Page 54 of Rhys: and the girl who was always his

I couldn’t.

I close my eyes, jaw tight. That word shreds through every part of me.

Couldn’t. Not wouldn’t.

Couldn’t face me. Couldn’t let me stop her.

Rhys

Come home, Ally.

The typing dots appear.

Disappear.

Reappear.

My heart stalls.

Ally

I can’t.

That one cuts deeper. Final.

Rhys

Why are you doing this? Why are you shutting me out?

I can feel her silence. Like she’s holding the phone, reading my words with tears in her eyes, doubting everything,but still not letting me in.

Then the reply comes.

Ally

Because I don’t want to be the reason you get stuck. You deserve more than this, Rhys. You deserve someone who isn’t… broken.

Broken.

The word guts me.

Rhys

Don’t say that. Don’t ever say that.

But she doesn’t reply.

The stillness returns. Heavier now.

I drop onto the couch, phone still in my hand, heart racing with a cocktail of fear, rage, and helplessness. This isn’t just her pulling away. This is her running. Full tilt. Away from me, from us, from everything we could be.

I can't follow her; I have no idea where she's gone.

Footsteps echo down the hall. I look up as Ashley walks in, arms crossed, her face grim.

“You need to go after her.”

I laugh, bitter and breathless. “She won’t even tell me where she is.”

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