10
"You have to be fucking kidding me."
She's been gone for a whole week, during which my conscience fought a battle between relief and devastation. I never did work out which won. Now I see she's still here, I'm fighting the very same battle for the opposite reason.
"Jasper Whitlock? Ugh. I didn't think she could sink any lower." Rosalie hooks her arm protectively through mine and drags me past them on leaden feet.
I'm feeling like I may actually throw up, when we bump into Emmett, standing at his locker and watching them with undisguised distaste.
"I don't know which one disgusts me more," he growls, loud enough for everyone in the immediate vicinity to turn around and see what he's talking about. Some wrinkle their noses, others laugh between themselves, and a handful turn and look to me for my reaction.
I'm pissed. The reason I'm pissed is because I know Izzy, and I know Whitlock's reputation. Although she makes out like she doesn't give a shit, I happen to know she does. About everything. He's going to chew her up and spit her out and I'm going to have to watch while she puts on a brave face and does a good job of not falling apart in public, while in private she'll be a fucking mess. I'll have to stand by, knowing what a fucking mess she is and not being able to do a fucking thing about it because of my promises to myself and to everyone else that I won't get involved again. I already know it'll fucking kill me, because when she hurts, I hurt. I know she's an excellent actress in front of everybody else, but she won't be able to hide it from me, even if she tries; which she won't. And I know she won't, because she never does.
That's when she needs me the most. It doesn't matter if she's in Phoenix or Forks, I've always been the one she wants when she's down.
I'm not staying to watch her begin her next descent into desperation.
I uncouple myself from Rosalie and leave without a word.
~S~