I'm Only Human -- [Editing]

We Were Connected {Chapter Nineteen}

Hey guys! I am SO excited to post this chapter! I've been wanting to share it for forever because it's one of my favorites and now I can! Yay! Also, the super cool picture on the side was made by talesofalost-girl. Isn't it the coolest? I love it SO much, thanks darling!

Autumn could hear Eric’s words repeating in her mind. And she could breathe again; well barley. A very tiny amount of the pressure on her heart was eased knowing she had talked to someone.

Stepping into the hall, the first thing she noticed was Tate. He was hovering at the end, by Cade’s office. He was speaking with Clarke, pacing around, running a hand through his hair. Clarke was trying to calm him down, but Tate wasn’t having any of it. Autumn froze, coming to a halt at his appearance.

Hearing the door shut behind her, Tate’s head whipped around.

The two shared a moment of intense eye contact, Autumn’s heart ripping to pieces just looking at him.

“Autumn!” Tate shouted. Autumn rolled her eyes, storming into her room as Tate charged toward her. Autumn slammed the door behind her, Tate leaping inside a minute later.

Autumn’s back was to him. At first, he didn't say anything, just caught his breath.

“Autumn, where have you been?” Autumn didn’t say a word. He shut the door behind him. “Autumn, where have you been?”

“None of your business.”

“Come on, talk to me,” Tate gently grabbed onto her arm, trying to whirl her around. Autumn ripped her arm from his grip. “Autumn please, talk to me. I’ve been searching for you for hours.”

“Why do you care?” She wondered, spinning around on her heels to face him. He was taken aback by the sudden outburst.

“Why would you ask something like that?”

“Because I feel betrayed . . . You just have such a funny way of showing you care,” Autumn tried to cross her arms over her chest, however, the sling made that impossible.

“You know I care a lot about you. It’s not fair of you to-”

“Oh I know? Do I? So you find out that Mark is dead, and instead of telling me you just . . . leave!” Autumn had thought she was out of tears. However, just saying Mark’s name brought them back.

“I didn’t know how to tell you.”

“So me walking in and finding out for myself is how you wanted it?”

“It wasn’t-”

“Oh! So you just thought disappearing and making me think I did something wrong was the way to go? I was worried sick for days, Tate, because I thought I angered you. I was so worried about disappointing you. I was terrified to hurt you.  And I find out your hiding this from me.”

“Autumn, I can explain everything-”

“Save it! I don’t want to hear your lame excuses!” Autumn’s throat burned from shouting. “There is no reason you shouldn’t have told me this! I have every right to know that he . . .” She couldn’t say it again.

“Autumn, I just didn’t know how to tell you. I didn’t want to see you like this.” Autumn and Tate just gazed at each other, Autumn’s vision blurry do to the tears of frustration.

“Well,” Autumn slapped her hand against her side. “You didn’t have to tell me. You got to weasel out of it.”

“Autumn-”