Releasing 10 (Boys of Tommen, #6)

by Chloe Walsh

“That’s why I’m not going to ask.” “Liz…” “I know you need to stay away from me,” she breathed, body racking with tremors. “And I know why you can’t be my friend anymore, but I just want you to know that I am so grateful to have had you in my life.” A pained sob escaped her when she said, “I’ll never have a greater friend, Hugh Biggs, or a greater love.” “Fuck.” I blew out a ragged breath as my heart thundered violently. “Liz.”

“I’ll never stop being sorry for betraying you,” she said, holding her head in her hands. “And I’ll never forgive myself for killing us.” Jesus Christ. I wanted to soothe her. I wanted to wipe her tears and make her better again. I wanted her. But I just couldn’t. “It’ll be okay,” I strangled out, reaching over and snatching one of her hands up. “We can still be friends.”

Sniffling, she squeezed my hand again. “I want you to have the best life imaginable. Nobody deserves it more than you.” “Liz…” “And I want you to move on from me,” she said, choking on the words like they physically pained her. “I don’t want you to feel guilty about it or think you’re doing something wrong, because you aren’t. Because you are too amazing of a person to spend your life stuck on a fuckup like me.” “What about you?” I could barely see her face through my tears. “How am I supposed to let you go?” “You didn’t let me go, remember?” she sobbed, stroking my hand with her thumb. “I did that.” “Fuck, Liz.” I dropped my head on the table, covering it with my free hand while I fought to wrangle in my emotions. “Fuck.”

“Claire told me you started seeing someone,” she whispered, reaching over the table with her free hand to stroke my hair. “I want you to know it’s okay.” I broke down. I couldn’t help it. Right there in the middle of school, I cried my fucking heart out. “It’s okay,” Liz continued to soothe, while I fought to pull myself together. “I want you to be happy.”

“I’ll always love you, Hugh Biggs,” Liz said when she rounded the table and stopped in front of me. Inhaling a quivering breath, she leaned down and pressed a kiss to my cheek before whispering, “No matter what.” And then she was gone.