Admitting the Truth – Decisions
Almost as if Eric's accepting Baze's challenge he seriously says, "Anything." I'm unsure of what's happening right now but I'm pretty sure it's not good.
Baze looks down at Cate, "Alright, I'll go along with it."
"Ok Mr. Daniels as I see it there's 2 options we have here to proceed with." Cate says seriously. I'm really afraid of where this is going to go, I'm afraid of the 2 options they've come up with.
"Option 1, you leave Portland and you will have no further contact with Lux until she is at least 18 years of age." I knew I wasn't going to like where this is going. I look over at Eric and he nods, "And option 2?"
"You stay in Portland, keep your job but you 2 will have no contact with each other. You are not allowed to talk to each other, you will not be her tutor, and you will have no contact with each other." Baze explains seriously. "If you violate these conditions we go to the police."
I want to scream at them, I want them to know and understand how messed up these arrangements are. I look at Eric; he's looked down at his feet staring at them like they're going to tell him what to do.
We're all standing there quietly for a few minutes before Eric looks up and speaks, "Can I have some time to think about it?" 'Time? Why does he need time?' My head screams! If looks could kill, the stare that I'm giving him would have taken out everyone in Portland! Why does he need to think about this? It's obvious that he should stay, he should stay here and we can at least still see each other.
"You have 24 hours," answers Baze.
"Cate, Baze" I say looking at them, "Can I speak with Eric?" I'm hoping they'll let us speak alone. I know I can convince Eric to stay as long as I can talk to him, "Please?" they look at each other sharing a silent conversation with their eyes. Cate turns back to us, "5 minutes. That's all you get. Say whatever you have to because this will be the last alone time you will get."
Cate motions for everyone to follow her, they go down the stairs to the bar, Baze is the last one to leave, giving us both a look before closing the door behind him.
"Stay" I say launching myself into his arms, "stay here. I don't care if we can't be together at least I'll be able to see you and we, we can figure something out." Eric tightens his arms around me, "Lux I can't. I won't be able to handle seeing you and not being able to talk to you. It will be too much temptation."
I pull back from him and kiss him. We're both bathing heavily when we pull back, "can you honestly tell me that you'll be able to resist the temptation to do that when you see me?"
"No, but I'm going to have to try." I plead with him.
"But you won't have to TRY if I'm not here." Eric argues.
"I turn 18 in a little over a year. After that we can be together, after that they won't have any say in what I do." I argue, I don't want him to go, I'd do anything to keep him here. "Please Eric, don't go."
"I need time Lux, this is my decision to make" he says looking down at his watch. "They're coming back up in 2 minutes and I want to do this 1 more time." he captures my lips, god it feels so good to kiss him, all of the love we feel for each other being expressed in this last kiss.
We pull back from the kiss when we hear their footsteps on the stairs. We're still embraced in a hug when they enter the apartment.
"Alright I think it's time that you left" Baze says sternly, "Remember 24 hours."
"Yea I got it," Eric turns to look at me pulling something from his jacket pocket. I'm curious as to what it is, what could possibly be in this little red box? Why is he giving it to me now? Is he leaving? Is this a going away gift?
I'm so scared when I look up into his eyes, and when he begins to speak my heat fills with a coldness, "To teach what I should have taught you in the beginning," he says quietly as he places a hand on my face, "To help you find your way without me." with those final words he lets go of me and walks out the door.
As the door closes I crumble to the floor crying, I feel as though someone has just punched me in the chest; it's so hard to breathe and my head is spinning. "Lux?" Cates voice breaks into my head, "Lux it's going to be ok." No! No it's not my head screams! Suddenly a tightness in my chest starts restricting my breathing I grab my chest trying to grasp for air, "Oh my god Lux are you ok?" Cate is now holding me on the floor. The pain is so bad and all I can manage to do is shake my head as my world goes black.