The Summer I Disappeared Chapter 14

The Summer I Disappeared Chapter 14

He grabbed at his own hair. Agony in the gesture. “pushed her away. Told her I couldn’t do it anymore. These six months, I’ve thought about you every day.”

“I won’t favor her again. I’ll respect you. Cherish you. Care about everything you feel…”

“Let’s start over. Please. Give me a chance to make this right…

I listened. Silent. For a long time.

He had lost me. And in that loss, day after day of comparison, he’d suddenly realized he’d thrown away the person who mattered most.

“Start over?”

Hooked at his red-rimmed eyes. Spoke softly.

“Leo. Did you ever actually love me?”

“Of course! Of course I love you! How can you even ask that?”

The words rushed out of him.

“We grew up together. High school sweethearts. Of course I love you. I still love you!”

I sat down on the cold steps. Set the thermal bag aside.

“After my computer was destroyed, I had to earn my tuition. I rewrote that entire code in the campus computer lab. Took days.”

“It was brutal. But I did it.”

I looked up at him.

“Convincing myself you didn’t love me? That was brutal too. But I did that too.”

Whatever color was left in Leo’s face drained away.

“You don’t love me either.” I lowered my eyes. Spoke calmly.

“You just can’t stand it. The person who always forgave you. Always caught you. She’s gone.”

“You got used to squandering what I gave you. Thought it was bottomless.”

“No!” Leo dropped to a crouch. Gripped my wrist.

“You think I don’t know my own heart? Winter, I really do love you!”

4 pulled my hand back. Slowly. Stood up. Looked down at him.

“Then take that love. And stay the hell away from me.”

“Thanks for the donuts, Leo.”

“But don’t come here again. We ended a long time ago.”