Next Life (COMPLETED)

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The fire in his eyes, the fire that had been burning my eyes dry, gets extinguished. No more anger, just pain. The pain allows my eyes to dampen. And as soon as the first tear falls his tight grip on my chin releases, as his arm drops down to his side. He slowly backs away from me, not breaking eye contact. All the emotions he's feeling are still very much present in those lively hazel eyes. I suddenly remember Alex's iced over ones and realize that I'd rather take an emotionless stare over this one any day.

"So I was right to accuse you that day," his words are soft, not with care, but with hurt.

"We weren't seeing each other that day. It started soon after that though," I confess. I'm relieved of the lies, but the betrayals I left behind hurt much worse.

He nods. "So Luna found out today as well then? It was him that had you upset this morning? He broke things off?" I'm the one to nod now and his jaw clenches. "Why Charlotte?" I suddenly don't like my name on his lips anymore; I want to hear him call me 'darling' again. "I have so many questions and thoughts that I don't even know how to say them because despite the amount of hurt I feel right now I care about you too much to hurt you back."

"I deserve whatever you're probably thinking of me right now," I tell him.

He narrows his eyes at me. "It's clear you know the things you have been doing are wrong so why do them Charlotte?"

"I love him," I whisper as I lower my eyes from his stare.

He lets out a humorless laugh. "You don't love him Charlotte, you lust him. Was it because he was older? It seemed like an adrenaline rush or something? The fact that he was your professor, did that give you some kind of high?" His words are harsh, and I want to be angered at his accusations, but he doesn't understand. No one does.

"No. I love him, I do," my words are sharp.

He just shakes his head at me incredulously as if he realizes that he's not going to get through to me. "You know what Charlotte, I'm not going to stand here and try to talk sense into you. But just know how much your actions, your lies hurt the people around you." With that he knocks on the door and a few moments later my mom opens it. "I'm sorry Mrs. O'Heir, but unfortunately something has come up and I have to leave. Thank you for the food it was delicious."

My mom frowns slightly when she looks behind him to see me crying. Her gaze shifts back to Kain as she replies, "That's alright honey, it was really nice meeting you. Get back safe okay?"

He thanks her one last time and turns on his heel, not sparing me a second glance. Once he is on the elevator and out of sight my mom turns to me in concern. "Charlotte what in the world is going on?"

I let out a small sob and she rushes to hug me. I see my aunt hovering behind my mom with a similar look of concern. "Oh Charlotte are you alright sweetie?"

I pull away from my mom and sit on the lounge chair by the door. "I lied to Kain and he was upset with me, so he left."

"Honey why did you lie to him? It seemed like it was more than that that made him leave? You were out there for a while, what else happened?" My mom asks gently. I should've known her mother intuition would kick in.

I almost let out a laugh as my brain immediately came up with another lie. They come too easily now, but I'm unfortunately not ready to upset anyone else today. "Kain likes me and I lied to him a lot so I wouldn't hurt him. He discovered my lies today," is all I say. It's not a lie just not the whole truth.

My Aunt Patty looks hesitant as she asks, "Well him liking you was clear as day, why would you lie to him?"

"I really don't want to talk about this anymore. Please."