Come Back To Me - ✓

53 - Don't tell him

"Hey, sweetheart. How-"

"What are you doing here?" Dylan's voice sounds, cutting his mother off.

His voice gives me chills. And not the good kind.

Willow beckons Jeremy to her and quickly, Jake takes both of the kids inside. Leaving just the four of us here. I watch as they disappear, slightly afraid of looking at him.

And boy, do I wish I didn't. The sight before me makes my heart fall to the ground in a million pieces.

His hair has been growing out but instead of that stylish messy do he used to wear, it's more to the greasy side like he hasn't showered in a while. His skin, which is usually a darker golden shade, is paler except for the dark circles under his eyes.

His blue eyes are dull and dark and his cheeks and jaw are covered in a dark shade of beard. Dylan rarely let it grow more than a couple of days but now... It makes him look at least five years older than he really is.

The guy in front of me is not the man I last saw. He looks tired, defeated.

Heartbroken.

And it breaks mine too.

"I needed to talk to all of you," I start. "I-"

"You need to leave." He cuts me off through gritted teeth.

"It is important." I press. "You have every right to be angry but I want to help and..."

Dylan's sarcastic laugh cuts me off, "That's rich. You want to help? Now?"

"I-"

"No! Leave."

"Please, Dylan," I beg, taking a step forward. "This is important!"

Shutting his eyes tightly with a locked jaw, he takes a step back. Away from me.

"Leave."

"Baby," Willow calls for him. "Maybe you shou-"

"No!" He yells, cutting her off.

"Lo, he needs to let it out," Liam whispers to her ear but loud enough that I can hear it.

I only spare them a glance before looking back into Dylan. His eyes are already on mine. Fire blazing through them and not just any kind.

Anger.

It's new to him and it certainly doesn't suit him, at all. Not the sweet and loving Dylan I got to know. But there it is, burning through every emotion that flows in his veins. And he is letting it all out. At me.

"You could have helped all those days ago by believing in me. By saying it back, by showing up on that damned night so I wouldn't be accused of something I didn't do." His breathing is ragged but keeps it going. "Instead you made your choice. And it was not to help me. Do yourself a favour and leave."

With every word that leaves his mouth, something in my chest squeezes and brings tears to my eyes. It hurts. To see him hurting so much that he'd be so harsh and angry towards me when the root of all of these problems are Dean and Abby.

No, I can't blame them for everything. He begged me with his words and eyes that morning and I left him. Sure, intending to get to the bottom of what had happened but that's not how he sees it.

And especially because I left him that one time, I know better than to repeat the same mistake twice.

"No! Be mad all you want but I've come here to help and I won't leave until-"

"Fine!" He cuts me off again with raised hands. "Do whatever the fuck you want. Just stay out of my sight."

And with that, he turns around and crosses the hallway, to the stairs. Willow follows him down the stairs, to his room, leaving me and Liam alone.