Save Me

one hundred thirty five

"Yeah I'm fine." I say, flashing him a small smile.

"No you're not." He says. I shrug and lay on my back. I put my headphones back in and turn the music all the way up. He takes one of them and puts it in his ear. We listen to the loud music together, his hand laying next to mine, our pinkies touching.

____________

[Anthony's POV]

I zip up my suitcase and take a deep breath. This is the last day I will ever be in this apartment. I'm moving to California to start my career as an actor. Hamilton was the best thing that ever happened to me but I can't do that forever, so I'm leaving. Leaving everything and everyone behind. Leaving Olivia.

I think back to our conversation last night.

"How do you think Lin will react if he knows about us, Olivia?" I ask her loudly.

"It doesn't matter, nobody has to understand our love because it's enough for us. Enough for me, at least." She says.

"We won't work-"

"Don't. Don't say what you are about to say." She says quickly, standing up and walking towards the door. I hop off the couch and follow her.

"We can't be together. I will only hold you back, you have to be free to pursue your career and not worry about me! I'm older, you know how much controversy there will be over us?" I yell.

"That's what you're worried about? What people will think about us? That's just stupid, Anthony! It doesn't matter what people think!" She yells back.

"I'm not good for you." I say.

"Stop!" She yells. "Please, don't do this."

"You should go home." I say. She looks at me with tears in her eyes before slamming the door behind her as she leaves.

I collapse on the couch and look at my suitcases in the corner. I'm leaving for California tomorrow, maybe I just won't come back.

I haul my bags down to my car and begin my drive to the airport. As I drive past the theater I think to myself, I could just stop real quick and see her one last time.

I shake my head and keep driving. If I stop and see her I don't think I'll be able to leave again. Guilt tears at my stomach but I know that this is for the best. I'm not good for her. I will live my life and she will live hers.

[Olivia's POV]

I wake up to Lin gently shaking my arm. 

"What's going on?" I say, wiping the sleep out of my eyes. 

"Olivia, I don't know how to tell you this.. Anthony's gone, he quit the show and is leaving the city." Lin tells me. I start to laugh loudly. 

"You woke me up from a perfectly good dream just to prank me? Nice try, Lin." I say, dragging my body out of bed. 

"Olivia, I'm not joking." He says, looking me dead in the eye. 

"He's gone?" I ask. "Well, where did he go?" 

"I don't know, love." He says gently. 

"He can't be gone, he is my best friend! He wouldn't have just left without talking to me! I'm gonna go to his place and see if I can find him." I frantically say, pulling on a pair of shoes. 

"Sweetheart, stop. He's not here." Lin says, grabbing my arm and stopping me for leaving. 

"No.. He wouldn't have left me. No.." I say, wiping tears from my eyes. 

"I'm so sorry." 

I pull away from Lin's grasp and run out of my room and out of the house, getting in my car and driving towards Anthony's apartment. I park in the lot and run up to his floor and pound on his door. 

"Anthony, open the door!" I yell. "I swear to God, if you don't open the door I'm-" 

The door swings open to reveal a small woman with a vacuum. 

"I'm sorry, ma'am. Mr. Ramos left this morning. I'm just cleaning the room." She explains. 

I turn on my heel and start walking back to my car, once I am back in the front seat I pull out my phone and call Anthony. It goes to voicemail after the second ring. 

I decide to leave a message and say, "Anthony.. If you don't answer me I.. I will never forgive you if you don't call me back. I'm serious. You can't just leave me here without saying goodbye. If you don't call me, I'll hate you forever. Please, just answer me. I love you." 

Hello everyone, hope you liked this chapter despite how chaotic and all over the place it was. 

- aibhlinn