Hey, amazing people! I'm going to thank you, and I will never stop doing that, for every single read, comment, and vote I'm getting. They mean so much to me! :)

Dedicated to CrazyLittleBrazilian ! She's a sweetheart. ❤️

If you enjoyed reading this, please don't forget to vote, comment, or message me what you think! Your help will only make me even more motivated and encouraged to write for you guys, and for me. =)

|Chapter 15|

"Oh, um... I'm sorry. I d-didn't know. I-I was j-just taking a walk," I stuttered nervously. Slowly and as unnoticeably as possible, I inhaled and exhaled to slow down my beating heart. Justin gave me a small smile, and I couldn't help but swoon a little bit.

What?

"I was just kidding, it's okay," he spoke softly, making his way towards where I'm standing. "Besides, it's a great place to clear one's mind."

I nodded before sitting back down on the rock and facing the lake. I could hear his footsteps crushing the dried leaves on the ground, getting closer and closer, and making my heart beat faster and faster. My eyes fluttered close once again and I tried to forget Justin's presence and listen to the soothing sound of the waterfall instead. Minutes passed in silence, that's when my eyes opened and looked around.

Justin was sitting right next to me, his eyes looking right at me. It's as if he could see right through me. It's as if he could see who I really am, reading me like an open book. As if he knew and understood me. My pain, my fear, my past.

His green eyes never left mine, and that scared me to death. Their grip were so powerful that I couldn't stare any longer. I drove my attention to the lake, once again, afraid that if I stared any longer, I would give away too much.

"So, how did you find this place?" Justin asked me.

I really don't want to start a conversation with you.

Justin continued to stare at me, waiting for an answer. I took in a deep breath and replied in utter embarrassment.

"I sort of woke up in a hurry, thinking it was a school day, and when I realized it wasn't, I decided I'd walk around and maybe explore. My feet took me here."

Justin started laughing, clutching his stomach. His eyes were closed shut and the skin at the external corner of his eyes was wrinkled. His laugh was loud and lively. It blended with the tweets of the birds and every other beautiful sound this place made. His laugh was so contagious that it made me laugh along.

"Why are you laughing?" I said once I sobered up. He gasped for air before sighing and wiping away the tears that were a result of his beautiful laughter.

"Who wakes up on a Saturday morning thinking it's a school day?" he asks with a grin, obviously trying to contain his laughter. I smiled, looking at the ground and blushing furiously.

He's right, who does that?

"Blame my now broken alarm." I rolled my eyes.

"Violent everywhere, eh? Poor little alarm clock," he said in a mocking voice. I punched his arm forcefully, causing him to chuckle, shaking his head.

"One, you should really stop it with your violence. Two, that was a really weak punch, love. These babies aren't hurt one bit, they're big and stronger than ever." Justin flexed, kissing his biceps. I rolled my eyes.

"One, you should really slow it down with your ego. Two, your babies are the size of a lemon." My lips formed an evil smirk.

"Ouch. You just hurt my masculinity." His hand made its way to his chest, as he fake-wiped a tear off his face.

The place filled with my loud laughter. "What masculinity?"

"Double ouch!" He exclaimed before laughing along with me. A few silent minutes later, I asked him the same question he asked me.

"So, how did you find this place?" I looked at him. He gave me a sad smile before looking in front of him. His eyes became distant, even though he's looking straight at the waterfall, he wasn't. His eyes were so dark. They were full of somberness.

"I came here the day my brother died," he started. I took in a sharp breath, surprised at the honesty and straightforwardness spilling from his mouth. I closed my eyes, exhaled, and opened them again. My hands found their way to his shoulders. I squeezed them for reasurance. He looked at me, warmth was radiating from his eyes.

It felt like home.

"You don't have to tell me about this if you don't wanna, you know?" I asked him softly, afraid that if I spoke loud and clear, I'd break him in some sort of way.

He didn't look like strong, egotistical, smirking Justin anymore. He looked broken. He looked afraid. He looked murkey.

He looked like me.

"But I want to, if you don't mind." His eyes were pleading for me to agree. They held so many stories that were begging and longing to escape. I nodded, telling him to continue.

"It was a Friday and Jerome had football practice to attend. He was the captain of the team and everyone loved him." He smiled at the memory and my heart ached at the sight. "We shared a car and it was me that had to drive him there because I had somewhere else to be after that. We were jamming to music just like we always do. Once the green traffic light shone, I zoomed ahead and continued driving, but then a freaking lunatic drove at an insane speed, breaking through a red light and crashed into Jerome's side of the car. I fainted at that moment and woke up in a hospital bed.

"I barely got injured. I broke my hand and ankle and had a few bruises. But it was Jerome who was severly injured. Turns out he had a brain injury that affected most of his body," Justin said, sniffing in between his words. I hesitated, but decided to hold his hand and sqeeze it for reasurance. He turned his whole body around and crossed his legs to face me. "He d-died 3 three weeks l-later," his voice cracked at the end.

My heart started beating so fast that it could probably burst out of my ribcage. My heart clenched and ached. I had tears in my eyes, but I wiped them away quickly before Justin noticed anything. I was supposed to be strong for him, not make him feel even worse.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered. He shook his head.

"He was my twin brother. Older than me by only three minutes. We've always had each other's back. We were inseparable. I'd kill anybody who dared to touch him and he'd do the same for me. But he's gone. I was free from the hospital a week before he died. I came here the day he did. I couldn't stand another second in that place, so I ran and ran until I found myself here. I came here everyday just to think. I didn't speak or eat properly for months. I couldn't bare any day without him." When Justin started crying, I couldn't help it anymore. I started sobbing as well.

I couldn't imagine what would have happened to me if Sophia died. My whole world would be a dark place. I don't think I'll ever see good in the world anymore. She's my light, and without her, I'll sink into complete darkness.

She's the only reason I want to live. She's the only hope I have.

"I thought I'd never be able to feel alive ever again. I missed him everyday and I still do. But things changed after she came into my life," he said after he stopped crying.

Immediately, I felt a pang of something weird fill my heart. I felt a sudden jealousy towards who ever the girl is. She's very lucky.

I sniffed, wiping away my tears. "Who's she?"

"That's not my story to tell you," he said, giving me a small smile. I nodded, understanding.

"Well, that was embarrassing." He chuckled lightly. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I feel like a baby now. My ego went down the drain." He made a flushing sound to emphasize his words. I laughed at his silly actions and shook my head.

"I don't get it. It's okay for men to cry as well. Why do you guys get embarrassed about it? I mean, it's not like you've got snot on me or anything."

"I don't know, man. It's just embarrassing." I chuckled at his response and looked in front of me. We stayed silent for a while, just enjoying nature's company as long as ours.

I still don't understand why he told me all this. I don't get why he let me into his dark world, even though I've always been awful to him.

"Why did you tell me about this?" I asked him curiously. He shrugged.

"I feel like I could trust you. You seem like a great person; you're just hiding underneath a fake, icy facade. Plus, I know you could understand me. I could see it in your eyes that you have a story as well."

What have I done? Why do I keep making the same mistakes?

He can't trust me. He just can't. We can't be friends. He can't know anything else about me. Justin already knows way too much.

Am I really that of an open book?

"Elizabeth? Are you okay?" he asked me with concern. His eyes stared into mine, searching for something I don't know. I shook my head furiously. I stood up quickly and shuffled on my feet, cracking my fingers nervously as million voices swam inside my head.

What have you done?

You just ruined your whole life.

He's fooling you.

You're done.

Finished.

Tears.

Betrayal.

Grief.

My hands flew to my head, squeezing it ever so harshly. Trying to get rid of the monsters inside it. My head started hurting and my heart started beating fast, again. I hit my head with as much force as I could exert. I couldn't take it anymore.

I started screaming at the top of my lungs, trying to let go of the pain I'm currently feeling. Justin's eyes widened in shock. I couldn't look at him any longer. I couldn't stay here any minute more. I felt adrenaline pumping into every inch of my body and my feet started feeling energetic. A second later, I found myself running so fast that I could barely see my surroundings.

I just had to get out of there.