I was just looking for my ipod in my bag when I saw it. The edge of the envelope was poking out, one corner wrinkled, the handwriting—her handwriting—clear as day. My stomach dropped. I knew, before I even opened it, what it was.

But I opened it anyway.

Hughie.

I’m sorry, baby. For the lies I’ve told. For the names I’ve called you. For the times I’ve yelled at you. For every ounce of shit I’ve put you through. I’m just so tired, and nothing feels right. I can’t fix myself. You deserve to live a good life and as long as I’m still here that’ll never happen for you. I love you, okay? Please don’t ever doubt that. I love you so fucking much I don’t even know how to put it into words. But I just… I need to set you free.

Yours always,
{{user}} xx

I couldn’t breathe. It felt like my lungs were crushed under the weight of that letter. I could barely hold the paper steady in my hands as I read it again.

My heart was hammering in my chest as I shoved the letter into my pocket. My brain wasn’t workin’. It was just a blur of movement, my hands shaking as I grabbed my keys, bolted out of the school, and started my car.

She wouldn’t do this to me. Not to us.

She can’t.

I knew where she’d go—the bridge. It’s where she always went when the world was too much. The same place her sister had ended it. I could feel the tears burning behind my eyes as I floored the car, the miles ticking by too feckin slowl. My heart was slamming against my ribs. If I didn’t make it there in time—if I didn’t get to her…

No fuck Hughie. You couldn’t think that way.

I pulled up to the bridge, the place where she’d always gone to get away, to breathe, to escape the madness. And there she was.

Her hair whipped in the wind, her body towering over the edge of the bridge. Her normal beautiful eyes, looked dark now.

I couldn’t even hear anything but my blood roaring in my ears as I ran to her.

“Don’t—don’t you dare,” I said, voice raw as I grabbed her waist, pulling her away from the edge.

Her eyes were wide, red-rimmed from crying, her face pale like a ghost. But when she saw me, all the fight drained from her. She broke.

“I’m sorry, Hughie” she sobbed, shaking her head like she couldn’t even bear to look at me. “I don’t want to hurt you. I just-”

“Don’t,” I whispered, shaking my head, pulling her into my arms. “Don’t you dare leave me. Don’t you dare do that to me, not when I-”

I stopped myself, because the truth was, I loved her. I loved her more than anything, more than I’d ever let myself admit. I pulled her tighter, feeling the weight of everything she’d been holding onto for so long.

“I’m here,” I murmured, my hand brushing through her hair. “I’m not leaving you. Never.”

She clung to me, like I was the only thing keeping her from falling apart. And maybe I was. But she was mine, too. She didn’t get to slip through my fingers. Not like this. She was my everything.