Chapter 3: Falling Apart
Scotty caught up to Lilly as she reached his car and he saw the tears in her eyes.
"Oh Lil, I am sorry" he says
"Why you didn't do anything, you didn't make me go out with that arsehole" She said angrily wiping away her tears, as though she felt Scotty would she was weak if he saw tears.
"I can kick ass if you want" Scotty said and Lilly smirked, the briefest hit of amusement crossing her face before the frown took over.
"What is it with me and men, I always pick the wrong ones. Patrick, Kite, Joseph, god even Ray and now Eddie, I really thought he was different Scotty. I am such an idiot" she runs and hand through her hair and Scotty shakes his head.
"You're not an idiot Lil, So you've had a bad track record, hasn't everyone. Look at my love life there was your sister, still the biggest mistake I've ever made, Frankie and then Alex so if anyone's the idiot it's me" Scotty replied
"Can you just take me home?" Lilly says
"Sure, I am really sorry Lil" He says again
"Thanks Scotty" Lilly said and she slipped into his car, Scotty sighed and walked around to the driver's seat. He hated seeing her upset and as the tears rolled silently down her cheeks he felt the stabbing pain of guilt in his heart, that he was responsible for her pain.
Scotty drove her back to her apartment and as soon as he had stopped the car she had gotten out and was halfway up her stairs before Scotty could get out.
"Lil, wait up" he yelled and she stopped at the top of the stairs but didn't face him.
"Scotty, please I just want to be alone" Lilly's hands were shaking as she fumbled in her bag for her keys.
"Lil, I knew that he was no good and..."
"Wait you knew he was cheating on me?" Lilly asked and Scotty felt her anger suddenly turned towards him.
"I...I...Okay fine I knew he was cheating on you" Scotty admitted
"And you didn't tell me?" Lilly asked
"I just didn't want you to get hurt" Scotty said
"Well I am hurt now" Lilly snapped
"I know and I am sorry I just wanted you to see it for yourself, that he was an arsehole" Scotty realised too late what he had just reveal and Lilly advanced on him.
"You knew he was gonna be there tonight, you knew that he was gonna be there with that...that whore and you just let me go...for what Scotty, so you could swoop in and play hero" Lilly scathed
"That's not fair Lil, I did it for you, your my partner and my best friend and it kills me every time I see you getting hurt" Scotty shot back
"I don't need you to take care of me Scotty; I've been taking care of myself since I could walk"
"Well maybe I just thought you could use the help Lil, for once in your life you need to let someone in"
"You arrogant son of bitch, I don't need you to save me Scotty. You know you're just as bad as he is; you're just like all the rest of them. I don't need a man to take care of me and protect me like I am some injured animal Scotty; I don't need your pity." Before he could say anything she had practically run inside the house slamming the door.
"Damm it" he muttered and he was about to walk back to his car when something stopped him. If he let this end this way, if he walked away now, their friendship would be over and ther was no way he was going down without a fight. Scotty walked up the stairs and pounded on her door.
"Piss off Scotty" her angry voice came from inside
"No, god dammit Lil open this fuckin' door" Scotty kept pounding harder until the door suddenly flew open and he was surprised at the rage coursing through him.
"How dare you compare me to that piece of scum, I have never and would never cheat on anyone I was with" She remained silent and stared up at him "The only reason I did this, was you could see that you're wasting your time with him and I know you say you don't want anyone to protect you and treat you like some weak woman but...god Lil, I can't stand to see you gettin' hurt because your my partner, your my best friend and damm it Lil, I did it cause I love you and it hurts every time you put your trust in the wrong guy and they break your heart. " His breath was rapid the anger in his eyes was slowly slipping away as he looked into deep blue eyes.
"What did you just say?" She asked looking at him curiously.
Wait, what had he just said? He tried to think back to the words he had just yelled at her, had he let slip...oh god he just told her he loved her. Rather he yelled at her that he loved her, not exactly the way he wanted to tell her. No he had always imagined telling her how he felt one warm night over dinner, or while he was walking with her to the train station on their way home from work. He had thought of all the ways he could tell her and of all of those romantic ways, yelling it at her at the top of his lungs while he was trying to defend his actions of that night wad defiantly one of those options.
"I...I" well there's no point denying it now, you let the cat out of the bag you might as well go all in, he told himself "I said... I said I love you" Scotty said softly and he stepped closer to her.
He saw the panic in her eyes as he moved towards her and he felt as though his heart stopped. Lilly shook her head and looked at her feet "I...I can't...I can't do this" she shut the door in his face and left him all alone on the cold, unforgiving street.