It All Started With Hate

always (e)

"The hardest thing I'll ever do is walk away still loving you." —  Unknown
————————————————————

Chapter 82
<—————————————>

Maggie

I had been in the shower for the past hour and a half. My skin was tender, and the steam in the restricted space was squeezing at my lungs, but I still hadn't gotten out.

It had been a day since the mayor gave me my ultimatum. To be exact, twenty-three hours and thirty-seven minutes. He said that I had until the next evening, which was now.

Once I had gotten home yesterday, I mumbled some excuse to Luke that I wasn't feeling good, and hid in our bathroom to avoid spilling like a faucet to him. I tried to take the time to come up with a solution, but the moment I was alone, I had broken right in half, because I couldn't find one.

I hadn't come out until my eyes had gone dry, and until I thought myself capable to act on the mayor's demand. Except, when I left the bathroom, the words had melted right back down my throat. I couldn't do it.

I had spent the better part of today avoiding Luke, too. I knew if he looked at me even for a second, he would try to get to the bottom of everything, just as he had done in the past. I couldn't let him do it this time, though. For his own sake.

I held him extra tight last night while he slept. I kissed his head, and his lips until my own were swollen. I knew he couldn't hear me, but I told him I loved him, and exactly why I loved him until my throat grew hoarse from the tears.

Because, after tonight, I would never be able to do so, again.

Just as another sob began to scratch at my throat, I heard a knock against the bathroom door that was meant to be gentle, but with Luke's hand size, it was impossible.

Quickly, I wiped my tears to my best ability, and just as I turned the spray of water off, the door was being opened.

"Norris."

I kept my eyes down as I stepped out. "Mhm?"

"I ordered us food." I heard him step closer to me. "It's in the kitchen."

My response was quiet, "Thank you." When I grabbed my towel, I tied it around me to stretch out the minutes. "I'll be there in a minute."

Luke nodded, but he didn't move. His gaze dug into the back of my head with a heavy thought behind it. I just didn't know what.

My eyes raised in the mirror to find his already fixated on me. Pain wrecked me from the inside out, since I knew how different his would be by the end of the night.

The silence continued to build, but I pretended that my attention was on my lotion. While I ran it over my skin, I heard Luke breathe out a sigh before he came closer.

One hand went to my chin, tilting it up until he could see everything. The other went to my stomach to hold me to him, rubbing in small, warming circles.

His gaze searched mine with concern. "You okay, baby?"

Despite how hard I tried to stop it, I felt my eyes start to burn the longer I stared into his. I looked away as quick as I could, because of it. If I showed myself, he would uncover the rest, and I couldn't risk it. I couldn't risk his happiness or his mother's life.

From the moment I got home last night, there were only a couple of words spoken between us, but even those felt heavy. Heavy, but not even barely enough to account for what I really wished for.