His Miracle

Goodbye.

"Can I speak to you in my room, Emily?"

Tobias stares directly at me and refuses to look at Jake. I feel the air around me grow thick with tension.

"What kind of answer is that?" Jake says quietly from behind me.

My heart hurts for him because I can hear the pain lining his voice. There's no longer any anger radiating from him... It's nothing but deflation. I turn around and place a reassuring hand on his arm.

"It's okay, Jake. I won't be long," I tell him.

His blue eyes grow sad with emotion and he swallows the lump in his throat. His gaze flickers between Tobias and I before he takes a step back.

"Don't do this to me again, Tobias." Jake pleads with his cousin.

Myra springs into action and gently pries Jake away before leading him into the living room. She consoles him quietly the whole time while he keeps his head down to hide the heartbreak in his expression. Hearing the broken tone to his voice is crushing. I watch him go before Tobias gently nudges me to snap me out of it.

"Are you coming?"

I nod once before following him up the stairs. On the way up, I silently pray Tobias' explanation is enough to mend Jake's broken heart. I step into Tobias' room before closing the door behind me.

"Please tell me this isn't true, Tobias."

I remain standing by his door, feeling uneasy at the idea of coming inside and making myself comfortable. Tobias drops down on the edge of his bed before hanging his head in his hands. The muscles in his broad back ripple as he takes several deep breaths.

"It was true," Tobias admits quietly.

I feel like all the air is knocked out of my lungs. I stumble back to lean against the wall for support.

"What –" I begin to argue against him, but I don't know where to start. I'm left speechless. Tobias looks up at me and his chocolate brown eyes are filled with hurt.

"I did fall in love with you, Emily. All those little moments we spent together meant something to me," Tobias starts.

I release a trembling breath before placing a hand on my chest. My heart feels like it's ready to break through.

"Those moments meant something to me too, Tobias. A friendship," I whisper with tears in my eyes.

He can't do this again to Jake, it's going to completely break him. I recall the moment Tobias kissed me out of desperation in his hallway... Jake has no idea the kiss happened. If I reveal it to him, he's going to cut Tobias out of his life forever. Does Tobias have any idea the fire he's currently playing with or the magnitude of his actions? He fears loneliness yet he does everything to guide himself there.

"We went through the same hardship, Emily. You lived a nightmare and you came out the other end with a smile on your face. I lived through a nightmare and I allowed the darkness to swallow me whole. You taught me I didn't have to live like that... I had another option. It was impossible for me not to fall in love with you," Tobias says while looking directly at me.

His stare feels like scorching heat on my skin. His words are distant and I struggle to see anything past the declaration of love. Is this going to ruin everything between Jake and I too? Tobias points at his chest, an area where I know his deepest scar lies beneath.

"You helped me overcome this, Em. Nobody else could do that for me. You helped me overcome it because you were the only person who truly understood." Tobias whispers.