Bridge To Her Heart <3

Chapter 28 (Compassion)

Cleo found it extremely hard to tell Murphy that, in one month, she’d be leaving. She watched as his face lit up when she approached and then struggled to keep the smile as she told him everything. 

He wanted to be happy for her. 

“Well little Leo, it seems I can’t call you little anymore,” he chuckled, a few raspy coughs coming right after. Cleo flinched. He sounded so sick. She couldn’t leave him, she just couldn’t. 

“As guilty as I’ve felt about it Murph,” she started, voice hesitant, “I’ve always fantasized about leaving this bridge, but now that I’ve got the chance, I don’t know if-”

“Stop.” Cleo went silent as Murphy raised his hand in a halting motion. “I’m not going to let you throw away an opportunity like this Cleo.”

“But Murphy-”

“No!” He protested, causing her to clamp her mouth shut, “If I have to drag your butt unto that plane I swear I’ll do it!”

Cleo looked away. She felt like a baby bird being pushed out of its nest before it was even ready to fly. “What’s going to happen to you Murphy? What’s going to happen to Rick and the others?”

Murphy’s face softened as he sighed, “Cleo you can’t live your whole life worrying about others. You’re a very compassionate young lady and that’s a good trait to have in life, but sometimes it can hold you back. You’re homeless Cleo! You deserve better in life!”

Cleo let his words sink in as she sat in his tent. Before Murphy could get another word out, she was already crawling out of the open flaps and stumbling out into the night. “Goodnight, Murphy,” she said softly, zipping up his tent and crawling over to her own. 

Murphy didn’t understand. He didn’t understand anything. 

He didn’t know Anthony. 

~*~

Cleo walked aimlessly from first period with Mr. Crawf’s encouraging words still ringing in her ears. He had announced to the whole class that she won the competition, and for the first time in her life, people clapped for her. People noticed her and smiled at her. They weren’t thinking ‘Ugh, that homeless girl.’ They were thinking, ‘wow, she’s got talent.’

She walked up to her locker and put her English books away, searching the hall for a tuft of black hair and an eye brow piercing. She came up with nothing. 

Slamming the locker door shut, she turned and was about to go to second period, when someone blocked her path. 

Lillian. 

“Lillian?” Cleo hadn’t meant for her name to come out like that. She stared at Lillian in confusion, wondering why she was even bothering to talk to her. 

Lillian adjusted the strap on her book bag and cleared her throat, “Did Anthony not come to school today because of that writing competition you won?”

Cleo blinked and shuffled her feet. “I don’t know. Are you sure he didn’t come to school today?”

“Positive,” Lillian whispered, her eyes weary. “Look I’m not here to cause drama or anything but you going to New York city is going to really brake him. Before I would have probably took the opportunity of you going to New York as an opportunity for me and Anthony to finally get close again, but to tell you the honest truth: He doesn’t love me, Cleo. He loves you.”

Cleo didn’t know what to say. Lillian, who hated her guts, wanted her to stay. 

Lillian sighed and ran her fingers through her long brown hair. “I don’t know where Anthony is, but if you see him, tell him I’m sorry. For everything.”