At the End of the Day

16

Chapter 16 // Apollo

I think I've wiped the tears from Blue's face around ten times in thirty minutes. Every time she goes to speak, she bursts out into tears, telling me how guilty she feels.

"Baby, it's okay." I coo gently, wiping away a fresh set of tears.

We're currently sitting in a park together on the grass, the sun setting in front of us. My girl is a hysterical mess and all I want to do is wrap her in my arms and keep her safe from every bad thing in this world. Cameron being one of those bad things.

"Apollo, I feel so guilty." She whispers, clutching on tightly to my hand. "You deserve so much better."

A frown forms instantly on my face at her words. Why on earth would she say that?

"Blue, you're the best thing to happen to me in a very long time. I haven't smiled at anyone else like the way I have with you. Being in your presence makes me feel like the luckiest guy on earth. Cameron might have tried to convince you that you were incapable of loving, but you didn't know that you were a natural at it." I whisper, grasping hold of her face. "You having a caring nature about you, it comes so naturally."

She sniffles, and then a small smile etches onto her pretty face. That's my girl.

"It killed me inside when I thought you wanted nothing to do with me. I didn't know what to do with myself, Blue. You've become such a huge part of my life." I admit to her, my skin tingling as her thumb rubs up and down along my hand. "My mum said to me I'd know when I found the one. She told me that my heart would beat so fast and I'd always be smiling. I kept asking her how I'd know and she'd come out with how I'll just know." My eyes look up to hers and I think I've just set her waterworks off again because she bursts into tears.

"I'm sorry." She throws herself into my lap and wraps her arms tight around me, crying into the crook of my neck. "I've treated you like shit, Apollo. You have such a kind soul, you're such a beautiful human being, and I thought it would be okay to take advantage of that. You're worth so much more than just sex. You deserve the world." I rub her back and rest my chin on her shoulder, inhaling her vanilla scent, and slowly close my eyes.

"You didn't take advantage of me, Blue. You were being manipulated by that piece of shit. You're such a beautiful Angel, you know that, right?" I pull back and pull her head away from the crook of my neck. "You know that?" I raise my eyebrows and wait until she agrees with me by nodding her head.

When Blue explained what Cameron made her do that morning, I had the sudden urge to go round there and end his life. I still do. But I can't do that because then I'd go to prison, and I'd never see Blue again.

"You're my girl." I smile with wide eyes.

"Apollo, stop making me cry!" she whines and a woman walking her dog looks at us like we're crazy. Piss off. "You're just so precious." Her lip trembles and I grow concerned as to why she's so emotional.

"Speak to me, Blue." I reach up to stroke the back of her head.

"I want to tell my mum about Cameron, but I don't know what he'll do. He's already said that he'll make it sound like it was my fault and he also threatened to hurt you." Her breath quivers and I wipe a tear with my thumb.

"She's your mother. She should believe you before Cameron." She has to, because if she doesn't, then she's not a good mother. I know if it was my mother, she would have believed me before I even uttered a word to her. "You can't let that stupid fucker torment you any longer than he already has. He's playing games with you, Blue. Fucking with your mind."