The Girl Nextdoor

Chapter 46

At first I thought she was expressing her anger towards me. But it became evident that wasn't the case at all. The photo had triggered the broken girl I saw a few hours ago. It had brought back unwanted faces and memories that had been haunting her all her life. And it was all my fault.

"Hey..." I said scooting over to her and placing my hand on her knee again, "It's okay."

Lauren looked up at me with her tear stained eyes.

"I've got you." I whispered cupping her cheek and wiping off a tear with the pad of my thumb.

A smile creeped onto her face before she turned away and got herself together. She took a few deep breaths before she spoke, "I'm sorry." She apologized meeting my eyes.

"You don't need to apologize. It was my fault. I'm sorry. I shouldn't of taken anything."

She shook her head, "It's okay. I know you didn't mean too. I know you better then that. I was just surprised, that's all." She shrugged.

"Did you think that I did it purposely?"

"At first yeah, but like I said I was just in shock."

"Oh..."

"Yeah..." She simply said glancing at the photos on the ground. Her eyes fixated on them again. It was if she was watching a memory. But by her unreadable expression I couldn't tell if it was good or bad.

"Lauren?"

"Yeah?" She asked with her eyes still hovering over the photo.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, go ahead."

"Why..." I hesitated.

She noticed it and met my gaze.

"Why do you still have it?"

"The photo?" She asked.

"Yeah."

She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I guess... it was my only clue too."

"For what?"

"To know..." Her voice quivered, "why she did it. It's the only piece I have left."

"Of what?"

"Of her."

But you hate her?

"You think she had a motive?" I asked wanting to stray away from the subject to see if I could subtly uncover more to the story.

"No, if anything, it was just for her own personal gain, it's just..." Lauren hesitated, before her unspoken words became obvious to me and struck my insecurity.

"If you hate her so much then why keep it? Why feel the need to keep a piece of the past, for a answer that you already know?" I pushed further.

"There's more than I even know, Camz. But that's the worst part. Not knowing. And I just wish I knew why she did it. She at least owed me that."

"Did what exactly?" I asked feeling as if she was referring to something else other than her assault.

"Why..." Lauren's voice shook before she paused, "Why she..."

"Broke your heart?" I interrupted.

Lauren's mouth fell agape.

"You loved her...didn't you?"

Lauren furrowed her brows in confusion. It seemed as of she was contemplating the question and hating herself for not denying it right way.

I didn't know what I had just done but, a part of me couldn't stop from mentally face palming myself as I watched her question her whole life.