My Shadow

Chapter 20

Essa

"Can I help you?" I asked coldly. Why did I have to act cold to him. I wanted to wrap my arms around his neck. Kiss him until our lips were swollen.

"Tress, come home. I miss you." He said softly. I haven't heard his voice in too long. It melted my heart. Remember Essa you're mad at him. He never let you explain why you left him. Yes he did you just never told him.

"Let go. Go home to your girlfriend." I said bitterly. Since when was I so bitter to the guy I loved. Since when did I leave him when I almost lost him.

"I can't, I don't know where she lives. Tress don't leave me. Please." He begged. How could I say no.

"Oh look the prostitute and her guy." Some random guys said. I was used to being called a prostitute by now. I could see the anger in Stefan's eyes.

"It's okay Stefan. Now let me go please. I don't know what you think you would get if you came here." I said. My heart was breaking more I didn't think I could lie to him too. I wanted him to wrap his arms around me tell me that I was the one he thought about at night. I thought about him a lot at night.

"I'm not going anywhere without you. Don't you realize that this last year has been hell for me. I haven't ever loved anyone else like I loved you. This last year I have only thought about you. Please, please don't leave me. I couldn't handle it. Please Tress I love you." He begged. I never thought a guy would beg for me. I realized we had a crowed. I couldn't stand being the center of attention. He knew this.

"Let's talk about this latter." I said. I just wanted to leave.

"No Tress we talk about this now. Because later you are not going talk with me about this. You'll ignore me like you have been the last year. Tress please don't leave me. What happened to the girl who was afraid to leave my side after I returned home? Who lied to stay in the hospital with me?" He asked. I was almost in tears. He really hasn't forgotten about me.

"She's gone now. She doesn't want her death to hurt anyone. So she ran away. She was going to ask her prince to move in with her but he ran too. She's gone. She has been replaced by a girl who worries about food and shelter. Who worries about losing her apartment. Who has already lost her home twice. Someone who trusts no one. Someone who acts okay when she's on the end of a losing battle of depression. She's gone replaced by me." I said. I didn't care anymore who was around. I needed to tell him why I left. I need him to know Tress the girl he knew wasn't me.

"I love you. I don't care if that girl is gone. I just want you in my life. My life isn't a life worth living if you aren't here with me. Please Essa. Please come home. Please come live with me. I'm your home and always will be there for you. Don't leave me. Please not again. I don't have a heart with out you." He said. I knew it was a losing battle. I knew I was losing. My depression was fading my heart was screaming. My heart screaming the words I wish I told him every day. Words that I would say again and again.

Stefan

"I love you Shadow" she said. Everyone clapped. I didn't think it was a victory. She ran away crying. I chased after her. After a year I wasn't going to let her go again.

I grabbed her arm again and pulled her into my arms. "I'm never letting you go again." I whispered into her ear. She cried into my chest as I soothed her hair.

Life hasn't been fair to her. It takes away her dad. Then her mom leaves her. Then for some reason she thinks she has to leave our house. She finally stopped crying and Spirit joined us.

"Oh babe. Smile it's been way to long since you've smiled." Spirit said.

"How did you know when graduation was?" Tress asked.

"I begged for months until someone finally told me. she told me and I quote. 'Go win back my girl' and told me what time graduation was today." I said. She looked at Spirit.

"Sorry. I owed him though after all the times he helped me get you back." She said quietly.

"Why did you leave our home?" I asked. For me that was the toughest question there was. It was all great. We were like a family.

That was until she left. I couldn't handle it. I became cold to my dad. We fought a lot until one day he told me to go start a business in the city. He couldn't deal with the way I had become.

The person I was without her was a monster. I felt so guilty. I practically worked myself to death several times to try to forget about her. It didn't help.

"I was going to ask you to move in with me. I left because I promised to when I started living with you guys. I promised once I had enough money I would move out. Although I didn't want to leave you. I wanted you to come with me. You didn't let me explain that so I just left out of anger. I was angry you left me at the table that day." She said. She started crying again I just continued to hold her.

"I'm sorry Tress." I said as I held her tightly. The whole world could be destroyed and I wouldn't care as long as she was alive in my arms  "I love you more than anything Tress. Please forgive me."

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Author's note: I accidently unpublished my book so if you get notifications about chapters being upload that you've already read I'm sorry