Gone
A/N: Hey guys! To all my readers of Invisible, here it is! The twelve-hour-awaited Gone! But yes, here it is, my companion/sequel thingy to Invisible. To my newcomers, I suggest you read Invisible first. It'll explain a lot.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. I only own their last names.
Dedication: The same people as Invisible, the boy who inspired this and the girl who's given me the strength to walk away from someone who hurts me.
Cleo Bezzera had what she wanted. He was here, standing in front of her in the pouring rain, begging for her forgiveness. Begging for her.
But in the moment, she wasn't sure this was what she wanted, or needed even. After everything she'd done, even if she still loved him, why would she want to take him back?
"I'm sorry Cleo," Julian said, the rain making his hair slicked down flat against his forehead, a few shades of brown darker due to the water.
"Why should I believe you?" she asked coldly, crossing her arms, quite annoyed with him at the moment.
"Because...because...because..." He closed his eyes tightly. The coldness in her tone seeping into his skin, almost, and sinking down to his bones, making him feel...well, cold. "I don't know. You're right and you probably shouldn't but...just please."
"No, Julian." The words came out more sure than she felt them to be. "I'm not forgiving you."
"Can I have a reason?" he asked, pushing his wet hair out of his eyes. "Cleo, I—"
"Julian, just stop." Just the way he said her name made her want to give in to him. But she didn't. She held her ground. No giving in...
"Stop what?"
"Please, just go home. Go away."
"Cleo, please. I'll do anyt—"
"Stop. I can't trust you, and I'm not going to go back, so you might as well just leave." The firmness in her voice surprised her, and seemed to shock him as well.
Julian sighed. "If that's what you want, I'll leave. I just wanted you to know—" His voice cracked, "—know how I feel."
"I do," she answered. "But I just...Julian, you hurt me. Intentional or not, you did. And I can't go back to that. I'm sorry."
Julian stepped closer to her, tucking a sopping wet strand of dark hair behind her ear. She shivered at his touch. Don't give in... "I...you're right."
"What?"
"You're right."
"About what?"
"A lot of things, but...I was stupid and a jerk. I'm sorry."
"Yeah, I was right." Her chocolate brown eyes had a new, certain hardness to them. She wasn't caving, she wasn't going to give into him, she wasn't going to let him hurt her again, even if that wasn't his plan anymore. She wasn't going to take that chance.
And he knew that. The thing was...he really did feel something for her. He was cursing himself for ever thinking other wise, for being such a jerk to her.
"I guess this is goodbye," he whispered hoarsely, his fingers still lingering on her cheek. They felt warm in contrast to the cold air around her.
She nodded, pulling away from him, even if a part of her didn't want to. "Maybe someday we'll meet again, Julian. But for now...I can't trust you. I'm sorry, I can't. Goodbye."
She turned on her heel, splashing him with the water from a puddle at her feet. She ran back up the porch steps, back to her house.
He watched her go, away from him. An old quote passed through his mind, one he hadn't .
heard in years.
"If you love something, let it go. If it comes back, it's yours. If it doesn't, it never was."
Julian decided he'd do just that. Let her go. She was happier without him, it seemed. So why make her unhappy? No matter how much it killed to have her so far away, it hurt less than seeing her unhappy.
"I love you," he whispered, before turning and walking away.
He knew she was gone. She wasn't coming back to him, no matter how much he wished and needed for her to.
He'd made a mistake, and that had cost him more than he had thought it would.
She was gone.
A/N: How was it? I hope you guys like it! Review please, and tell me what you think. :)