Page 78 of Best Hex Ever
“Is there a way to counteract it somehow?”
“That’s what I tried, with the protection necklaces. And I’ve been reading your tea leaves. But it’s getting stronger.”
Scott’s eyes softened, and he pulled her close for a kiss.
“We can figure this out, Dina, please don’t give up. We’ll think of something. What if—”
“There is something we can do,” Dina broke in. She began to stand, pulling away from him.
“No. Come here,” Scott said, his arms open. She shook herhead. “Do you want to go home? Or you can go to my flat for a bit, and bring Heebie?”
“I have to go, Scott. If I stay here, if I stay…with you, then you’ll get hurt.” Dina choked out a sob. “And I don’t want you to ever, ever get hurt again because of me.”
“Dina, sweetheart, what are you saying?”
“We can’t do this anymore. Us.”
“What do you mean? I don’t give a fuck what some hex wants to do to me. I’ll fight it, Dina. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I’m not letting you go.”
“You don’t get to make that choice, Scott. It’s my curse; it’s my burden to bear.”
Scott pulled her into a kiss. Her mouth opened eagerly, their lips crushing together, their bodies melting. Time stopped for a while, but when Dina pulled back, tears still shone in her eyes.
“I need you to know that I’m only doing this because I love you,” she said in a voice that was too quiet, too final.
“Dina—”
“Please don’t make this harder for me, Scott!” she cried. She moved back into the circle of his arms. “If you want,” she said, her voice shaking, “I can make you forget about me.”
Even the thought of it made him sick.
“Don’t you dare,” he growled.
“I love you,” Dina whispered, and then she fled the room.
—
Snow pelted him from every angle, but Scott didn’t even notice it. He’d checked himself out of hospital the moment the doctor had said he could, ignoring the calls from his mums and Eric. He didn’t notice the biting cold or the way his whole body was racked with shivers. His head ached, but he had to keep walking, had to drown out the roar inside him. Each step hurt. Nothing made sense; his mind and his heart were all jumbled,twisted, and broken. He loved her with every morsel of his being. How was he meant to live with this?
Scott placed one foot in front of another, not caring where he went, only that he went away from…from wherever he was. Nowhere could be far enough. These feelings would chase him everywhere.
She had even offered to make him forget her, and it had made him livid with anger. How dare she even consider removing herself from his memories? She was hisperson—he wanted no one else and would never want anyone else.
It was like he was back in the maze, only this time he was more lost than ever.
Scott rubbed at his cheeks, willing the tears that ran down them to disappear.
He was vaguely aware that people were staring at him—agrown man wiping tears from his eyes, marching down the pavement. He didn’t have it in him to care.
He had lost Dina—fuck, he’d lost her. The look in her eyes when she’d tried to…what? Explain why she had to leave? Well, he’d almost crumpled. He’d almost said,Let it kill me, I don’t care. The past weeks have been the best of my life, and if I only have days with you then that’s better than living without you.
A cold hard surface slammed into Scott, forcing the air out of his lungs. He blinked, looking down to find a metal railing just above waist height. Ahead of him, the Thames surged, waves chopping at each other like steel knives.
Scott realized it was snowing, the delicate flakes melting on his skin and catching in his hair. By the looks of it, he was near Battersea. He looked down at his watch; it was nearly seven in the evening. He’d been walking for hours, the sky had already darkened into its evening shade of murky gray, the snow clouds showing no sign of clearing.
Tomorrow didn’t feel real yet. How could he wake upwithout Dina in his arms tomorrow, or any morning after that? It all felt like a fathomless darkness. After what felt like hours staring into the darkening waves, his heart beating numbly in his chest, every thought of Dina’s face, Scott turned around and began the long walk home.
Chapter 33
