Song: "Already Gone" by Kelly Clarkson
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Gwen took Aubree back to her house in the woods Monday evening.
After the weekend, life went back to normal for Dan. He went back to work Monday morning and while he was working, Aubree packed all her belongings into Gwen's car and Gwen waited for her in the parking lot.
Aubree prepared lasagna for him—one of his favorites—so he'd have something to eat that was quick and easy to warm up. Other than that, she forced herself to come clean when he came home.
She watched the scenery fly by in a blur of browns and greens as she stared numbly out the window while Gwen drove her car.
A melancholy song came on the radio, drawing her eyes to close and her thoughts to drift back to Dan's return home from work an hour ago.
.
She sat on the couch, her head in her hands, when the door opened and Dan stepped in. Pulling herself up, she looked forward, unable to bring herself to meet his gaze.
The tension in the air thickened as he shifted his weight from his right foot to his left.
"Bree?" There, in his voice, was the uncertainty. The confusion. The fear.
The day before mirrored the events of Saturday night and the shift was evident in the air. He knew something was up. Something was going on within her when she couldn't bring herself to look at him. Couldn't bring herself to speak to him. Every time she had tried, her throat would close up and tears would sting her eyes as her mind threw hateful words in her face.
He looked so lost. Every time he had tried to comfort her, she would push him away and shut him out. He didn't know what to do and what to make of her tears and silence.
This time, when he came home from work, she sat up straight, rigid, and although she couldn't look him in the eye, her body language spoke for her.
He hesitated before joining her on the couch and loosely wrapped his arm around her waist.
She lowered her gaze and pulled away from him.
It was like a slap in the face, and he recoiled. "Bree?"
She sucked in a haggard breath and choked on the emotions creeping up her throat. "I'm... I'm sorry, Dan. I... I can't keep doing this to you..." Her voice shook; the pitch and timbre of it warbled with the war of words. "I can't keep pretending like nothing has changed... when everything has changed."
She could feel the confession unfurling from within her and taking shape as the words tumbled from her mouth.
Dan buried his face in his hands while she continued.
"It's not right... It's not fair. You deserve so much more than I can give to you. You deserve to be happy. You deserve to be loved and I can't..."
He pulled himself up and gripped her arm. "Bree, stop."
"I can't give that to you anymore."
"Don't," he pleaded.
But she had to say it.
She closed her eyes and hung her head. "I can't marry you. I'm sorry."
I'm so sorry.
.
Gwen changed the radio station when tears dripped down Aubree's cheek. She searched through them, pausing a few seconds to listen before moving onto the next. In the end, she turned it off and silence filled the car.
YOU ARE READING
Heart of Stone (Parts I & II)
Werewolf[COMPLETE] Some bonds can't be broken, even in death. -- He couldn't endure another heartbreak. "Accepting her would be a mistake," he said. "She's a human. I can't afford to have her blood on my hands." Gwen looked away, and he knew she saw the ima...
