I can't help it; I hate crying in front of anyone. So can you blame me for running upstairs and locking myself in his bathroom?
Some of you probably can.
But the majority of you probably can't. Because I'm sure you've all done the same thing at some point in your lives.
But hold on.
I'm sure your boyfriend didn't break up with you. I'm sure you didn't stand there gasping for air, unable to breathe. I'm sure, I'm sure, I'm sure.
Actually, all those things probably happened to you.
But I left out one important detail.
My boyfriend never broke up with me.
And one more teensy-weensy little thing.
Steven was being held at gunpoint. And I was sobbing. The moron who broke into Steven's house was apparently in love with me. And to get to me, he had to get to Steven, make him break up with me. As the masked man held Steven's Ruger to his head, Steven gasped out the seven words that absolutely broke me.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIk1ieSDAdM
"I'd rather die than see you cry."
I let out one small sob. "No! Just leave me. Don't die! Don't let him kill you!"225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZR6oOuN2qq
"Zara, I know that if I end our relationship, you'd never forgive yourself. You'd go crazy and I'd end up shooting myself in the head. I can't do it. I would rather die here and now, than know you were crying because of me."
I forgot the stranger was there for a second, so when he began to speak, I jumped slightly.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ01nXn0qGJt
"Are you going to break up or not?"225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWSrMxHwPcN
And suddenly I couldn't breathe.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp4SxBLOqM1
Steven shook his head. "Never," he whispered, smiling sadly.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJa6JnWsUO8
The man shrugged. "Whatever." And he released the safety on the gun.
"Don't watch," Steven murmured. So I ran. I launched up the stairs two at a time and locked myself in the master bathroom. I barely made it to the basin sink before I vomited up the pancake breakfast Steven had made for me when I came over that morning.
With shaking hands, I pulled my phone out of my pocket and slowly dialed 911. When the dispatcher picked up, I told him everything that happened, Steven's address, and begged him to hurry. 225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcfmdPiIj0D
But I was too late.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPnGZLULiyd
The blast rattled my teeth and vibrated deep in my chest.
Steven was dead.
I crawled over to the small window next to the shower and fumbled with the lock. Pangs of grief shot through my core, but I kept moving. I almost had it open when I heard the man trying to open the door. I forced my fingers to work faster, for just a few more seconds.
The lock turned and the door swung open, just as I pushed the window out.
I climbed onto the cramped windowsill and braced myself to jump.
Arms grabbed me from behind and pulled me down. I thrashed and kicked and screamed, but his grip was like iron.
A voice whispered into my ear and I fell limp in the rough embrace.
"Darling, when I said I would rather die, I never said I'd actually let that moron shoot me in the head. The man is incapacitated. He's dead. I'm here. You should know that I'd never leave you.
"Oh, Zara, Darling, I love you. And if I'm stupid enough to not tell you, than I'd have let that man shoot me dead right then."
I twisted around until I could see him. Except for a small scratch on his cheek, he was unharmed.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdoUJzuNnT3
"Steven," I choked out, "if you had- If he'd-" I buried my head in his chest, unable to finish.
"My dear, beautiful Zara," he whispered, the words like honey from his lips, "I'm here. I'm alive. And I will never leave you alone.
"But one thing."
"What?"
"Remind me not to leave my guns on the coffee table, okay?"
I laughed lightly. "Okay." I pulled him closer.
"I love you, you idiot."
"I love you too, Zara. More than you'll ever know."
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