Page 5 of Fight for You

“Did you?” Leo challenges, taking a step closer. “Or did you get tired of playing house with me?”

“That’s not fair!”

“Isn’t it?” he shoots back. “Five years. Five years I spent wondering what I did wrong, how I could have stopped you from walking out the door...”

The pain in my chest grows tighter, my constant companion since leaving. I take a deep breath, searching for the right words to fix everything. Yet, they remain frustratingly elusive, concealed by the barriers I have put up around my heart.

“I’m... I’m so sorry.” Tears fill my eyes. “I never meant to hurt you.”

“Sorry changes nothing.”

“Then what do you want from me?” I ask, feeling as though I am drowning in the weight of our past.

“I don’t know. You broke me. How am I supposed to open myself up to anyone if the one person I thought would never leave me, did?”

For a brief moment, we remain motionless. Leo’s eyes, warm and brown, hold a clouded pain as I anxiously look for even a flicker of hope. My fists tighten by my sides.

I choose my words carefully. “After all the years we’ve known each other - we both deserve some closure. I agree with that. I just don’t want to talk about it here with an audience.”

“Agreed. Lawson Ridge isn’t big enough for either of us to hold a grudge. Can I walk you home?” Leo asks.

I ponder his offer. Despite my usual guarded nature, I find myself craving the comfort of his presence, not wanting the night to end yet. “I’d like that.”

Exiting into the evening, we are greeted by the moon’s silver glow. Walking together in silence, the distant chirping of cicadas in the still night took over.

“Why did you leave Lawson Ridge? I guess I’m trying to understand you better... and maybe address some of the weight of my past decisions. Why you left so suddenly…”

Looking away from him, my fingers played with the strap of my purse. I hesitate, thinking about what parts of my past to reveal. There is a quality in Leo’s genuine concern that makes me inclined to trust him. “Leaving wasn’t a simple decision,” I admit, gaze fixes on the sidewalk ahead. “There were… complications. I needed to figure out who I was and what I wanted in life. And I couldn’t do that here.”

Leo stops. “But you didn’t even talk to me. You just left me behind. What complications? I had to have done something to push you away.”

“My childhood wasn’t exactly a walk in the park. My father... he had a lot of demons. And they haunted our family like ghosts.” With hesitant steps, we meander down the calm street. “He was never really around, you know? Always too busy chasing one vice or another. And when he was home... well, let’s say it wasn’t all sunshine and roses.”

Life during that time was less than ideal. It messed with my mental state. Leo should be able to understand. I opened myself up to him in a way that was completely new to me.Can’t he see?

4

Leo

I pay close attention, my heart aching as I envision a young Brylee trying to find her way through such a difficult family dynamic. I refrain from interrupting her vulnerable moment, even though I want to offer her some comfort.

“Growing up like that,” she continues, “it made me feel like I couldn’t rely on anyone. It made me afraid to trust people, to let them in. And the fear, it followed me into my adulthood, affecting every relationship I’ve ever had. Including ours.”

The weight of her words fill the air, explaining her cautious behavior and reluctance to be vulnerable. As we pause at a park bench, Brylee’s green eyes shimmer with tears she holds back.

“Leo, I want you to understand,” she whispers, her voice filled with a raw honesty tugging at my heartstrings. “I care about you and I want to be close to you. It’s just... it’s hard. I’m afraid of letting you in. So, when things were getting serious, I bounced.”

Sitting side by side on the bench, darkness surrounds us, and my heart shatters. “Everyone has their own way of dealing with pain, Brylee,” I say. “You’ve been through so much, and I can’t even imagine the weight of it all.”

While speaking, I gently hold her hand. The act of touching seems to awaken a dormant connection, bridging the gap. “Sometimes, we build walls around our hearts to protect ourselves,” I continue, gaze locked with hers. “But those same walls can also keep out the people who genuinely care about us. The ones who want to help heal the wounds of the past.”

“Thank you, Leo,” she whispers. “This means more to me than you can ever know.”

The emotions between us only intensifies as we sit there, our hands still connected. Brylee’s locks sway in the cool breeze, whispering of new beginnings on the horizon. It seems as though the universe is pushing us to explore our feelings and overcome the fears and insecurities that have hindered us.

“Life is full of challenges, but you’re strong enough to overcome them,” I murmur, my thumb gently stroking the back of her hand. “And you don’t have to face them alone.”

“Thank you,” she whispers again. “I can’t deny there’s still something between us, even after all these years. But I’m... I’m not sure what to do next.”

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