Before You Came Back

Chapter 5

C O L L I N S

Wait. What? He wanted to talk? What was I supposed to say to my "disappeared, supposedly dead" ex boyfriend? More importantly, what was I supposed to be feeling right now?

"I guess?" I answered, hesitantly.

"O-okay." He stuttered. I closed my car door and leaned against it, crossing my arms across my chest.

"How are you here? Where did you go that night?" I asked him.

"I'll start from the beginning. It's kinda a long story though." He shrugged.

"That's okay, I got all night." I answered back. I really needed answers about his disappearance and why he left me.

"Okay," He let out a deep breath. "The day of the crash, I mean before it-"

I quickly cut him off. "The day of? So like the party? At Calum's?" I asked, remembering the whole thing, just like it was yesterday. Every single thing that day, I remembered, like it was carved fresh into my head.

"No. No, even before the party." He looked up, his eyes filled with sadness.

He continued.

"So before the crash, and before the party, there was this, this man. He had texted me early in the morning. At first I ignored it, because I didn't even know the guy. But then he kept texting me and texting me. And they were really freaky texts, getting creepier each time. I read a couple and they were clearly threats. One of them, I still remember, said "I know there is one special person that you don't wanna see get hurt." And he meant you."

"So basically, after the numerous threats, I got the message. I had to do down thing for him, in order for you to be safe. He was the one who was behind the whole accident. He planned me hitting the car, and my disappearance. He made me run from you, and I only did it to protect you."

"And from that point until the last two weeks, I've been working for him. It wasn't my choice but I had to, he made me do that too. But I escaped from him two weeks ago. I'm living at Calum's now and he's the only one who knows about me, well now you too. So there, now you know the whole story."

He let out a huge sigh, probably relieved to get all that weight off his chest. But now it all rested on me.

I was still taking all of this in. Here I was, thinking that he ran away from me because he didn't love me anymore, but he had done it to protect me because he loves me. But then I had another thought.

"Why didn't you tell me about this sooner? The first time I saw you, you ran away. And when I accident hit you with my car, you ran too. Why? Why all the running?" I questioned him, desperate to know the answers.

"I was scared to tell you because I didn't know if you'd be able to take the truth. Plus, I wanted to keep you safe. But the guilt was wearing me down and I just had to tell you. And I miss you so much. I still love you Collins, can't you see that?" He answered, his eyes were full of sorrow and sadness.

His voice was filled with desperation, and nervousness to see how I'd respond.

"Luke, listen to me. I missed you too. But you have to accept the fact that I've moved on. I can't just dump Edward after this, I mean he's a big part of my life now. And I know you did all of that to protect me, but it's your fault you obeyed."

"I mean, if you didn't disappear, everything would've been fine, and I still would've been with the best boyfriend ever!" I gasped, suddenly realizing what I just admitted to myself and to Luke.

Do I still have feelings for him? Do I still love him the way I used to, or how I did with Edward? Do! I still do love Edward! Do I?

Luke stared at me with wide eyes. I still couldn't believe what I just said. And by the looks that Luke had, neither did he.