“I need you to leave,” I tell Evan evenly and then peek up at him. It hurts to say the words after last night. I should have said them before, but I was so tired and felt so alone. It was selfish to need him then. I used him in a way, but I won’t do it again. I won’t keep pretending.

He shakes his head, not once or twice but continuously as if he’s in disbelief. Like I didn’t actually tell him that. He had to know it was going to come to this.

“Last night—”

“Was a mistake,” I say, cutting him off forcefully and my voice cracks. My chest feels tight and it’s harder to breathe, but I stand my ground.

“We’re different people, Evan.” I try to say more but my words are stuck in my throat, threatening to choke me.

“We’ve always been different, Kat. Always,” Evan says and his words come out hard. I can already hear him convincing me. I can already see myself falling right back into his arms because that’s where I feel so safe and so loved. But he can’t hold me forever.

“I can’t do this, Evan,” I tell him honestly, feeling my heart break as I voice the words. It’s a slow break, one meant to be torturous.

“Do what?” he asks me cautiously and it pisses me off. The plastic bag rustles as he reaches behind him, brushing against it and bracing himself against the counter.

“This. I can’t.” I look him in the eyes even as mine water. I let the tears fall as my blood turns to ice, yet my skin heats.

Evan takes a step toward me, my name falling from his lips as his arms open and spread wide.

“If you won’t tell me the truth about what happened, you need to get out.”

With his eyes still widening, he shakes his head, an apology from his subconscious before he has the chance to say the words himself.

“Get out!” I yell at him, feeling the weakness threatening to consume me. Threatening to bring me right back to him. “I don’t want this. I don’t want you here.”

“It’s going to be all right,” he says, attempting to calm me, that placating tone in his voice making me even angrier.