Bites & Bruises (ManxMan)

Nineteen

{Listen to the song!}

I barely slept at all last night. I couldn't switch off my thoughts, Marius' broken expression haunted my dreams every time I closed my eyes and tried to get some rest.

When the bedroom door opened from down the hall and I heard the sound of familiar, heavy footsteps, it wasn't until then did I tear my gaze from the ceiling to my desk. Three letters, all neatly written and sealed sat on the desk. One for Rosà, one for Timothy and another for the love of my life that I would be leaving in just over four hours.

I should get up, I thought with a soft sigh and a heavy heart. My things were packed and the anger I had felt whilst screaming at my house mates was no where to be seen. Pain bloomed in my chest as I recalled the events of last night leading up to my melt down. How could Marius have done such a thing to me, after all the reassuring words he'd given me time after time after time...

Bastard.

A sudden knock at my door startled me from my thoughts and I turned to find Rosà slowly opening it, eyes bright though I noticed the dark circles despite her make up. I couldn't help feeling responsible, especially when she wasn't bouncing around being her usual self.

I really had gone over board yesterday.

Without a word she came and sat on the edge of the bed and refused to meet my gaze, hands clasped tightly on her lap. I hated seeing her like that, like she wasn't sure how to act around me since my outburst, a pang of guilt hit me hard and with stiff limbs I shuffled over to her.

I pulled her into my arms in one quick motion, not letting her have time to push me away and I buried my head in the crook of her neck, marveling over her soft, pale skin and the scent of vanilla that filled my nose.

My hands rubbed her back in comforting circles, listening to her take a shaky breath of reassurance before she squeezed me flush against her and whispered. "Are you really going?"

"I have to," I muttered into her hair, "I can't stand to be around him."

"What am I going to do without you?"

Regret washed over me and I had to force myself to swallow past the lump in my throat before I was able to speak again.

"You'll survive and I promise we'll be able to Skype and text one another whilst I'm... away."

Despite my words, I felt Rosá's body tremble and knew she was silently crying. I hated seeing her in pain, she was like a sister to me but I knew I just couldn't carry on living in this messed up town, especially when my heart was breaking and I would be reminded of it every time I bumped into Marius.

Softly, I hushed her and kissed her cheek. "Everything's going to be okay, you've got Andrew now and you still have to go kick ass when you find this guy whose hurt your family." Reluctantly, I broke our embrace and held her face in my hands, brushing a tear away with my thumb. "You have unfinished business here, you need to stay."

"It wont be the same without you here," She shook her head, dark locks bouncing. "I never thought you would become such a huge part of my life... Oh Payton, why do I feel like this is goodbye?"

I didn't want to tell her that it was goodbye, that I had no intention of stepping foot into this place ever again but instead of enlightening her on that, I stayed quiet and forced a smile. "Because you're tired and over-thinking, I know how that mind of yours works."

Rosá sniffled and managed to smile at me through unshed tears. "Will you at least tell me what's made you want to leave so desperately?"

Just thinking about that asshole had me wanting to growl but I refrained from doing so, pushing down the dark thoughts that wanted to enter my head and wake the monster inside. Slowly, I reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and sighed.