“And?”
“And I’m not destroying that.”
Anger rose inside me.
“You think disappearing makes it less real?”
Her eyes flashed.
“This isn’t only about us.”
“Then tell me what you want.”
She looked at me.
I waited.
Her silence was devastating.
Finally, she whispered, “I want you to go home.”
I felt something inside me drop.
“You mean that?”
“No.”
The honesty stopped me.
Tears gathered in her eyes.
“But I need you to go anyway.”
I packed that afternoon.
Michelle stayed downstairs.
When I carried my duffel bag toward the front door, she appeared in the hallway.
For the first time since I had known her, she looked completely lost.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
I nodded.
I couldn’t trust myself to speak.
My hand reached the doorknob.
“Evan.”
I turned.
She crossed the room and stopped in front of me.
For one dangerous second, I thought she might kiss me.
