"What the hell are you talking about, Valerie? You can't quit, this is not just some silly thing you can change your mind about overnight, don't you get it? This is the real deal, and if you walk away now you'll be ruining your life. Everything we've worked for so hard, gone. Just because you're some prissy girl that needs to get things done her way!"
"So that's what you think of me?"
"Don't you dare change the subject, Valerie! I will not let you throw away your life like this, I will not sit and watch you ruin everything we've worked for!"
"You don't understand. You will never understand."
She started for the door but Daniel cut to her and made her turn around so that she was facing him. The anger was starting to crawl slowly into his bones making him start to blow up just like a balloon. Valerie could see this, they'd been together long enough for her to recognize the signs before the balloon bursted and her heart sank a little.
"Please let me go, Daniel. Please."
"I'm sorry but I can't do that."
"You don't understand, Daniel."
"Help me understand then."
Valerie could see he was having a hard time controlling his emotions but she knew that she could never tell him the truth. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for the tiniest moment, already regretting the lie she was about to say.
"I don't love you anymore, Daniel."
Suddenly, the color drained out of his face and he opened his mouth as if to say something but all he could do was stare at her in disbelief.
"You... you don't mean that."
It took everything in Valerie to look him in the eyes and not cry.
"I like someone else, Daniel, I'm sorry."
She knew this would shatter him but it was the only way he'd ever let her go without asking questions and maybe this way it would be easier when she disappeared.
"Can I at least kiss you goodbye?"
Valerie's heart sank a little more and as she lowered her head, her lips started quivering, she knew the tears would start coming soon so she needed to make a decision fast. He took a step towards her, making the distance between each other smaller. She looked up and saw his face was covered in tears and just like that she made her decision. She took his face in his hands and kissed him with everything that was left of her, trying to apologize through that last kiss, for she knew that she was killing him by doing this. She was dying inside as well, but it was better this way. She finally let go of him and without looking at him again, started walking towards the exit and didn't look back.
It wasn't until she got to her apartment that she let herself crumble down in the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Pull yourself together, you can do this."
She looked up and saw Summer was already there.
"Summer, I broke his heart."
"I'm sorry, Val. I know how much you love him but you know that this was the only way. There is a no dating rule that he would've never respected and you need to do this, Val."
"What if..."
"No, Val. There's is no 'what if' you need to do this, I will not lose you, okay? Not you too" Summer had to choke out those last words, her emotions were getting the best of her.
"You'll never lose me, Summer."
"And that's why we have to go. The car's ready."
Valerie closed her eyes and tried to imagine this was all a dream, a nightmare that she would wake up from any minute now.
To be continued...
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