Tate leaned against the wall of the dank basement, the mildew infested cellar becoming his home since his world had collapsed in the worst kind of way. Violet's downward spiral had not gone unnoticed by him. The urge to run to her was getting harder and harder to ignore, especially when he saw her take a jackknife to her throat. He could've sworn she'd just done the same to him, the pain ripping through him as if they were the same person.

Tate stayed away from her, though. He did exactly as he was told and opted for watching her stare out the windows in longing. The ache he felt in his core was unbearable, indescribable. Catching her scent in the hallway, watching her strip before she climbed into the shower, he was no better than a stalker, a sick voyeur. His self loathing was forgotten, though, when he willed himself back into the basement and began working his own arousal, like he did every time he watched her. The images of their previous lovemaking flashed through his mind, baby smooth skin writhing underneath him, naïve lips battling against his own. It was too much when the memory of Violet screaming his name in orgasm was thought of, and he released into his hand. He had never felt so pathetic. "When are you getting your balls out of her pocket?" Hayden would say as she came to him in the basement, looking for someone new to lay down for. "Still saving your virtue for Wednesday Addams?"

Tate slumped against the wall, not even bothering to zip himself back up. He was so tired of being in pain. He'd done his best to avoid hurting a soul since Violet sent him away, he'd be damned if he let her down. Tears streaked his face like they did every single day as he returned his limp organ back to his jeans and crawled over to the far corner of the basement where he kept a plain composition notebook and a black sharpie. He gathered his knees to his chest and began scribbling hastily into said notebook, ignoring the smudges his child-like crying was causing.

"If I could take it all back, I swear that I would

I'll leave you alone now, I promise for good

And you can forget me

I won't say a word

Your slumber, my love, no longer disturbed

But I can assure, even when I depart

The love that I have for you, stays etched on my heart"

Tate reread his work. "I could've made a decent musician if I hadn't shot a bunch of people and then died", he said to himself.

Having gotten the better part of his angst out, he had nothing left on his agenda except sitting miserably in the basement fantasizing about Violet.

He had no idea what even came over him when he abruptly stood and started to climb the stairs, his legs and brain not quite working on the same wave-length. Before he could make himself slow down, he was standing in front of a door in the upstairs hallway. It took no time before he finally realized it wasn't just any door, it was her door. He stroked the wood with the back of his hand, feeling as creepy as ever but not caring as he turned the handle without thinking. His heart stopped for a moment before he realized it was empty. He hesitated, the smell of the girl who had stolen his heart and ripped it out just the same overtaking him and making him light-headed. Tate took the few steps over to the bed that belonged to her and stared down at the indentation her body had left on the mattress, stroking his fingers over where her head rested at night.

The lead in his stomach grew heavier, and for the second time that day, tears spilled hot over his eyes. His thoughts didn't even taunt him about what a pussy he was this time, his brain too fuzzy. His mind was overflowing with garbled images of Violet and he on the beach, Violet smiling up at him as he handed her that spray-painted rose. Violet, Violet, Violet. The sobs racked through his lean frame as he ripped a page out of his notebook, the verses he had written downstairs on it. He lay the page on the bed and disappeared back into the basement to waste away in his personal hell, Violet's angel's face never leaving his mind as he collapsed onto the floor and the room became dark around him.