Fallen (Fallen 1)

“Kylie I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that,” Isaac said having finally caught up to me. He had his hand on my wrist.

I fixed him with my iciest stare. “Don’t touch me!” I said through my teeth making it sound like a hiss.

He removed his hand from my wrist and put his hands in the air like he was surrendering, “Okay, okay. I won’t touch you. But talk to me. Please?”

“I can’t talk to you! Or anyone!”

“Why not?” He asked calmly despite my anger.

“Why do you even care?” I countered back.

“Because I like you Ky. Okay! I fancy you! Is that what you want to hear?”

“What! You know I’m with Jonathon.”

“Ky he’s disappeared to who knows where! I don’t know if you’ve figured it out yet but it seems to me like he’s not coming back! And he’s not good for you!”

“You don’t know anything!” I said but I couldn’t help but feel that he was right.

I could see pity in Isaac’s eyes, “I know more than you think I do. You’re better off without him.”

“No I’m not,” I said quietly as the tears continued to come. I felt his hand on me again, “I said don’t touch me!”

He removed his hand and from the look on his face you’d have thought I’d slapped him. “Ky I don’t want to ruin our friendship. I promise not to kiss you again or bring up anything that makes you uncomfortable. I’m happy as long as we can be friends. Now please let me drive you home.”

“Fine,” I said. I didn’t have any other way home; I didn’t have money for a taxi, I didn’t want to call Diana, or any of the others.

I walked over to his car and he let me in.

“I’ll be right back. I have to go pack up my guitar,” He said. I just stared straight ahead and said nothing. I was tempted to walk away but I didn’t think it was smart to get lost on the streets of Rome.

The ride home was awful. Isaac tried talking to me but I didn’t say a word. He dropped me off at the end of the driveway. “I’m sorry Ky,” He said before I closed the door in his face. I didn’t even wait for him to drive out of sight before I got into my car.

I stumbled up into my room and sobbed. I didn’t even make it to my bed. I just collapsed onto the floor. This was the worst I had felt since the night Jonathon had left. Isaac kissing me had made it so much worse. There was only one set of lips I wanted pressed against mine and Isaac’s kiss had me think that maybe I would never kiss Jonathon again.

I don’t know how long I sat there wailing before the door opened behind me. It must have only been minutes but it felt like hours. I glanced behind hopefully thinking maybe by some miracle Jonathon had come back. That maybe my pain had summoned him. Surely it was strong enough for him to feel.When I saw Diana standing there I sobbed even harder. She knelt down on the floor with me and pulled me into her arms. She ran her fingers through my hair.

“Shh. Everything’s going to be okay.” In those five little words all the animosity between Diana and me was erased.

“No, it won’t.”

“You can’t think like that Kylie.”

“But it’s true. Nothing will be okay until Jonathon comes back and that’s not going to happen,” I sobbed.

“You don’t know that. You never know he might show up tomorrow begging for your forgiveness.”

“Only in my dreams,” I mumbled.

I wiped away the last of my tears. Diana’s appearance had managed to stop them. It was nice to have Diana as my friend again. I hadn’t realized just how much I had missed her. She looked me up and down and I knew that I must look awful. But instead she just pulled me into a hug.

“Let’s get you cleaned up,” she said pulling away from the hug and starting towards the bathroom. I followed her as she wet a wash cloth.

She began dabbing at my face.

“Thanks,” I said when she was finished.

“No problem,” she said with a small smile. “What are friends for? You know if you still um . . . consider me a friend. I know I haven’t been a very good one as of late.”