11:11 \\ mgc [completed]

17:00

["i'm permanent, you can't erase me" - aftertaste, shawn mendes]

"He's in jail."

That was the first news I got about you.

You were in jail, and I had no idea why. You were the sweetest person I had ever known, what had you done that had got you in jail?

I panicked. Not because you were in jail, but because there was a stain on your record. How were you supposed to get in to your dream college?

I had to do something.

So I visited you. You refused to talk to me. I had to stop myself from crying in front of everyone.

"What did he do?" I asked the officer near your door. He looked at me skeptically.

"Who are you?"

"His girl-" I started, but then stopped. I wasn't your girl friend. You had made that pretty clear, "his ex."

The officer whistled. I decided that I did not quite like him.

"What did he do?" I repeated, my voice firmer this time.

"Allegedly, he murdered someone."

"Whom?" I pressed, my heartbeat accelerating.

"The Mayor's son." As the words fell out of the officer's mouth, I felt my heart stop.

Because I knew who had murdered the Mayor's son, and it wasn't you. It was me.

You'd taken the fall for me.

I looked at you, just to see you looking back at me. My eyes were wide, and yours pleading. I knew you enough to understand what you were trying to say, but I couldn't let you do this. Not after everything you had done for me.

So I grabbed the officer's arm, made him look at me.

"It wasn't him," I said, "it was me."

"That's what my girlfriend told me. Turns out it's always you." He chuckled. Did he think this was a damn game?

"Do you think this is some kind of sick joke?" I exclaimed, coming out a lot more furious than I had intended to. He didn't seem fazed.

"I understand you're trying to protect your ex, sweetie, but it's not going to work."

"What is wrong with you!" I shouted. The officer looked taken aback.

"Look, miss-" I heard you calling my name. I whipped my head around, trying to contain the tears that were threatening to spill out.

I ignored the officer and walked towards you. Why had you done this?

"You have to understand-" You started, but I cut you off.

"There is absolutely nothing to understand!"

"Yes, there is. You didn't kill him, I did," you said.

"I was driving that goddamn car!" I shouted at you, and you shook your head. Walking towards the bars, you squeezed your hand out. I didn't know what to do, because I wasn't your girl anymore.

"I love you," you said, and that was all I needed to hear. Wiping my clammy hands on my shorts, I interlaced my fingers with yours. You squeezed my hand, the warmth of yours seeping into mine.

"I know what I'm doing," you said, "trust me on this."

"I wish I could, I really do. But you can't spoil your future because of me."

"The mayor's not pressing charges. They're brushing it off as a drunk and drive incident. If he presses charges, he'll be charged with several things I don't want you thinking of."

"Don't do this," I pleaded, "please."

You just smiled. I loved your smile.