Words Unspoken

Chapter 16 - Shattered Glass

I cut him off angrily. "I think we're done here." I stood up, already knowing where Louis's conversation was going to take us.

"No, Will, we're not done. Will you just please tell me the real reason why she's still here? It's been years since we've last seen her, and now that she's been back, everything is just..." he trailed off.

"You don't understand."

He nodded, tapping his fingers on the table. "Maybe I don't understand, but you still haven't answered my question. Why is she still here?"

"I need her."

Louis shook his head sadly at me. Wrong answer.

It was a while before any one of us spoke up again. I should've just left when I could've. The silence between us the strangest of all the silences we've had. And it left me feeling uncomfortable, even if this was my best friend we were talking about.

"Fine, Louis. You want to know why she's still here?" Louis slowly turned his attention back to me. "I need her here because I can't lose to her like the way I lost everyone else. I've already lost..." I felt my voice crack, but I ignored it. "I-I..." I felt tears rising but I brushed them away quickly and turned away from Louis.

"I miss her, too." Louis said softly.

I forced a laugh and shook my head at him. "No you don't." Louis stared up at me. "You know what?" I threw my hands up in exasperation. "I don't even understand why you care so much in the first place. Natalie's my problem." I rocked back and forth on my heels.

"What about Kaylee then?" Louis asked quietly; he played with his fingers.

I stopped the rocking of my heels. "What about her?"

He sighed. "Nothing."

I furrowed my eyebrows, not understanding what any of this had anything to do with her. And last time I checked, Kaylee knew nothing of Natalie. Did she even know she existed? And besides, we were just friends.

"No, I want to know." I found myself saying.

"Will, you are so stupid sometimes. And selfish, too. You don't give a fuck about anyone but yourself, or about anyone who cares about you, do you? You throw all of it away and then wonder why no one can get close to you. You want to know what I meant about Kaylee? Are you that blind? I don't be-" Louis ranted.

"What the fuck are you even worrying about? I'm the only one who's getting hurt because of this. It's not like you even have anyone to protect-" I seethed.

Louis stared at me as I gripped my cup tightly in my fist. He looked at me with a crazy look in his eye.

"Damn it, damn it, Will." he muttered. "Are you fucking serious? You think you're the only one who's getting hurt by this? I spent years watching you get hurt. I've watched your sister die when I was with you. I've found you barely breathing at your house. And you think I don't have anyone to lose? Are you fucking serious..." Louis repeated again. I backed away from him; his face was red, and because he rarely got angry and cussed, it was strange watching him turn into this other person. "You've dragged everyone into this mess you created. Kaylee, she doesn't know it yet, does she? I have Chance to worry about as well. And you, you," Louis shook his head crazily, pointing his finger at me, "I've already lost you so many times. I can't lose you again."

I interrupted him. "Well, that's just too bad, because you've already lost me."

"You're insane!" Louis shouted then, scaring me. "I'm going to call the police. We're going to end all of this right now-" He stopped talking when he heard the glass shattering on the wall. Slowly Louis turned his head over to look at the missing glass cup in my hand. Then he turned to look at where Chance laid surprised, with glass parts covering him.