I hesitated, but answered.
I was silent for a few seconds. Just listening to his steady breathing. Then I heard his tired but comforting voice.
"Hello?"
Hearing his voice almost made me cry.
"Hey what's wrong?!" I exclaimed, "Are you okay?".
"No," he responded. "I'm not. In fact I'm worse than I was last time we talked."
He stopped, and I heard him begin to cry.
"Talk to me" I demanded.
"I can't do it." He whispered. "I can't.. No matter how hard.. I just.. I just ca.."
I cut him off.
"You can't what, Bryce talk to me."
"I can't let you go" He sobbed. "I refuse to".
"Then don't", I began to tear up.
That's the thing that I think I'll never understand. There's a line in one of my favorite books. Written by Gayle Forman. "Adam is crying and somewhere inside of me I am crying, too, because I'm feeling things at last. I'm feeling not just the physical pain, but all that I have lost, and it is profound and catastrophic and will leave a crater in me that nothing will ever fill." Why has it taken him so long to admit this to himself. He must love me, to give up his own happiness for mine. But in my mind I won't ever hear it enough. Tell me. Shout it from the rooftops.
"I won't", He assured. "I promise".
