Page 152 of Isolation

I destroyed my relationship with Milo over the years because of Raven. The man who raised me as his own kid. The man who sacrificed his own childhood so I could have a better one.

All I asked of her was not to be with him.

But she did it anyway.

Now that it didn’t work out between them, she is leaving me.

She is so fucking selfish.

“Wow! You really gave me the middle finger, didn’t you? Were you ever going to tell me or just let me figure it out on my own?” I don’t yell. My words are calm and disciplined.

Raven looks scared. This is a fury she has never seen in me. She knows it because I have never felt this furious before. Not even when I saw her fucking my own goddamn brother.

Every time I think she couldn’t do anything worse to me, she comes back to wreck me once more.

“I-um Reid, I wasn’t sure about my decision—”

“We are done.”

“What?”

“We. Are. Done.” I enunciate each word.

“What do you mean by done?”

“I mean that we are finished. We are through, ended, terminated, concluded.”

Raven rolls her eyes. “I know what the worddonemeans. Stop being immature Reid. This is—”

“Get out of my house,” I say through gritted teeth.

Raven stares at me in complete shock.

“Reid!”

“Get. Out.” I enunciate, barely able to contain my anger.

“Calm down—”

“I wish my family never took you in. I wish we left you to rot in that empty house,” I say it quietly but I know she heard it because Raven gasps.

Loving her has shut down anything that’s good inside of me. So, she might as well see the ugly that’s left behind. I take a step forward, my face contorting with anger.

“No wonder your parents left you. You are toxic. You destroy everything you touch and now you are leaving without even bothering to explain. I never want to see your face. If you ever felt grateful for what my family did for you, then don’t contact me again. Don’t come near me. Even if you are lying on your deathbed taking your last breath, don’t reach out. I don’t want anything to do with you. Ever.”

Your closest friends can hurt you because they mean more to you than strangers.

But you see, your best friend or your “soulmate” can hurt you better because they know how to do it.

I brought out Raven’s deepest insecurities to the surface and used her pride to wound her.

She knows that I’d never sink so low unless I truly wanted to end our friendship for good.

And I do.

There is no turning back from this. We both know it. So, she stays quiet as the silent tears roll out of her eyes.

I don’t care.