FROM THE AWARD-WINNING AUTHORS OF THE CHEATER.FAKER.TROUBLEMAKER SERIES (WATTY'S 2016, FICTION AWARDS 2016, HACHETTE AUDIO 2017), JENNY ROSEN & KRISTEN MAGLONZO.
After bullies, braces, and brutal heartbreak shatters his faith in love, soon-to-be fre...
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NOTE: If you're in the mood for some feels don't miss out on this weeks awesome read of Chapter 56 by kaelking12!
Chapter 56
Elias
Lacey did what I asked. After my breakdown begging for a break up, she let us settle somewhere in the grey.
Just ignored the black and white of ending things and quietly agreed to "take a break".
There was no fight. Not even a question about why I wanted her to do it.
She just let it happen.
And the whole situation's left me—
—confused.
The thing is, I expected her to react. Wanted her to even. Deep down I needed her to yell at me or force me to spit out every stupid reason I had for asking her to let me go. I would've told her why if she'd pushed me to, but maybe that's just the pussy in me talking.
I should've just told her the truth. I should've spilled everything that happened with my mom to her while we were sitting together on the edge of our softball field. Because if I had, I wouldn't be alone. Dealing with all this. But, I couldn't do it.
I couldn't open my mouth and admit to her that my family was falling apart.
And that it was killing me.
But that's the thing, nobody grows up ever thinking they'll have to say those words. Nobody thinks they'll hit sixteen and watch their parents dissolve into nothing while their home splits down the middle. You expect the usual things—a kick ass birthday, a first car, all the important firsts that make being stuck halfway between your childhood and your twenties worth it.
But what cards did sixteen deal me?
Nothing sweet or short of sick twisted tainted memories and holidays. I got a souped-up car to distract me from my dad's cheating as a birthday gift, a family cracked along the edges for Christmas, and watched my mom leave a month after Valentines Day.
What part of all that translates into me magically turning out to be a half-decent boyfriend to Lacey?
How am I supposed to promise her a happily ever after when I don't know what one looks like?
That's why I asked her to leave. It's the last thing I wanted, but it's something I thought I needed.
I thought I needed time to figure myself out.
To see if I can keep doing this without eventually hurting her.
Or turning into the same kind of monster that I live with at home.
