"Please," I caught the bone that was his wrist. "don't ha-"
"Anna, you know me" He didn't make eye contact, but I could tell he was being sincere by the tone in his voice. "I don't hate, even if-"
"Said person is a bipolar mess?"
"I love that bipolar mess."
"No, you don't" I said. "You don't love her, your grief does."
"Who cares?" He said. "It's a feeling, right?"
"We're teenagers, Evan." I dug my hands into my pockets. "Love doesn't exist."
"It exists in this world." He tugged at my wrist.
"No, it doesn't."
"Yes, it does."
"No, it doesn't!" I pulled myself away. "This world is FAKE!" I could hear my voice rising. "You're an Olympic Gold Medalist who was on a stupid reality show with me and..." I choked back a sob. "I'm a married, Russian witch who is lying in a coma as we speak." His eyes showed nothing. "I hear the older, real you whisper sweet nothings in my ear and-" My knees buckled. "It hurts, Evan! You love me and I... I can't return the favor." I felt a hand on my shoulder and, when I look up from the earth, I see his eyes. "I'm sorry for letting you down."
"Anna, you know me" He didn't make eye contact, but I could tell he was being sincere by the tone in his voice. "I don't hate, even if-"
"Said person is a bipolar mess?"
"I love that bipolar mess."
"No, you don't" I said. "You don't love her, your grief does."
"Who cares?" He said. "It's a feeling, right?"
"We're teenagers, Evan." I dug my hands into my pockets. "Love doesn't exist."
"It exists in this world." He tugged at my wrist.
"No, it doesn't."
"Yes, it does."
"No, it doesn't!" I pulled myself away. "This world is FAKE!" I could hear my voice rising. "You're an Olympic Gold Medalist who was on a stupid reality show with me and..." I choked back a sob. "I'm a married, Russian witch who is lying in a coma as we speak." His eyes showed nothing. "I hear the older, real you whisper sweet nothings in my ear and-" My knees buckled. "It hurts, Evan! You love me and I... I can't return the favor." I felt a hand on my shoulder and, when I look up from the earth, I see his eyes. "I'm sorry for letting you down."
