Page 66 of Don't Fall

“Lane will never go for it,” she announces, arms crossed firmly over her chest.

“You don’t even know him.”

Her eyes narrow and her lips purse. “If you honestly think he’ll just let you walk out, take on your mother’s wrath alone to protect him, all at the expense of losing your home and everything you care about – including him, maybe I know him better than you do.”

My chest cinches and the pain I’m trying so hard to kill before it can touch me, creeps in ever so slightly. “Drea,” I breathe, “I need you to be on board with this.”

One solitary tear defeats me, breaking free and running blatantly down my cheek. It’s enough to convince her.

“I’m not on board with the plan, but I’m always on board with you,” she whispers, her hand moving over to cup mine. A small gesture with great meaning. She’ll shield me as best she can. No matter what.

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LANE

I’ve tried calling Tessa twice already. It’s not usually my style to be so clingy, but it’s after two in the afternoon, and even if she’s attending the longest staff meeting in history, they would have to break for lunch at some point. The fact I haven’t heard from her since I found the note she left for me this morning, is leaving a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Tempted to go bang on Drea’s door, the only thing holding me back is knowing we’ll have to rehash the Bart situation from last night, and I’ll struggle finding the patience to be kind about it. Alienating Tessa’s best friend more than I already have, isn’t going to do me any favors.

I’m contemplating my next move when it’s made for me, and Drea comes barreling in, toting two big bins and a box of trash bags.

“Sorry, I would have announced myself, but I knew you were here alone, so I didn’t see the point,” she explains, walking straight past me toward Tessa’s room.

“What are you doing? Where’s Tess?” Then I remember. She knew I was alone. That can only mean one thing. “Never mind.” I’m spinning on my heel and headed for her place across the landing. I’m getting my answers straight from the source.

“What the hell is going on,” I demand as I go crashing into the apartment next to ours.

Tessa doesn’t seem surprised, on the contrary, she was waiting for me.

“I’m moving out,” she states matter of fact, as if this answers everything.

“I picked up on that when I saw Drea with the bins. That’s not what I’m asking.”

She moves toward the kitchen, an evasive move to put more distance between us. “Remember when we started this, and you said you were counting on me to keep you out.”

“Of your heart?” Fuck me and my stupid fucked up self.

“After last night, I think we can both agree, your expectations have changed where I’m concerned and unfortunately, mine haven’t.” There’s a brazen flash in her green eyes as she holds her unwavering stare, no searching the room, no careful timid approach to meeting mine.

“I think the only thing we can both agree on, is that you’re full of shit. Something else is going on. What aren’t you telling me?”

“That’s the whole point, Lane. It’s not what I’m not saying now. It’s what I haven’t been saying this whole time,” she scoffs, morphing into someone I hardly even recognize. “What we had was fun, but it’s getting too serious. It’s complicating my life, people finding out about us, having to worry about someone reporting you, what that could mean for me, and frankly, it’s not worth it. You’re not worth it to me.”

Every word slices through me like a knife through my chest. “Every man for himself, right?”

There’s a flicker in her eyes, for the briefest of moments, I think I see her, then the cold glaze steals away the warmth of her emerald irises yet again. “I tried to tell you.”

It’s surreal, standing here, staring at her and seeing a total stranger in her place. The same woman who’s had me coming completely undone in all the best ways for months, now becomes my complete undoing. It’s poetic. And tragic. And maybe just what I needed to drive home the lesson I’ve been struggling to learn. No one is who they seem to be.

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