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He whispered something in Chloe’s ear before he walked away, and his glare caught me by surprise. Had she told him?

Daniel slammed the door harder than needed. I turned my attention to Chloe. She looked unhappy and it was my fault.

“What do you want, Xavier?” She sighed and wouldn’t look up from the floor.

“I wanted to talk to you about your grade.”

Chloe’s face remained expressionless, but I noticed her eyes now glared at the floor. “What about it?”

“I wanted to know if you would like some help pulling them back up? You’re really close to failing, Chloe, and I would hate to see you waste your future because of me.”

“Because of you.” Her head snapped up and her eyes landed on mine. “Don’t. Just don’t, Xavier. You’re killing me silently.”

I saw the pain in her eyes. Without thinking twice, I was up from my chair and standing in front of her. “Chloe. I…I.”

“You what, Xavier? Is it your hobby to play with my emotions?” She lifted her head up to look me in the eye. “Tell me, Xavier, how do you sleep at night? Knowing what you are doing to me?”

I don’t sleep at night. Every night I drive across town to stare in your window. Every night. Just like a peeping Tom. People go to jail for what I do every night. Every night I lie down next to a woman I wish was you. Every night I ache for you, but can’t bring myself to accept you.

“Let me guess. You sleep peacefully with your wife in your arms.” The disgust was her eyes, but I knew under that thin layer of disgust was her endless hurt and pain caused by me.

“Let me help you.” I tried to hide my desperation. It was my excuse to be near her. “Please, Chloe.”

“I don’t want your help. When are you going to get it, Xavier, I am doing everything in my power to forget you!”

“You can’t forget me. I’m a part of you.” I stepped closer and placed my hand on her cheek, making her met my eye. “Chloe, please let me help you.”

“Can’t you see what you are doing to me?” she choked. “Can’t you see the pain? It’s so powerful I can’t hide it!”

Her eyes were killing me, the sadness in them. I dropped my hand from her cheek and stepped away from her. She was right. I was silently killing her and I was too selfish to stop myself from doing it.

I loved her. She was mine, yet I couldn’t have her till I’d overcome my own past.

“Also you should know that I won’t need your help.” She clenched her textbooks tighter to her chest. They were another sign she was trying to distance herself from me. She used to always borrow mine.

“Why? Get a better offer?” I stuffed my hands in my pockets.

“Yeah, I did actually. From someone who isn’t twisting my emotions for their own enjoyment.”

“Let me guess. Good old Dan to the rescue?” I rolled my eyes. “You know he is only going to hurt you.”

“He can’t hurt me anymore than you have,” she shot at me before moving in the direction of the door. “Also I am asking all my teachers to tell me what work I need to complete to catch up fully. So could you do that by the end of the day?”

I let my eyes float to the ground, to keep her from seeing the hurt about her decision to choose Dan’s help over mine.

“Why? I can tell you tomorrow,” I replied coolly, hiding my pain as I watched her walk from me.

“I am going away with Dan’s family. They decided to leave early.”

“You aren’t going away with them. Didn’t you speak to your parents?” My chest rose in anger. I couldn’t let her go away from him. It killed me when I didn’t see her for a day. I struggled to make it through to the night.

“I don’t have to explain myself to you.” Her hand was on the door ready to slide it open. “Just have the work ready.”

“How long will you be gone for?”

Her eyes met mine, locking firmly. “I don’t have to tell you anything, Xavier. I despise you. And when it comes down to it, it’s not any of your business.”

She slid the door open and left. Just like that, she left. For once I felt how she felt. She was choosing Dan over me.