When a Player Meets a Player

Chapter 42

"Yes, I did," tears filled my eyes, "Eddie, you need to admit that, I nearly got you killed, you came with me to help me and in return I got you shot, just admit it, please,"

"I'll never admit a lie,"

"I would never ask you to admit a lie, which is why I'm asking you to admit the truth to me,"

"Victoria, can you remember when you kept trying to push me away? You first joined boarding school, we were both players but players couldn't fall for each other. It defeats the object. I was intrigued to get to know you, and then I followed you all the way out the middle of the field. You ruined my Converse that day, but I still wanted to get to know you. When I did I was fascinated, and every single day since then you've lit my world up. Even when I'm in hospital, every person says to their boyfriend or girlfriend I would die for you, and I wasn't prepared to let you die, I wasn't going to stand back and let someone shoot you, I wasn't going to lose the most important person in my life. You mean everything to me Tori, please don't give up on us, not yet, not ever. I need you in my life, I always will,"

This shocked me. He remembers my first day at that school, the first day in Geography when I drew flowers all over his book. I remember thinking to myself that he's stuck with me, and he did. He stuck with me so much as to get himself shot...for me.

"I never wanted you to be in a position where your life was at risk to save me, I can't let you be in danger all the time, and if we stay together then you will be,"

"Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't love me," he said this with a straight face.

"Edward Lawson, I...can't do that,"

"Exactly which is why we should stay together, and I know you still want to stay together because you still have your Christmas present on," he said looking down at my wrist, my eyes followed his gaze and I looked at the delicate charm bracelet looking up at me.

"I never said I don't want to be together, we just can't, I can't lose you fully,"

"Which is why we should stay together, please Tori. I need you. Look over there," he averted his eyes from me to the apartments across the street. The windows hiding a family picture of a mother and father sitting down to dinner with their kids telling them about their day. I looked, confused as to why Eddie would want me to look there. "You see them happy families?"

I nodded my head silently, still beyond confused.

"That will be us one day, I'm sure of it, and you know why?"

"Why?" I asked,

"Because, happy families are built on love, and we share love, that's all we need. I promise you, we won't be in danger anymore. Things will improve, when I can walk again things will be normal again and we can walk back down the aisle of the church man and wife. Together, ready to start our own family. But instead of one of those apartments we'll have a house, a house where it's a proper home. Where safety is, we can start our own family. Tell each other about our days,"

I couldn't stop myself from crying. I sat there for about five minutes crying my eyes out. Unable to talk, so Eddie just stroked my hand, he was being strong and not crying for me.

"Eddie, I listened to you, so I need you to listen to me, I love you more than life, I promise you, I love you with everything, but I can't bear to go on knowing I nearly got you killed and," Eddie cut me off at this point,

"I'm not giving up on you, you didn't nearly get me killed, Derek did, and that's because he's a heartless monster. You can't see it can you? He's making you feel this way. None of it is your fault, it's all Derek! Please, I love you, you still love me, please don't give up,"

"I'll not give up, but I'm not promising that it won't be hard,"

"Victoria, you are going to have to leave now, we need to get Eddie some rest, you can visit again tomorrow," said the nurse. As I got up to leave I gave Eddie the picture.

"I love you," I said as I walked out, I don't know what made me change my mind. How could I be so selfish to agree to stay with him? I could get him hurt, but I need to make a plan. To sort my issues out and the people currently wanting to kill me and then when Eddie comes out of hospital he isn't in danger at all.

I'm so weak. I had to give in and say yes. I can't live without Eddie. Have you ever loved someone so much that life seems pointless without them? People say that you are still in school so you don't know what love is, but there isn't an age limit on love. I adore Eddie and if you really care that much about someone you will do everything you can to stay with them. No matter what.

Walking out of the hospital I heard someone shout my name. I turned around to see a boy, well man, about six years older than me staring back at me.

"It's been a while," he said to me, he obviously noticed I didn't recognise him, "I haven't seen you since Gemma killed someone who looked like me and put him in our house and wrote a fake suicide note, seems bizarre really."

It can't be.

But it is.

Shawn.