Page 161 of Come Apart
"Because of me."
She pouts. "She's not worth it. She's never going to give you what I could give you."
"I don't like you, Samantha. Lately, I hate you. You have no qualms about taking advantage of kindness. About manipulating the situation to get your way." I take a step back. "Whatever debt I owed you, it's repaid. You're on your own."
Her voice is low, but desperate. Even now, she's too aware of how things look to really make a scene. "Please, Luke. I'm sorry. I'll change. Just stay with me."
It's not difficult to stand my ground by this point. She's done too much. "No."
"You'll get over Alyssa," she tries, her eyes a little too intense.
"I won't. And I don't want to."
Samantha straightens. She runs a hand through her hair, trying and failing to look composed.
She grips my wrist, her hold too tight. "Think about this. She's not the faithful type. And she's not interested in guys like you. She'll be hooking up with her co-stars by her next birthday."
Does she really think she has room to talk about faithfulness?
I bite my tongue. Samantha doesn't mean this. She's just angry. And I'm not going to cause a scene. "I'm trying to give you a chance to walk away with dignity."
Samantha blinks back a tear. She looks like she's about to scream, but she keeps her voice even. Quiet. "Are you really this blinded by some L.A. bimbo because she's got a nice rack?"
"Is that the best you've got?" I shake my head. "Fuck off."
Her face twists into an ugly expression.
She doesn't look like the girl I once knew.
"You're just like your father. You think you want someone young and pretty, but—"
"Jesus, Sam. Get a grip. She's only four years younger than you are. And it's got nothing to do with how she looks. Hell, you just called yourself pretty."
"I thought you were better than this."
I shake my head. "I love her. I love her in a way I never loved you. In a way I never will love you. You could be the most beautiful woman on the planet, and I still wouldn't love you, because you're ugly inside. You're selfish and manipulative."
She changes tactics, clearly realizing she's not getting anywhere.
"Luke, please... You're wrong. I'm trying to help you. She's probably after your money."
"Really?"
Alyssa clearly isn't hurting for money.
Her eyes turn to the floor. "It's possible."
Even she doesn't believe it.
"You're making a fool of yourself." I bite my tongue. I could walk out now. But I can't yet. Not until Samantha understands how wrong she is. "I know it hurts, but you have to accept that you're wrong. I love her and she loves me. It has nothing to do with her looks or my money. Or my looks for that matter."
She shakes her head, still not giving up.
"I loved you. I know you. We went through so much together. She'll never understand you like I do."
"No. You'll never understand me. Because you're selfish. You'll never know how it feels to really love someone." Even now, I can see she's just thinking of what this means for her. And isn't that just sad? "I feel sorry for you. It's lonely when everyone else is just some pawn for you to manipulate. But you know what? That's not going to be me. Not anymore."
"Luke, please..." She clutches her purse, her eyes filling with tears she refuses to let drop.
Appearances are important after all.
"We're both better off this way. I hope you can see that at some point." I step away.
She calls out to me, but I don't turn back.
That chapter of my life is over.
