I've become an unwitting collector of others' opinions, a curse I must bear. But I yearn to rid myself of this burden, to banish the plaguing thoughts from my very being. How? How can I possibly respond when I shouldn't be here in the first place? His eyes fixate on mine, and I find myself in a frantic struggle, battling the surging anger within me. I rise abruptly.
"This was undoubtedly a mistake," I assert firmly. However, my throat constricts, and my thoughts whirl. "I shouldn't be here." I shake my head.
Before I can turn to leave, he seizes my wrist with a swift motion, forcing me to face him. "What's going on in your mind?" Jace gazes up at me, his eyebrows furrowing, his grey eyes quivering.
He's making me question my choices; Andrew doesn't deserve this. "Please," I implore, attempting to free my wrist from his grip.
He takes a hesitant breath to say, "If you leave, there's no turning back. I can't let you puppet my heart, Lucy. Can't you see how deeply you affect me?" Jace frowns, pulling me closer. "I thought I could let you walk out that door and accept that you've chosen Andrew. How foolish of me."
"We wouldn't work," I state.
"Why not?" He asks, his voice soft and trembling.
"I know so little about you," I clarify, shaking my head.
"My name is Jaehyun Jack Harrison. I'm seventeen years old, and I lost both my parents in an accident caused by a drunk driver. I carry a painful scar on my upper thigh, and my grandfather treats me like dirt because he blames me for his only son's death, even though my father was driving me to the hospital due to my stupid peanut allergy." He swallows. "I struggle with depression," he admits with a crooked smile. "Do you know how agonizingly difficult it is to resist the urge to end it all when you can purchase the means to do so at the nearest supermarket? My grandmother is a fashion designer, and she coerces me into modelling in her absurd shows. It was at one of these runway shows that I first experimented with drugs at sixteen, and at the same age, my girlfriend took her own life." He abruptly releases my wrist, turning away from me. "I could take you from Andrew, but I want you..." He faces me again. "I want you to come to me of your own accord."
I gaze at him for a long moment, too afraid to voice my thoughts, too afraid that I might find myself sympathizing with him even more.
My phone suddenly starts ringing, and I look down at the screen. It's Max.
I glance at Jace and then answer the call. "Max, what's going on?" I say.
"Lucy, I needing to talk to you," his voice trembles with distress.
I swallow hard. "I'm sorry; I've been caught up," I apologize.
"I sent you my location. I'm here with Mom." My heart sinks, and I shake my head.
"Why? What's happened?" I begin to pace, my breaths coming in rapid succession. "Come back home. Why didn't you tell me?!" I raise my voice at him.
"How could I have told you?!" he shouts back, frustration evident. "You live in your own world, Lucy, thinking the sun revolves solely around you." His words shock me; have I truly become so self-absorbed that I've left him in the shadows?
I struggle to catch my breath. "Okay, I'm coming. Wait for me, Don't go anywhere with her," I hastily hang up the phone, my heart pounding.
I look over at Jace, who is now on his feet. "Lucy, take a deep breath," he says, concern in his eyes.
"No. No. No," I mutter, as memories flood back. "No," I shake my head.
"Lucy, it's okay," he tries to touch my shoulder, but I recoil.
"Don't touch me!" I yell.
I run my fingers through my hair. "I need to leave; I have to go," I tell Jace.
"You can't just leave like this," he blocks my path.
"Something could happen to you," Jace asserts firmly.
"Don't tell me what to do; you're not my boyfriend—Andrew is. Remember him?" I brush past him.
"Lucy, at least let me drive you, let me take you, please," Jace pleads.
But I simply walk out of the room. I don't have the patience for his antics now, nor do I have the energy.
But then he catches up to me and pulls me by the wrist.
"I am not letting you leave, what's so urgent?" He looks at me earnestly.
"Jace you wouldn't understand." My throat feels heavy and I struggle to find my breath as I am scared for Max.
"Well you're not giving me anything to work with here, Lucy." He says.
"Just let go." I beg.
"No." He shakes his head. "I won't."
"Just let me go; I can handle myself, I'm not going to get in a car accident," My heart sinks, as I realised what I just said. But I can't explain now because I have to get Max before they take him away from me, I manage to break free from Jaces grip, I then leave without looking back to see his expression, I can't bare to see what I've done.