Without You

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven: The End & A Beginning

"Natalie, it's not what it looks like." Ryan started, approaching her but she took a step back away from him. Tears filled her eyes and rolled down her cheeks, and I felt like I had been punched in the gut.

"That's what they all say and then it does turn out the way it seems! H-How could you do this? My boyfriend of three years? And my best friend?"

My chest was tightening, I found myself struggling to spill the right words out, but I was still in shock from everything. I was getting dizzy, I wanted to sit down, but I had to explain this to her.

"N-Natalie, it was an accident. I-I never wanted to kiss him." She glared at me through her tears, and it felt as if she wanted to rip my heart out and shove it down my throat. That was how intense her glare was.

"I saw you stopping him to kiss him."

"Well, I-I wanted to kiss himㅡ ONLY on the cheek, as a thank you. But that's it! There was nothing to it."

"C'mon beautiful, you know I wouldn't do that to you. It didn't mean anything, it was an honest mistake. I was only about to drive her home." He tried to reach out to her once more, but she stepped back. Wiping away her tears and smudging her mascara over her face, she gazed at me.

"So it's all about her again?"

I was stunned at her words. What did she mean by that?

Anger spiked up in her eyes as she glared annoyingly at me. Oh, I didn't know I said it out loud.

"Yes, Juliet, it's always about you. Juliet's sad, Juliet's not eating, Juliet's in the hospital, Juliet is blah blah. Everything is about you, because our worlds has to revolve around you."

It's just the alcohol talking, I reminded myself. It's just the alcohol talking.

"Ryan and I don't talk about anything anymore, except for Juliet. Is she doing well? Is she taking her meds? Is she sleeping? I didn't want to bring you to this party, but it was his idea and I went with it. I can't fucking take it anymore!"

All of traces of alcohol that was in my system evaporated with each word she spat in my face. I didn't want to be conscious while hearing this, I wanted to wake up tomorrow and forget this ever happened. I wanted to forget everything that happened the past ten years. Even alcohol can't take me to a peaceful place to hide in.

"Poor Juliet whose family had all diedㅡ"

"Natalie!" Ryan yelled alarmingly, but she continued. It was obvious she didn't want to stop.

"Okay we get it! You're sad and shit, you don't have to be like this to get attention. I'm sick of trying to cheer you up, nothing works with you! I'm sick of it, and I'm sick of you! You ruin everything, I don't blame Noah for leaving."

My hand shot up to my chest, it was aching terribly. My heart felt like it was bleeding, the blood slowly dripping on my trembling fingers. My lungs were useless, as if they forgot to draw in oxygen, and the world around me was spinning uncontrollably. Her words stabbed me in the gut, and the relieved look that crossed her face when she said those words were like the twist of the knife. Tears blurred my vision and trickled down my face, the pain I felt in my feet was nothing compared to this. I expected to hear these words from someone, some day, but not from my best friend. Never from her.

Ryan looked torn as he glanced between me and his girlfriend, reluctant to move in either direction. I shook my head, crouched down to the ground and picked up the keys that fell from Ryan's grip.