Fading Out (completed!!!)

(12) returning

Her apology had hit me hard. To see her that broken, that hurt and that out of herself was unbearable. When she left after soaking my shirt, she took another piece of me with her.

The days after the fiasco she didn't show up to school.

Riley noticed my distant mood when I called her Wednesday night. She didn't continue to ask after I gave a lame excuse of being tired.

Luna used to pry and ask until I confessed.

Riley let me go, on Sunday I called and ended things. "I can't be in a relationship right now."

She didn't seem hurt, just agreed and let me go.

I missed the bickering with Luna. It was never easy and it worked.

Luna stayed away and avoided my calls. Maybe they were right, once you're in there's no escape.

I found more of her things in my room and I cried. I cried so much over her shit. I threw it in a drawer and locked myself in my bathroom, I screamed and screamed.

I couldn't let go of her. I couldn't get her out of my head; the memories of us, her laugh and the way her lips looked before she smoked, how she would ruffle her hair when she would come out of the shower.

I couldn't let her go. I wouldn't let her just fade away, she wasn't just allowed to go away.

I wouldn't let it happen that easily.

She showed up on Monday, she was in her regular spot at lunch but she was staring down at her feet instead of talking to her friends.

"Luna."

"Ember."

"How are you?"

"Bad, Ember. Really bad." She never looked up at me, just continued to look down. "How are you?"

"I'm a wreck. I found some stuff of yours..." I reached in my bag and pulled out her jacket, yoga pants and her umbrella. "I felt like you should have these."

"Thank you, Ember. Appreciate it." She smiled at me and my heart stopped. Her left eye was swollen and shut tight, surrounded by black and blue marks. Her jaw was lined with red, raw skin and there were bandages near her hairline.

"Luna, you need to stay away from him." I warned. "This isn't okay."

"It's okay."

"No, Luna this is bad. How has no one noticed? Why haven't you gone for help?"

"They don't care, no one does."

"I do. I really do."

"No."

"Yes, you're so blind! I care for you!" I held her hand. "I am so sorry for letting you get this bad, for not stopping you."

"It's fine, it's my fault not yours. I did this." She started to cry and her body started to shake. "I'm going to be sick." Luna ran and I came after her as she started to puke in the courtyard. I noticed how weak she was and how I couldn't escape this cycle.

"Peter threatened to murder me. He broke in." She coughed and then spit out some blood. "He beat the shit out of me. My mom ignored my calls and I thought I was going to die. I am dying Ember."

"No. You're not dying Luna."

"I am Ember."

I held her had and kissed her forehead, not giving a shit if we got yelled at for PDA, I moved down to her mouth and cupped her face, letting her know that I was there for her.