Black Glitter *Completed*

Epilogue

NIX

I could hardly see the road through my tears, like my soul was bleeding out through my eyes. I couldn't do this. It was too dangerous to drive in this state.

 I kicked the SUV into a faster pace until I reached my destination; my subconscious leading me to an empty dock by the beach. My feet crunched on the gravel leading to the graying wood pier, the slates washed away from the wind and salt water.

  The moon glanced over the water, the waves pushing gently against the thick wooden poles holding the dock up. Only a few people were on the beach, either lovers on a midnight dip or the heartbroken ones like me come to mourn in the sad light of the moon and invisible stars overhead. 

  I slowly pulled off the ring on my right finger and rolled it around between my fingertips absently, feeling the cool steel band and slightly rough diamonds under my skin. What a waste of money huh, Adam?  I thought bitterly.

I looked down at the ring, my chest and throat felt hot as the tears blinded me; I had never felt pain like this before. From my head to my toes I felt sick, unsteady.

Betrayal, hatred, embarrassed. I had fallen for Adam, thinking he could change, that maybe he wasn't the stereotypical celebrity. But I had been wrong. I should have broken it off as soon as I started feeling so strongly about him, years ago. If I had, I wouldn't be here, hurt, broken, with nowhere to go.

 I wouldn't have the SUV, the puppy, the cottage, nothing. But maybe that was okay. 

 If I could go back and change everything, I would. Sure, the good moments with Adam were unforgettable, but the bad moments-THIS moment- was murdering me. Nothing in the world was worth this. To finally feel safe enough to put my trust into someone and he never even considered it important. Sauli had won. This Lauren girl had won.

 Adam made it clear that he couldn't stick with one person, regardless of how much he said he loved me.

  A cool rush of dangerous calm slipped into my veins. I was so angry my body didn't know what to do and I was numb.

 My legs hurt from standing so rigid for so long, though the pain kept me grounded. My eyes itched and my peripheral vision began closing in on me since I hadn't blinked in a few moments.

 "It's over." I whispered to myself. "It's over. We're over. It was all for nothing. Love is nothing."

I sniffed, took one last glance at the ring, and chucked it as hard as I possibly could into the waves beneath me. I hoped it got buried in the sand for all eternity, that when the end of the world came and the ocean dried up, that fucking ring would still be there, in the sand.

  The wind caught my hair and I shivered, remembering I had no sweater. And still no place to go. I wanted to be alone, so I would have to find a hotel.

 Or maybe just sleep in the car; there was enough space.

I turned away and walked slowly to the car, head down.

 Adam and I were through. Forever.