Her hair was in a messy ponytail, pulled together by a grey scrunchie. Her dark blue over sized sweatshirt fell over her shoulder and revealed her prominent collarbone. She was wearing minimal makeup and it was evident she didn't need any to begin with. She was wearing black ripped jeans, exposing her soft, creamy skin underneath and had her shirt tucked in the front. I took in every feature, trying to keep a photographic memory of her beauty.

She was absolutely breathtaking. My whole world was standing right in front of me.

She moved to the side of the door and allowed my entrance. I slowly crept through the door, keeping my face forward. I knew she was watching my movements. I didn't even know where to start, how to begin. I should have just kept off the grid and disappeared. She deserved much better than that. I was thankful for mastering my mask of emotions.

I cleared my throat when the door closed from behind me.

"You look beautiful today," I murmured.

"Eli... Where the hell have you been?" There was a bit of a snap in her voice. Hm, she's upset. I could work with this.

"I had to deal with some things," I said with simplicity.

She walked ahead of me and turned around to face me. I stayed near the door, knowing I'd need an escape route soon.

"Yeah, I remember you telling me something about that. What, does this emergency have anything to do with your bruised up face?" She motioned towards me. I forgot about that.

I could tell through her anger, she was worried about me.

When I didn't answer, she continued. "I went over to Tyler's house when I returned home from California. I was hoping you'd be there with him, but to my surprise, he was alone and you were nowhere to be found." She stared at me.

I trained my eyes on hers. She was accusing me of something but she wasn't sure what.

"I asked what was going on," She persisted. "I asked if he was okay."

I raised my head and fixed the hat on my head to see her properly. "And what did he say?"

"He gave me nothing." Her brows creased with defeat. "He said that you would tell me when the time is right."

I watched her eyes in need of answers. She'd be disappointed. I was proud of my friend though. It was good to know that even when I was doing the shadiest of things, he'd still have my back. I'd have to keep that in mind.

I nodded and ignored the screaming pound of my chest.

"Is the time right?" She asked.

I said nothing.

"Eli what is going on?" She raised her voice with plea. "You disappeared for days without a single phone call. At my fathers funeral. Tyler doesn't even seem to-"

"I'm done."

She stared at me and stepped back on her foot, placing all of her weight on one side. I glared at her with a cold expression while she remained silent, taking in the two words I interrupted her with.

I didn't expect myself to even say the words out loud. I felt like I couldn't breathe. This was it.

"What?"

"You heard me," I muttered.

She seemed to have paled. Beautiful eyes in my direction.

I'll miss those pretty pale blues.

"Done with what?" She asked slowly, cautiously.

"You," I simply stated.

She paused, searching for some sick joke. When she found nothing, she panicked. "Why-Why?" She stuttered. "What do you mean? You..."

I tilted my head but kept my dead face. "I just can't do this anymore, Aria."

"Can't do what?" She shook.

"This. Us. This game."

Make it hurt.

I knew her too well. I had to destroy her to make sure she never came after me. She needed to hate me so she could stay away. In result, I hated me too.

"This game?" She echoed.

"Yes," I raised my voice then laughed. "What, did you forget who I am?" I smirked. "The master manipulator, the heartless asshole that everyone warned you of. Did you think you could really change me? That's cute."

She frowned. "Eli..."

"You should have listened to them."

She chewed the inside of her lip and creased her forehead. "They were wrong about you."

She wasn't buying my story just yet.

"Right. You were nothing but a game to me, princess. The pure girl, the innocent girl. I figure you'd be a challenge and I always loved a challenge." Ignore the sting. "Since the day I met you, I wanted nothing more than to just fuck you and leave it at that."

"What are you doing?" She searched my eyes. I gave her nothing. "It's not true."

"Get into the pants of the naive girl. I just wanted a fix. I knew you weren't experienced which made it all the more fun. Once I did, I figured hey, a good lay for a while. May as well put on a charade and see how far I can run with it. Accept the internal challenge and win the prize. I didn't think it'd escalate this far. I was just having too much fun when I realized you fell for me. But, I'm bored now, and I'm done playing. And I'm done with you." I said with a sinister voice.

Tears pooled into her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. Her bottom lip was quivering. It killed me, but it meant it was working.

I wish I could kiss her one last time.

"Why are you saying these things...?" She mumbled and stifled a cry. "Why are you doing this?"

I shrugged. "I'm getting tired. I just felt like you needed to hear the truth so I can get you off my back."

"It can't be... No. Why-Why did you really leave?" She wiped her tears with the back of her hand. "Did you..."

"I had better things to do."

"Than to attend my father's funeral?" She pitched her voice with more tears falling. "Tell me the truth!"

My best friend killed your father.

"Fine. You want the truth?" I looked away from her face and focused on the room behind her. "I don't love you. I never did," I spat. My heart was shattering. "Do you really think I was faithful to you?" I laughed. "Pretty girl, I've been fucking around with half the town. Ask anyone, they'll tell you," I lied.

From my peripherals, I saw her raise her hands and place them on her face to cover herself. She began sobbing uncontrollably, while I stayed a statue. Internally shattering inside, but unable to show it. I couldn't bear to even look at her. I caused this.

If only she knew the real reason why I had to do this to her...

"What, everything was a lie? All the dates and words and- and the gifts?" She raised her wrist that held the charm bracelet I gave her. "You're telling me, right here, right now, that this was all fake?" Her voice cracked. Then, realization of my last statement. "You cheated on me..."

I stayed in the shadows of her house, close to the door. I leaned against it and stared at the ground. This way, she couldn't see my face. Fuck. Don't back down now.

"That's right," I mumbled quietly.

"What about everything you opened up to me about... You wouldn't have told me if-if you were playing games," She tried convincing herself.

I nodded. "I left out a few details. I always told you it was them who did the worst," I chuckled darkly. "They were innocent compared to me."

I thought back at the time I explained to her of men in my gang being women beaters.

She gasped and digested the words I fed her. "And Tyler and Lacey?" She cried. "How could you possibly-"

"I guess I'm a lot more like my father than you thought I was," I said in a cool tone.

I stared at the ground.

"Fuck you," She muttered. "Fuck you!" She screamed.

I made the selfish mistake by letting a tear fall from my eye. I didn't dare look up. My chest felt constricted, as if my bones were closing in on itself while my heart squeezed. I wanted to throw up. I was weak. She made me this way. I almost resented her for it. It'd have been easier if I didn't fall so damn hard.

"I hate you," She cried. "You're a twisted manipulative asshole."

Another tear fell from my face.

I'm so sorry...

A small object flung across the room and hit me in the shoulder. On the ground where my eyes remained, rested the charm bracelet.

I kept my stare away from her. I already memorized her face, the last thing I wanted to do was ruin the image and replace it with her anguish.

"Why?" She demanded in a cry. "Do you have nothing to say for yourself?" She raised her voice. "Now you're suddenly out of words?!"

I just love you too much...

You deserve a better life.

I didn't move from my position. I felt stuck, glued to the floor. I couldn't open my mouth, I had no words. I was frozen.

"Get out," She demanded. Her heartbreak obliterated my insides. I didn't want to leave. "Get out," She screamed. "Get out! Get out, get out!" She stormed up to me.

She pushed my chest and I slumpingly hit my back into the wall. I submitted to her anger. I wanted her to hit me, to slap me, to punch me, to do anything to try to take away an ounce of her pain.

I wanted to take her pain away.

"I hate you, get out!" She opened the door to her house. She shoved my ribs and I suppressed a wince. The pain of my bruised ribs were nothing compared to the pain of what I'd just done.

It had to be done.

I stopped her from shoving my ribs again and caught her wrists in my hands. I wanted to just hold her. I kept my eyes out of view by using the beak of my hat as a shield. She gasped at the contact. I shoved her spare key back into her hand and let her go.

Get your fucking knob fixed, babygirl.

She stared at me with red eyes and puffy cheeks. I refused to let my watery eyes betray me. She was looking for a glimpse of an answer and I needed to give her nothing. She needed to believe that I'm heartless.

I needed to pull this off to protect her. I needed to get myself together.

"Goodbye, Aria," I whispered - Avoid the opportunity of a cracked voice. Avoid weakness.

I walked out of her door and towards my car. I didn't even bare to turn around because if I did, it meant that there was still hope. But there was no hope.

I won. She hated me. The ties were completely cut.

I sped down the road, wanting to crash it, but I had an unfinished day. I had one more thing I had to accomplish today. And after that, I would bury my nose in blow and call it.

I stormed into my house and walked straight past Tyler sitting on the couch and into my room. I slammed the door behind me and took out a suitcase from underneath my bed.

I rubbed my stuffed nose that I wanted to blame on the coke residue but I internally knew it was from fucking losing my shit in the car, upset at what I just threw away.

I was thankful Lacey wasn't home. She would have squeezed more information from me. Aria probably was calling her by now and I'd be in for it.

I contemplated snorting some of what was in my back pocket.

The door opened behind me in the midst of packing clothes and simple essentials.

"E?" Tyler asked.

"Yeah," I called while continuing to pack.

"What are you doing?" He asked with alarm. "Where have you been?"

"I had to get away for a bit," I said while searching through my old boot where I kept spare cash. The rest would remain hidden in a more secure place. Nash's first mistake was believing that I really lost all of his money. "Had to do some thinking."

Tyler stayed silent for a moment. "And how'd that go?"

"I came to a conclusion," I said in a rush, then paced over to my bedside table. "I'm leaving."

"Where?" Tyler asked.

"We agreed me living here wouldn't be forever and I figured now is the time to go. Get out of your hair." I kept my casual tone to avoid giving away the pain.

I had to give them a chance at a normal life.

"All of a sudden?"

He was so calm. So reasonable. I enjoyed this about him. I'd miss it.

"Seems that way, doesn't it," I muttered while opening my drawer and sniffled. I didn't need all of this junk, fuck.

"And what's happening with Aria?"

I froze and felt a ping in my heart. "That's over."

Tyler walked over to me but I turned away from him and pretended to look for something important. "I thought you were happy?"

"Yeah well," I sadistically chuckled. "I got bored of playing that role."

"Eli, what's going on?" Tyler grabbed my shoulder and I shoved him off me.

I looked at him frowning and I could tell he was looking at the bruising on my face. He was confused and I guess it was reasonable. "I'm fine," I mumbled. "I just need to get away from everyone for awhile, okay? I hope you understand."

I hope you understand. Christ, I was really feeding some lines today.

Soon.

He stared at me. "I don't understand," He admitted. "You're ruining good things in your life, Eli. You do that when you spiral out of control. We made a pact that we'd trust each other with everything."

"I do trust you," I said sincerely.

"Then why don't you tell me what's going on?" He asked.

"I have," I muttered. "I'm done pretending to be someone I'm not. I just- Fuck. I just want to do my own thing for a while. I just want to be alone."

"What are you doing that isn't you?" He queried.

"Monogamy. Being a nice guy. It isn't me. You know that." I stared at the painting Aria painted me for my birthday. Suffer.

"You're scared," He suddenly announced.

I stopped. He could see it in my face more than I wanted him to. I hated that he knew me too well. I poker faced myself to avoid further assumptions. "Just because I'm sober doesn't mean you have a right to mold me into a person I'm not," I snapped. "I'll never be that person. It's time everyone starts accepting that."

"No one is trying to change you, Eli. We're all proud that you're doing so well with your sobriety. We just want what's best for you."

I sighed. "I have to go."

"So you and Aria fought then? You two didn't see eye-to-eye on something? Is that why you're running away?" He followed me.

"She doesn't understand me. She never did and she deserves someone with less demons."

I felt his eyes on me but I didn't feel like playing that game today. "Well I don't believe that. Where did you really go?" He asked.

I remained quiet.

"Where are you going?"

Silence.

"Was it wise of me to cover for you?" Tyler said suspiciously.

I stopped my tasks and looked at him. "I appreciate you having my back. You're a good friend." I took the picture frame off the nightstand and placed it inside the suitcase before zipping it up. "I really have to go."

"Eli," Tyler raised his voice. I kept walking towards the door but stopped before I opened it. "Please be careful."

"Tyler," I muttered. "Do me a favor?"

"Anything."

Goodbye.

"Forget about me."