I walked as fast as I possibly could on the sand, but it was not enough. When I had climbed up the slight hill towards the sidewalk, I turned back and seen that Stone had already nearly caught up with me and Brennan was not far behind.

It almost sounded like a roar when he called from metres away "Ella."

My feet stopped and I stood my ground. I faced them and crossed my arms as I waited for them to catch up.

Once they both did, I ignored Stone's pleads and turned to Brennan to tell him "You need to come clean to Lana."

Brennan frowned "Do you think she will care?"

"Ella." Stone spoke again and his voice had never sounded so vulnerable and desperate "Please."

His eyes glistened and those two big black circles of dark abyss that I had grown to love were swirling with emotion.

He looked almost scared. Then I became scared because it dawned upon me that even in my state of rage and betrayal, I wanted to go to him. I wanted his arms around me and his warmth surrounding me.

"It is not your fault." I stated emotionlessly while avoiding eye contact "It is mine. I knew from the very start when I first met you that you would break my heart. I pushed you away. I pushed you away, but you just kept coming back. I should never have let you in. I should have fought harder against it."

Another beg from him "Ella."

"I let you in." I started to raise my voice and then I moved closer and poked his bare chest with one finger "I told you everything about me and you could not do the same. You did not let me in."

He never said anything. He just kept reaching out for me again and again, but I would not let him.

"You sat there and said nothing. You sat there when I spilled my heart out to you about how I hated that I was left in the dark with my parents. That I hated not knowing." I spoke with hatred in my tone "Then you still said nothing."

I pulled back and turned to go. I never made it far because he grabbed my arm and held me in place. He tried to move me back into his chest, but I fought against him.

I swivelled around and glared at where his skin touched mine then I directed my harsh glare to his face "Let go of me."

"I can't." He spoke, his voice sounded husky and almost devastated then he repeated "I can't. Not ever."

"Fuck off." I cursed while trying to escape from his grip.

"Ella—"

Shivering from the cold sea air, I crossed my hands over myself and shake my head "I remember that day at school when I warned Brennan not to break Lana's heart and then you asked if I would be hurt."