In the arms of evil

From lovers to enemies

Colton fell asleep on my couch soon after explaining to me his past. He looks so peaceful while he sleeps. Like nothing can hurt him there. I understand what he meant before by not wanting to tell me about his past. It's not that it's driving me away. But I've already had one person I love turn on me because of things he was involved with. I don't want to go through that again. Maybe being just friends is what's best for us.

From the kitchen, I can hear him mumbling something in his sleep. I walk over cautiously to check on him when I see him tossing and turning, glowing with sweat. "No...stop... please..." he mutters, fists tight, curling under the blanket I laid on him. "Hey, colt, it's okay. It's just a bad dream" I try to shake his shoulder to wake him up carefully. He grabs me from my bicep with a tight grip as he jolts awake, eyes wide with fear. "Colton, you had a nightmare. Please, let me go" I mumble carefully, afraid if he's about to have another outburst. He releases me and sits up on the couch.

"Sorry. I guess talking about that night got to me" he stutters, wiping the sweat from his head. I rub my arm painfully, noticing a small bruise forming. "Shit. Brook, I'm sorry I didn't-"
"Don't worry about it. It's not your fault. You didn't know." I say, standing up away from him as he leans towards me to observe my arm, making me flinch away from him. I see him wince at my reaction. He knows I fear him. Or rather, what he's capable of. I love him. I do. But we're both broken and if I get involved with him anymore than I already have, I risk putting myself in danger. And I won't be the reason for him getting hurt trying to protect me. Two broken pieces will break further to try and fit, and I won't let him do that to himself. I won't. "Don't give me that look Brooklyn" he runs his hands through his tired hair, "dammit what do you want from me?" He asks, frustrated. I give him a weak smile, "I want what any girl wants. A love without condition. Without suffering. I want that great love story that stars whisper about and people can only dream of. I want to feel the world move when you smile at me and I want to hear the melody of the birds soaring around the sky when you laugh with me. I want to feel what it is to be loved, truly loved, without fear of pain or what happens when I fall because I've been through that and I won't survive crashing again. I won't. I need an unconditional love without strings to hang myself with later because I got too tied up in our pasts. I want you... but I can't have you without all of that pain, and I think we both know that." He looks away from me, knowing I'm right. Then I say something he doesn't have the strength to say.

  "I think we should just stay friends Colton." I mutter, playing with the sleeve of my jumper. He looks at me, face blank. Then he huffs and let's out a short laugh, body showing irritation I never thought he'd have with me. "Yeah. I think you're right. I'm pretty screwed up for you Brooklyn. I played the nice guy with you, but we both know I'm an asshole through and through" he runs a hand through his mattered hair. "That's not true" I say without hesitation. "Oh yeah? Tell me Brook, what was your first impression of me?" He says, a side to him coming out that I haven't seen before. "Well, I-" I stumble over my words. "Let me tell you what my impressions were" he says sternly, rising from the couch. "I thought you looked hot as fuck and would be a quick lay with the way you were dressed" I blink twice at the disgust in his words. I can't believe what he's saying right now. "Colton-" tears begin to sting my eyes but I wouldn't let them fall. "I'm not done. I thought you needed saving. Like always. A damsel in distress I could charm and fuck and leave at that. Because that's the type of guy I am Brooklyn. I'm an ass. And you're nothing but soft" he spits. "Colton stop it" I beg like a kicked puppy. "You're so broken from your past and I'm so damaged from mine that this" he points between us "would never have worked. Two broken people only add to each others bullshit. So yeah. We're done. Friends is best. Although, I don't do friends Brooklyn. So this is it. Keep out of my business and I'll stay out of yours" he goes to leave but my body is overcome with anger I haven't seen since before Troy. "Listen here asshole!" He stops in his steps at my outburst. "You want to know what I thought of you?"

"Sure go ahead doll. Surprise me" he says with a cocky grin. "I thought you were the most obnoxious asshat I had ever met. You think every girl wants you and that you're such a catch but guess what Colton? They don't. You're not even close to what I deserve. I'm sorry what happened to you. Really I am. But you are one selfish person to only think about yourself. I told you something dark. Something that broke me. I told you the one thing that could destroy me, that did destroy me. And you call me broken for it? Are you out of your god damn mind?!" I was shaking with rage at this point that the Morano vase on the fireplace mantle was looking really good to throw at him.

"And the way I dress does not mean I'm an easy lay! It means that for the first time in a year since I lost everything, I finally felt like myself. Damn you for calling me broken. Damn you for walking into me life. I'm an idiot to think guys like you could ever change. So go ahead Colton. Hurt me. Break me. Ha! You can fucking try! But make no mistake... I'm not some damsel in distress and I never will be. Not for the likes of you or any other guy that thinks rage and aggression is the way to assert their authority. You have none over me! Now get the fuck out of my house" I seethed. His face is trying to hide the pain I just slashed him with. "Brook-" he says, but cuts himself off and winces at the glare I give him. He brushes it off, huffs and storms out, slamming the door behind him. "I am not broken" I mutter angrily, fists clenched. "I am not broken". No matter how much I say it, I can't help what happens next. My knees buckle and give out below me, my body falling to the ground. "I hate you Colton. I hate you" I whisper through sobs.

Coltons pov
I stop two steps after I leave her house. I want to go back in, hold her and tell her I'm sorry. I never should have opened my stupid mouth, how the hell could I say those things to her? I turn and place my hand on the door handle, ready to go back in there and get whatever it is chucked at me until she forgives me. But then I hear it. Her loud sobs and the way her body drops. Followed by her repeating to herself that she hates me. She hates me for breaking her when she had just gotten herself back... how could I do that to her? "I'm so sorry baby. I don't deserve you, and I release you" I whisper against the door, palm flat against it before I pull myself away from her. She's this pure thing, this astonishing creature, and I? I'm a weapon created from pain and ruin. Weapons don't weep, but for her I'd cry forever until I see her happiness come back to her and bring that rosy glow to her smiling cheeks once more.