He turns towards me with his arms crossed while he leans against the wall next to my bedroom door. Here’s the deal ; either stay away from Joey or move out and our relationship will be over. It’s your choice in the end.
When he walks out of my room, I felt even worse than I did before because before all this, I could be with the love of my life, but I didn’t have my dad. But now, I had to make a decision between having an amazing relationship with my father after so many years of us having a love-hate relationship or having an even worse relationship with him and being able to live my life with Joey in the quarter house. The only reason that I don’t want to move out just yet is because Emilie needs me.
This is still a new town that she still has to adjust to and she would hate me if I just moved out without giving her a genuine reason. If I did choose to move out, then the last thing I would ever want to do was tell Emilie the ultimatum that Dad gave me because even though he has been so terrible to me, he has been Emilie’s hero for her whole life and I wouldn’t want to ruin that.
I lay down on my bed again, letting my mind wander. From the moment in the locker room with Joey to a few hours ago when he left my house in fear, I’ve never wanted to be with him more because now, there was a chance that we would never be together again. I’ve been told multiple times about how if a mate rejects their other half that they could die if they don’t have anything to stabilize themselves on.
I wanted to be with Joey, but did I want to be with him more than I wanted a relationship with my father ? That is the one thing that I needed to figure out before I saw Joey next, which meant I had a full day to think all of this through.
Kade’s POV
On Monday, I spent the entire day avoiding Joey, Melissa, and Cody, which was pretty easy because I think Joey had told them to give me space due to my father. But after dance, I knew I had to face him when I saw him and Emilie both leaning against my car. Emilie had stayed after for tutoring again and at this point, I regretted telling her that I could take her home because I really didn’t want to do this in front of my sister.
All day yesterday, I spent all in my room to try and figure out what I wanted to do at this point. I figured out that if I went with the choice to break up with Joey that I would be able to have my family by my side because I had a feeling that if I moved out to be with Joey that my mother and sister wouldn’t want to deal with me because I still wouldn’t tell them why I was moving out to help them save the picture of who they though my father was.
When I approached my car, I looked at Emilie. Get in the car, I’ll be there in a few minutes.
Okay, she told me as she got in with a confused look as did Joey, who tried to pull me into a hug, but I backed away because having him touch me right now would make everything worse right now.
What’s going on ? He asked me.
I fiddled with my hands as I tried to figure out how to say this terrible thing to him. Joey, I don’t know how to say this, but I think we need to end this.
His face switched into a mixture of panic and fear as his brain tried to comprehend what I had just told him. He took a step back, hitting my car which made Emilie look up from the movement. I could already see the tears formulating in his eyes as he cleared his throat. Why ?
There’s some things that I need to work through with my father and I just don’t think I can do it with you in the picture, I tell him, crossing my arms so he didn’t see the shaking in my hands while I also had to hold in my tears.
But… he tried to say something before he turned his face to the side as a single tears fell down his left cheek. At that moment, my heart broke into a million pieces and my entire body covered in panic at what I was doing.
I’m so sorry, I tell him, trying to keep this short and sweet.
Kade, we could work through this together- he started.
I’m sorry, but I can’t. There’s so much going on and I just don’t think this relationship is something that I can keep going forward with, I tell him.
I’m shocked when Joey’s hands shoot out to grab mine, sending sparks throughout my entire body. He pulls me to his chest as his hands keep gripping my wrists to hold me in place in case I try to move or anything. Kade, what’s going on ?
I shake my head. This is my choice.
No, he snaps. you did not decide this. I know you, Kade. You wouldn’t have chosen this yourself, not after everything that’s happened.
I look away from his worried face, begging myself to not cry at this time. I knew that if I had told him that it was my dad’s ultimatum, then he would probably show up at my house or something to convince my dad that what he was doing was wrong and I’ve definitely thought through all the possibilities where I asked him again.
I tried to pull my wrists away from his hands, but he only tightened them. The urge to cry got even greater when he looked at me with desperation. Tell me what’s really going on.
Please, just let me go, I whisper, my voice cracking like I’m some broken kid and at this moment, that’s exactly what I feel like. I watch as another tear falls down his face before he pulls me closer to himself. I have to look away as I start to cry because I know that looking at him even more will just make this whole situation even worse.
Talk to me. What’s going on ?
Let go, I urge forward as I try to pull my wrists away again, but his hands tighten again, which now creates a painful ring around my skin. I close my eyes, more tears falling down my face at this terrible situation.
I hear a car door opening before slamming shut and I don’t open my eyes to see whatever’s about to happen until I feel a hand place on my arm. Joey, let go of him.
I look up to see Emilie pulling on both of our arms to get him off of me and when she touches him, he lets go to take a step away from us as he wipes at his eyes hastily. My sister pulls me towards the car and I get the strength to walk over to the door and get in. As we drive away, I don’t give Joey a look because breaking down was not an option right now.
When we get out of the parking lot and to the main road, I bite down on my lip as all the emotions hit me at once. Emilie reaches over to take one of my hands in hers in support before she clears her throat. What happened ? I thought you were happy.
I lean back in my seat, never taking my eyes off the road. I was.