Emily, Please Don't Go Away

Eleven

 "How's it feel? We're finally free for the summer! I'm gonna spend so much time at the lake. I need some good R and R after this bullshit year!" Sayra exclaimed as she threw herself across my couch.

"It'll definitely be nice to not have to be up early every day. Plus, I couldn't wait to be done with Miller's class. He was such an ass."

"I told you that he was, but you didn't listen. You said he was just an old-fashioned guy," she reminded me. I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, well, I was wrong," I admitted as I plopped down next to her.

"So, are you going to come with me? There's plenty of room at the lake house. We can swim, have parties, meet cute guys." I sighed and shook my head.

"Nah, I got stuff I need to do here. Besides, I have a boyfriend, remember?" As if on cue, he walked through the door.

"Hello, angel," he greeted with a smile. He looked over at Sayra and gave her a less enthusiastic greeting. "Sayra."

"What's up, Way?" She responded with an equally unenthused tone.

"How's it feel to be done with your first year?" He asked, turning his attention back to me.

"It's a relief. I definitely look forward to sleeping in," I laughed.

"Only on the days we won't be on the lake all day," Sayra chimed in.

"The lake?" I heard the disappointment in his voice.

"Say's trying to get me to spend the summer with her at her parents' lake house," I explained.

"You're not going, are you?"

"Well, it would be better than dealing with the summer tourists here," Sayra declared. He shot her a hateful look, but I don't think she noticed.

"Well, it's up to you, angel. If you really want to go..."

"I haven't even thought about it," I replied honestly.

"Well, I'm heading out on Sunday. So, you better think fast. Which would you rather do: Spend the summer swimming, drinking, and soaking up the sun with your best friend, or spend a boring ass summer sitting inside your tiny apartment with your vampire boyfriend?" I shot her a warning glance.

"Wow, thanks, Sayra," he said sarcastically. He looked back at me. "I'm just gonna go. I'll see you for dinner, right?"

"Of course," I smiled reassuringly. He gave me a half-hearted smile before heading out the door. I turned back to Sayra. "What the fuck was that?"

"What do you mean?" She asked, batting her eyelashes innocently.

"What is it with you two? Since you guys met, you've been hateful and snarky towards each other. For you not to have a history, you sure bicker a lot."

"I don't know, Em. I just don't like him. He gives me a bad vibe. Maybe it's just jealousy because he keeps stealing my best friend from me."

"Well, he is my boyfriend, and you're going to have to get over it. As my best friend, you should be more supportive. You just make things uncomfortable when you're in a room together." She rolled her eyes and made a pouty face.

"Fine, fine, fine. I'll try not to be such a bitch," she sighed dramatically. "Only because I love you, though."

"I know. I love you too."

* * * * *

I knocked on his door for the third time. Still no answer. I tried the doorknob, and the door creaked open.

"Gee?" I called out. The apartment was almost completely dark, aside from the faint light from down the hall. From the direction of the light, I heard a quiet sniffling sound. Panic bubbled in my chest as I felt my way down the hallway to his bedroom. I pushed open his door and saw him sitting in the center of the bed.

"Gee, what's going on?" I asked as I moved closer to him. He looked towards me for a split second before looking back towards the bed. I sat down next to him and reached for his arm. There was a warm, damp spot on his sleeve.

"I couldn't stand the thought of not seeing you for so long," he whispered. His voice was hoarse and barely audible. I turned on the lamp beside his bed, and I saw the red on my hand. I looked back at him, noticing the crimson stain on the sheet.

"Gee, what did you do?" He looked at me, and I could tell from the puffy circles under his eyes that he had been crying.

"Please, don't be mad at me... I was just so scared that I would lose you..."

"Gee, what did you do?" I asked again. He shifted uncomfortably, pulling his arms to his chest. I saw the dark spot on his sleeve and grabbed his arm gently, pulling the sleeve up. "Oh my God..."

"Please, don't be mad," he mumbled in a childlike voice. I stared in shock at the bright red smears against his ivory skin. I ran to the kitchen, grabbed a damp cloth, and returned to him. As I grabbed his wrist gingerly and began wiping away the blood, he winced in pain. Once the mess had been cleaned, three medium depth lacerations remained.

"Gee, why would you do this?" I asked tearfully.

"I thought you were going to leave me, and who knows what that girl would let happen to you? I wouldn't be there to keep you safe, and I couldn't bear the thought of something happening to you. I couldn't take not seeing you for so long," he rambled apprehensively.

"Oh, baby... I'm not going with her. If you would've just waited, I was going to tell you that at dinner. I never even considered going with her. I didn't want to be away from you either." He sniffled and looked back at me.

"I don't want to lose you. I would rather die than live without you."