He throws his phone down, then turns around, running his fingers through his hair. I pick up the phone, and it's a picture of me. Kissing Bryon's cheek. I look at it, and start laughing, "Luke h-"
"You think this is funny?"
"Luke, you aren't listening to me."
"Well, why should I? You're cheating on me with him."
I let out a small laugh, "Luke."
"You still think this is funny? Well, you're gonna think this is hysterical! I'm breaking up with you!" He storms upstairs. I sit on the couch, and think to myself, He's probably just upset. Give him a little while, he'll be better.
A door upstairs slams shut. I look over, and Luke throws my black duffel bag at me. "Here's your stuff, slut. Go run off to your new boyfriend. I'll let you know when you can get the rest of your stuff."
"Luke, listen to me! Bryon is-"
"Shut the hell up! I don't care!"
Luke and I start yelling over each other, and the atmosphere becomes a silence of shouting voices. "Get out of my house you slut!" Luke screams. "I want you out! I never wanna see you again! Leave!"
"Fine you asshole!" I scream at him in the doorway, slamming the door behind me. I walk down the street, and sit at a bench. I run my fingers through my hair, still stunned by what just happened. I say quietly to myself, "I don't know what I'm gonna do." I look at my phone, and it's 2:16. Luke and I fought for over an hour. "Weird. It felt like it was all in an instant, and it was over."
Going to Bryon's house was the only thing I could think of. Slowly, I walk to the house. A light's on inside, so I knock. I hear Bryon's voice, "Who knocks on a door at 2:30 AM?" I smile, then it fades away. The door swings open, and I look up. "Emma...what's wrong?" In that second, I broke down. I hadn't cried, now I was sobbing. Bryon grabs me into a hug, and doesn't let go. "What's going on?" A voice says.
I open my eyes, and see Dalton standing there. I release from the embrace, I wipe my eyes, "Bryon I thought..."
"Come in, sweetie." Bryon says.
Dalton gets me a coffee, and a blanket. "Right after you left, Dalton called, in tears, saying he was still in love with me." Bryon says, looking at Dalton. Why can't it be like this for me?
"I'm so happy for you guys. I love you both." I say.
"We love you." Dalton smiles. "Where are you gonna stay?"
"My mom moved back to Texas because I moved in with Luke. I hadn't thought about that." I start thinking, but it wrecks my brain.
"Babe, just stay here. We have an extra room!" Dalton says.
I look up at them, "Really?"
"Yes. I want you to have a place to stay." Bryon smiles.
"You guys are the best." I hug them both.
Each night, I find myself crying. After being there one week, I receive a text from Luke, 'get the rest of your stuff'. "Bryon, will you come with me to get my stuff from the house?"
"Yeah, sure."
As we walk up to the front steps, I stop. "Bryon, thanks."
"No problem, sis." He smiles, and puts a brotherly arm across my shoulders.
I ring the doorbell, and Luke answers, with delight on his face, he says, "Hey Emma!" He notices the arm around my shoulders, and gives an evil glare, "It's upstairs."
Bryon takes boxes up and down the stairs as I pack them in the room. "Last one." Bryon says carrying the box downstairs.
"Okay. I'll be down in a minute. I just need to grab some smaller things." I call.
I close the door, and look around the room that held so many memories. I look at the bed where Luke and I both slept at night. The foot of the bed where we shared our first kiss. The acoustic guitar he used to try to teach me how to play, sitting in the corner. I run my thumb down the strings. In a small shelf, the song we wrote. I open it up, and look at it. The paper crumples as I put it in my purse. In the windowsill, three picture frames. I pick each one up at a time. The first is my favorite of us.
It's black and white. Luke's laying on his back on the ground, with his head touching the foot of the bed. I'm laying on top of the bed, on my back also, my head at the end of the bed. I'm leaning over the edge, grabbing Luke's face in a kiss. I love the sweater I'm wearing, but it's his. I smile, and put in in my purse.
The second one is beautiful. We're sitting on the floor, cris-cross and I'm in his lap, holding the guitar. We're looking at each other, and laughing. One of his hands is covering mine, showing me the right way to make the chord. The other, is messing up my hair. I'm in his flannel shirt, which looks like a dress on me. It goes in my purse with the other one.
The last one is amazing. It's simple. It's us, walking hand in hand. I'm wearing his snapback and Blink-182 shirt. The picture makes me want to tear up a bit, but I don't. In the purse it goes.
I put the key on the beside table. Right as I am about to leave, I remember, I'm wearing his flannel shirt. I take it off, and all I have left on is my Green Day crop top that I had on the first day we met. I leave the room, and Luke calls out to me, "He's in the truck waiting for you."
"Thanks." I say. Luke gets up from the couch, and comes over to me. "I left the key on the bedside table. Oh and I was wearing your flannel, so I left that on the bed."
Luke looks at the floor. "Okay."
We walk over to the door, and he opens it for me. I step outside, and look at Luke. Our eyes meet, "Well...Luke, I guess this is goodbye forever..." I get a lump in my throat.
"Yeah...whatever." Luke shuts the door.
"Okay." I whisper to myself. It's dark out now, and Bryon is in the truck waiting for me.
"Hey, Bryon, I'm gonna go on a walk, I might not come home so..."
"Huh?"
"I'm just gonna go on a walk. If I don't come back, don't worry. I'll be happier." I start walking in the opposite direction as Bryon and Dalton's home.
I look out over the ocean on the cliff Luke took me to on our first date. I close my eyes and think, What's the point? Why should I even live if the only guy I love hates me. The only place I know I'll be happy isn't here.
I open my purse, and look at each picture again, and read the lyrics to the song. 'I'm glad I found you. When I was alone, I was so confused. I promise you I'll love you forever. If you were to walk away tonight, I wouldn't know if I should cry or die.'
I lay each item down. 'It's deep, and safe....if you jump from here. If you move over...three, four, five, six steps over to the right....' Daggers of rocks. Six steps. Each step for a different person.
"One-Bryon, I'm so sorry. I love you. Two-Dalton, I love you. Don't break Bryon's heart again. Adopt a kid. Get married. Be brave. Three-Calum, you were my best friend. I love you. Four-Michael, you were my best friend, also. I love you. Five-Ash, you were my big brother. I could tell you anything. I love you. Six-Luke, I love you so much, but you hate me. I hope the band takes off and rules the world. I hope you find a girl you love so, so much. I hope you can forget all the pain I caused."
The water is loud, and the rocks are sharp. I move closer to the edge, when I hear a car door slam, and feet running towards me. Better make this quick.
Right as my foot leaves the ground, two arms pull me back.
