Page 45 of Locke

“Don’t.”

“What the hell happened?”

“You think they wouldn’t find out?” I ask her. She covers her mouth with her hands and shakes her head as tears continue to stream down her cheeks.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers.

“Don’t do that. I got what I deserved.”

“You didn’t deserve this!” she denies, motioning toward me.

“You should go see your Dad, Kiki. He was worried about you.”

“Mom’s here. She wants to get help. She’s talking to Dad.”

“That’s good. She should get help.”

“I wanted to talk to you.”

“Not much to say, is there?”

“I wanted to hate you. I wanted to hate you for what you did, but I couldn’t. I …” Her voice trails off.

“You should hate me. That’s all there is left to do here.” With that, I walk away and close myself in the bathroom.

Chapter 23

Kiki

He walked away from me. I didn’t think that would happen. I didn’t see that coming. I wanted to apologize for my part in this. I wanted to say sorry and hear the same from him, but he walked away instead.

I walk out of his room, dazed and confused, when I run into Remy. His hands come to rest on my shoulders as I look up at him.

“You okay? You talk?”

“He walked away, Remy. I don’t think he wants me anymore,” I admit to him. Remy pulls me into a hug and holds me there.

“He’s just dealin’ with a lot of shit, Kiki. He loves you. I’ve never seen him like this before.”

“He doesn’t love me.”

“Yeah, I think he does. He’s a mess without you, sweetheart. He can’t think straight.”

“He walked away from me,” I remind him.

“I know. Give him time, though, Kiki. He’s gonna come around.”

“You think so?”

“Is that what you want?”

“I don’t want the drugs, I know that much, but I want him, Remy. Does that make me fucked up?”

“No. It makes you human. You know what you feel and you know deep down this isn’t him. He just needs to get better.”

“You’re back,” I hear Hodge behind us. Remy presses a kiss to the top of my head before shoving me toward my brother. I walk over, wrap my arms around his waist, and hug him tightly.

“I can’t stay away. This is home,” I tell him.

---