Page 97 of Pay for Your Lies

“I’m alright.” She says, before sitting up. “Well no, I’m devastated, but I’ll be alright soon. Hopefully.” She adds with a broken smile.

I stand and Nera takes my spot, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

“Whatever you need, we’re here for you.”

Bellamy sets her head on her shoulder. “Thanks, pals.”

“Can you guys take care of her while I’m gone?” I ask.

“Yeah, for sure. Where are you going?”

“I’m… going to talk to Carter. Assuming he’s still alive.” When we got home last night, I dumped him in my bed and came to sleep with Bellamy. I haven’t seen him since.

“Oh, shit.” Nera and Six say in unison, echoing Bellamy’s previous words.

“My thoughts exactly.” She confirms.

“Is this…theconversation?” Nera asks.

“I think so.”

Six stands up and hugs me. “Good luck.”

Nera whistles at my back as I head for the door. “Never a dull day in this apartment.”

I knock on the door to my bedroom and open it when I hear Carter tell me to come in. He’s standing in front of the closet, buckling his jeans closed as I walk in.

“Good morning.”

“Morning.” He says, giving me a sheepish smile and bending his head to kiss me. I turn my face at the last second and his lips land on my cheek instead.

He pulls back slowly, giving me a confused look.

“Do you want to go for a walk?” I ask him, unsure what else to say.

“Sure.” He answers, his face closing off completely, making it impossible for me to know what he’s thinking.

We head out of The Pen and I walk him towards a path I know well that leads down to the pond in the middle of campus. It’s a scenic walk, especially on a crisp late October morning when the leaves are turning the beautiful colors of fall around us.

We walk wordlessly for a bit and I can’t help but feel like we’re closer to being two strangers than anything.

It’s crazy how much has changed, how muchwe’vechanged over the last few months.

“How did you sleep?” I finally ask.

“Not great. I'm sorry I got so drunk.”

We come up to a bench and I point at it. “Want to sit there for a bit?”

“Sure.”

We sit in awkward silence for a couple of minutes while I try to find both the words and the courage to say them to him. I wish I’d rehearsed this before, but it didn’t cross my mind that I’d need to.

“Listen, I don’t know how to say this–” I start, but he interrupts.

“You’re breaking up with me.”

“I–, um, I…yes.” I say, tripping over the mass in my throat created by his unexpected interruption. “How did you know?”

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