Her // Joe Goldberg (COMPLETED)

12

You'd reached the point of completely cutting yourself off from the world Kelsey. From what I'd observed, you went from your office to Max's apartment like they were the only two places you knew, like you'd never been anywhere outside of them. You never moved off his couch. You weren't sleeping or eating, your eyes just stayed glued to the door and when they weren't, they were stuck to the blank TV screen. This broke you, I know it did because you couldn't even cry anymore, you wanted to, I could see it in your eyes but you couldn't. Cody hadn't been in your care either, he was Eddi's responsibility the past few days. This isn't healthy, I had to do something. I spent the whole night analysing how Max texts, it's hard to match something so personal as this Kelsey, it's a copy and paste but with your own words.

I opened early, Max had been removed from my basement for two days now and it was time to rip the bandaid off so everyone could move on with their lives. I let out an audible sigh and pressed the send to all option on his phone. I had to pull this off, it had to be believable, he wouldn't be coming back. "Hey, going to Cabo. Need to clear my head after everything and just start over. Need to be better for everyone's sake. Love you- Max". This is the absurd thing about the villian Max was while he was arrogant, vindictive and made you life a living hell for so many years, he ended all of his texts with "love you", not only to you but to Len, his parents, everyone. He showed people he cared about them. It was a detail I couldn't leave out.

I put his phone aside for thirty minutes, I needed to wait for the reaction, this was the calm before the storm. People came and left, I answered a dumb question about Sally Rooneys Normal People and prayed I'd never have to answer a question on miscommunication again. Miscommunication I told the oblivious seventeen year old who looked at her phone more than me, the silent killer of most relationships. She didn't take it in, my piece of wisdom would only come in handy when miscommunication ruined one of her relationships. I went back to his phone and finally, it was time to do the hard part, the part that would set you free like a dove from a circus cage, the part that would burn all bridges between the pair of you but I had to think about how he'd do this. He wouldn't break up with you by text but I had to make you think he would, it had to be blunt and believable.

"KJ, currently sitting in the airport so can't talk properly. Not coming back. Take care of Cody for me" I began typing but deleted it straight away. There was a devils chance in hell of you falling for that. But then you walked in, you weren't you at all. It was as if somebody had made a perfect mask of your face and was wearing it around New York City. Your hair was scraped into a low ponytail, you were wearing a tracksuit, I'd never seen you wear one before. It was your face that really shocked me, you were so tired, I could see the bags under your eyes like they were on sale at a store. There was a mix of hurt and sadness on your face and you kept your eyes on the floor. You didn't even look up to say hello to me, I didn't get a smile. You just slumped over to your little perch on the couch and stared at your laptop screen. You stared at your phone a couple of times, typed a couple more then threw your head back, wiped the brimming tears and put on sunglasses so you could cry. This broke me.

"My KJ. I'm sorry but I have to leave, I'm currently in the airport, I can't tell you where I'm going just yet but I will once I settle in for Cody's sake. This won't work. Again, I'm sorry. Love you forever- Max" I sent it. I added the last few books to Becks display as I observed you, I saw your face light up at his name on your phone, I saw your eyes scan the text then I saw your whole face break. "No" you whispered to yourself. You were frantically sending messages, I could feel the buzzing in my pocket. "I need you" I saw out of the corner of my eye. You don't need him, you need me. Somebody who'd take care of you, somebody who wanted you forever and didn't treat you how he did. "Joe" you called out, it was louder than you anticipated and your voice broke slightly when you said my name.