forgetting me

23

January 4th, 1997

He was stuck in his own head. Elle could see it clearly. He drank and drank, and never told her what was wrong.

So she ignored it. She pretended nothing was wrong. She pretended that he wasn't falling victim to his own mind, like his mother had.

Elle never thought he would hurt her.

But he did.

He did, and she decided she couldn't ignore what was going on anymore. This was not the man she fell in love with. William was no more.

She refused to believe she couldn't draw him back out. She spent two long months trying to bring William back into the light. Sometimes, when he was sober, she thought she'd achieved her task.

But then he'd just drink more, and shatter her progress.

So in March, Elle, bruised and aching, knocked on Kadyn's door. William watched her leave. He was sober then, and he cried the rest of the night.

The next morning, he realized she had always had it out for him.

And he moved on.