Page 83 of Lucky Hit

She shakes her head again and walks into the kitchen. "You're being naive, Oakley."

"I'm not being naive. I just don't want to lose you." I follow closely behind her and grab her arm, closing the space between us. "Please don't do this. Don't push me away right now."

Her eyes dart around the room, looking everywhere but at me. "I need to do this."

"No, you don't. The only thing you need to do is have faith in us. Let me take care of the rest." I would get down on my knees and beg her not to walk away if that's what it took.

"You're making this harder than it needs to be, Oakley. Please, just stop," she breathes out.

I almost grasp at my chest in hopes of taking some of this pain away. This can't be happening.

"Tell me you don't want this anymore and I'll leave. But you have to tell me, Ava. Loud and clear. You have to know that it was you that pushed me away, not the other way around. Days from now, when you're missing me, remember that you who ran away," I add bitterly, my anger and hurt getting the best of me as per usual.

I drop her arm and wait anxiously for her reply. If she tells me to leave right now, it'll ruin me. She's become one of the most important parts of my life. I don't know what I'm supposed to do without her. This is exactly why I didn't want a fucking relationship.

"I don't want this anymore." Her words cut through the tense silence and my remaining resolve.

I try to speak, but my words come out in a jumbled mess. I feel like I'm choking on air.

"Okay," is the only thing I manage to say. I'm halfway to the door when I stop dead in my tracks and turn around to face her one last time. "You're making a mistake."

I turn back around without staying to see her reaction. I feel like I'm on autopilot as I leave her apartment. As if in a dream, I hurry outside.

The sun beams down through the thin clouds, making my eyes burn. I have to look away from the bright light before I let the tears fall. I hurry into my truck and finally let myself process what just happened.

This whole thing is almost comical. Everybody kept warning me not to break her, and in the end, she broke me.

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