?”

I shake my head, desperate to make her understand. “No, Cara. I was trying to protect you from my mother, from the expectations that come with being a Deveaux. I didn’t want you to get caught up in all of that.”

She sighs, her shoulders slumping in defeat. “June, I was already caught up in it. From the moment I met you, I was caught up in your world. But you never trusted me enough to let me in, to let me help you carry that burden.”

I reach out, my hand hovering in the space between us. “Cara, I’m sorry. I never meant to make you feel like I didn’t trust you. I do trust you, more than anyone.”

She steps back, shaking her head. “It’s too late, June. I can’t go back to the way things were. I deserve better than that. I deserve someone who will be honest with me, who will let me in.”

I feel like I’m drowning, the weight of her words pulling me under. “Cara, please. Don’t do this. Don’t give up on us.”

She smiles, a sad, wistful curve of her lips. “There is no us anymore, June. There hasn’t been for a long time.”

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