The Voice

Chapter 5

"I told you I don't want to talk about it!" I stated tiredly, throwing my hands up in the air dramatically.

"Lyla, relax. I just want to talk to you about Samantha. You promised you'd talk to me about this."

"I promised I'd talk to you about it when I was ready. Not whenever you wanted."

"Look, I'm tired of you hiding stuff from me. I know you have been! You're always avoiding me as much as possible and your moods change so quick now, as if something is bothering you in the back of your mind."

"I'm fine. You just have to trust me, ok?"

I touched his cheek gently but he stoop abruptly from the couch we were sitting on in the living room.

"Lyla! You need to talk to me. I've been letting this go on for far too long!"

He hates the touch of your skin on his. That's why he jumped up so quickly.

"Just give me time, Luke," I begged, placing my hands underneath my thighs.

"I've given you a ton of time! You're going to need to step your game up. I can't keep doing this," he shouted, pacing back and forth, his hands running through his hair.

"We were just fine a few days ago. Remember, the walk? The good news you shared. How we went back home and made love. We were just fine not too long ago. Why'd you have to bring this up?" I asked, standing up and standing in front of him.

Luke could easily move me to the side but he stood in front of me, not blinking an eye.

"Of course I remember Lyla. But we cant have some good days and then you expect me to just remember those days when the bad moments come. I can't do that."

He's breaking up with you.

"So what are you trying to say?" I asked, tears beginning to brim my eyes.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair once before looking me in the eye.

"I just need time to think, ok? There's something you're not telling me. I know you aren't. I trust you. I do. And I love you so much. But if you're always going to be like this, hiding things from me and avoiding me, how am I supposed to trust you later on?"

"Are you calling off the engagement?"

"No! Oh God no. Just need a bit of time. Unless you want to speak about Samantha now."

Kill him.

"No. You can't just expect me to be ok with this. You can't just 'give me space'. You know why? Because people leave. They say they want space and then they slowly stop talking to you. Then they forget about you. It'd be as if I never existed. As if everything we've been through was for nothing!"

"I'm not leaving you baby. Just-"

"No! I can't do this. I can't do this," I exclaimed, taking a few steps back.

"Can't do what?" He asked, advancing towards me.

"I killed her ok?!"

He stopped mid step, frozen.

I began sobbing, snot running out of my nose and my breaths coming uneven.

"I killed her. I killed Samantha. The voice. She keeps talking to me. Been talking to be since I was a little girl. Mom and dad never believe me. Never did! So I stopped talking about it. I dealt with it on my own. And for a while I was doing great. Some days were worst than others but I was living, and that's what counts right?" I asked, now chuckling pitifully, wiping my eyes and nose clear.