Splitting Our Odds Into Evens

Whatever Time

Kol followed her out of the room.

"Bonnie."

She kept walking.

"Bonnie, wait."

His hand dragged along the wall as he followed her down the hallway, his legs still weak beneath him. Bonnie heard him stumble behind her, and for half a second, every instinct in her told her to turn around.

She didn't. She couldn't. Not yet.

"Bonnie."

She hurried down the stairs, wiping angrily at the tears spilling down her cheeks.

Kol followed as quickly as his body would allow him. "Would you please just stop for a moment?"

Bonnie pushed through the doors leading into the courtyard.

"Bonnie!"

"What?" She spun around so quickly that Kol nearly walked straight into her. "What, Kol?"

He stopped.

For the first time since he'd followed her out of the room, he actually got a good look at her face.

Her eyes were red. Tears streaked her cheeks. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she stared at him.

Kol opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

Bonnie laughed bitterly and looked away. "Yeah. That's what I thought."

She turned again.

"I'm sorry."

Bonnie stopped.

Kol swallowed. "I'm sorry," he repeated quietly.

She stayed facing away from him.

"I should've told you."

Bonnie slowly turned around. "How long exactly?"

Kol's jaw tightened. "Bonnie-"

"How long have you known?"

He looked down.

That was enough to make her stomach twist.

"Kol."

"A few weeks," he finally said.

Bonnie stared at him. "A few weeks?"

He nodded once.

"A few weeks," she repeated, almost like she hadn't heard him correctly. "You've known for a few weeks that you were dying?"

"I didn't know how quickly it would progress."

"That wasn't my question."

"I know."

"So you've known for weeks."

"Yes."

Bonnie pressed her lips together.

She nodded slowly, looking down at the ground.

Kol took a cautious step toward her. "Bonnie-"

"Don't."

He stopped immediately.

Bonnie wiped another tear from her cheek. "Every time I asked you if something was wrong...every time you said you were tired. Every time you looked like you were about to pass out. Every time I asked you what was going on with you..." Her voice started to shake. "You knew?"

"I didn't want you to worry."

Bonnie's head snapped up. "Are you serious?"

"I didn't mean-"