Page 18 of Beast: Part Two

“Summer,” the way he says my name, as if it pains him, makes my heart beat erratically. The beeping in the room matches the rapid thumping against my chest.

“You know getting shot hurts like hell,” I say, my brain going into overdrive. The mouth diarrhea is about to spew.

“Summer,” he says again pushing away from the doorframe.

I continue as If I didn’t hear him. If I don’t let him speak, he can’t say anything I don’t want to hear.

“But at least I have another story to tell. I can now retire the ‘my daddy shot me story.’ Plus, this one sounds better anyway. I got shot by my boyfriend’s brother has a better draw to it than daddy issues.” I chuckle at my own dark joke.

“Summer.” He stands at the foot of my bed. Those gorgeous eyes staring at me with so much regret and pain.

“Talk about an ice breaker right. I’ll be all the rave at parties.”

“Summer,” he calls my name once again. This time I shut my eyes unwilling to see that look on his face.

“Stop it,” I demand.

Silence fills the room.

“Whatever you think you’re going to say to me, I don’t want to hear it.” I finally open my eyes and glare at him.

“I love you,” he says. However, those words don’t bring me the joy they usually would.

His tone is off, and that pain and regret are still in his eyes.

“I love you too, Gabriel.”

He shakes his head. “You will never understand how much I love you. I love you more than I love my own life. You and Gabe are the best things that have ever happened to me. But.”

Just that one simple word has tears spilling down my face. He hasn’t even said anything else, but pressure starts to build in my chest. My breath seems to be caught in my lungs.

He continues, ignoring my tears and pain. “We can’t be together.”

I shake my head refusing to accept his words. “No. No. I will not accept that. I won’t let you run away from us.”

He shoves his hands down the front pockets of his jeans. “It has to be this way.”

“It doesn’t,” I shout. “Yes, I got shot. But I’m still here. Gabe and I are both still here.”

He turns away from me, staring at the wall to my left.

“This is over.”

I gasp as my hands begin to shake. The tears fall faster now. My brain runs through so many emotions. I question myself and my values. I question if I’m at fault and what makes me so disposable to so many people. How can you tell me you love me and then toss me aside in the same sentence.

“You promised,” I choke out through my tears. “You promised you wouldn’t leave me again.”

He still doesn’t turn to look at me. His eyes are bloodshot red, and his shoulders are almost touching his ears they are so tensed.

“I know,” he simply replies.

I wait for him to say something else. For him to explain how he can so easily throw away what we have. Yet, he doesn’t say anything more.

“Please, Gabriel. Please don’t do this.” I hated that I’m reduced to begging this man. My pride is yelling at me to let him go if he doesn’t want to be here. But my heart is much louder right now. It is hemorrhaging in my chest.

“It’s done,” he says it as if it’s so easy for him.

Is it that simple for him to walk away from me? My entire world is crumbling because the man I love, the man I saw myself spending the rest of my life with is telling me we can’t be together. How is he able to walk away from me so calmly.

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