Talk About the Direct Approach...

Chapter Eighteen: I don't even know

There's a soft knock on the door, and part of me desperately hopes that it's Cayton, coming up here to make everything ok. But the door opens and Hunter's head pokes in and my heart sinks just a fraction.

"Uh, can we talk?" he asks.

"Sure," I sigh. He steps in, along with Tami.

"Ok, I'm going to make this simple. I need you to be honest with me ok?" Tami says, standing at the foot of the bed in front of me and crossing her arms.

"Ok..."

"What are you thinking right now?"

"What do you mean?"

"What are you thinking right now about all of this?" she presses.

"I... don't know?"

"You do know, or else you wouldn't be avoiding everyone."

"I'm not avoiding anyone! I just have nothing to say."

"Ok, let's try this. Pretend Hunter is Cayton. What would you say to him?" She grabs Hunter's sleeve and pulls him next to her.

"I-"

"Just try it."

What would I say? Ok, pretend he's Cayton... Let your heart out.

"I would say that, I'm upset with you. It hurts that you would keep a secret from me. It hurts that you sent Hunter and Tami up here to talk to me instead of coming up here yourself," I say.

"Do you want to leave?" Hunter asks.

"What?" Tami and I ask at the same time.

"Do you want to leave?" he repeats.

That's a good question. Do I want to leave? I don't-

"I-" I start to say something, until the door opens up.

"Well, do you?" Cayton asks. He's asking me if I want to leave?

"Why, do you want me to?" I ask, hating how my voice suddenly gets shaky, like I'm about to cry. I won't cry over this though. Tears start brimming my eyes when Cayton's face goes hard, void of any emotion.

*Cayton's POV*

I pace back and forth outside of Macy's door, listening to her talk to Tami and Hunter.

"Ok, let's try this. Pretend Hunter is Cayton. What would you say to him?" Tami says.

"I-"

"Just try it," Tami interjects. I contemplate going in there and letting her tell me what she's really thinking, but the fear that she will just shut me out stops me. We will probably find out more this way.

"I would say that, I'm upset with you. It hurts that you would keep a secret from me. It hurts that you sent Hunter and Tami up here to talk to me instead of coming up here yourself," she says.

The guilt starts eating away at me immediately.

I think we can all agree that I am a hopeless idiot.

I should have guessed. That's why she looked disappointed in me. It's because I hurt her. It wasn't intentional, but the thought of hurting her tears a hole in my heart. So yes, I am an idiot.

"Do you want to leave?" Hunter suddenly asks. That catches my attention. She wouldn't leave me, would she? I know I screwed up, but that can be fixed. It might take time, but it can be fixed. She wouldn't leave. At least, I hope she won't.

"What?" Macy and Tami say at the same time.

"Do you want to leave?" Hunter repeats.

If you love something, set it free. If it doesn't come back, it was never truly yours.

My mother used to say this all the time. Of course, back then she used it to refer with toys and pets I never really wanted to part with.

If I let Macy go, or at least gave her that option, would she take it? There isn't doubt in my mind that I do love her, but what good is keeping her if the feelings aren't returned?

The idea of letting her leave has my wolf growling at me. He refuses to let her go, but frankly, it isn't his choice. It isn't mine either. If Macy wants to leave, it's her choice.

After everything I've gone through to keep her here, I say sardonically in my head. Despite that, I open the door.

"Well, do you?" All three of there faces are staring at me in shock. Tami and Hunter try to talk to me through the mind link, but I block them out.

"Why, do you want me to?" Macy asks, her voice shaky as it always is before she's about to cry. It almost breaks me.

"It's up to you. If you want to leave, I won't stop you." I hold open the door, and silently pray that she won't go.