Jess’s Reviews > Releasing 10 > Status Update

"Liz..”
"And I want you to move on from me,” she said, choking on the words like they physically pained her. "I don't want you to feel guilty about it or think you're doing something wrong, because you aren't. Because you are too amazing of a person to spend your life stuck on a fuckup like me.”

"I’ll always protect you. I swiped a tear from my cheek. "No matter what"
Sniffling, she squeezed my hand again. "I want you to have the best life imaginable. Nobody deserves it more than you."

"We can try" I heard myself offer, feeling panicked at the thought of this being it.
Please, God, don't let this be it. "Liz, it'll be okay."

"I'll be okay," I strangled out, reaching over and snatching one of her hands up.
"We can still be friends."
"No, Hugh, we can't," she replied sadly, entwining her fingers with mine. "You can't be friends with the person you're in love with." Tears trickled down her cheeks. "And I'm always going to be in love with you, Hugh."

"I’ll never stop being sorry for betraying you,” she said, holding her head in her hands. "And I'll never forgive myself for killing us."

"I know you need to stay away from me," she breathed, body racking with tremors.
"And I know why you can't be my friend anymore, but I just want you to know that I am so grateful to have had you in my life." A pained sob escaped her when she said, "I’ll never have a greater friend, Hugh Biggs, or a greater love."

But it was her eyes that socked me right in the chest.
Those big, pale-blue, lonesome eyes.
Jesus, they were like nothing I'd ever seen before or since.

THE MOMENT I LOCKED EYES ON HER IN THE COURTYARD, EVERY HARD-EARNED SLIVER of my battered pride evaporated. As for my heart? It returned to her like a faithful boomerang. Because unlike my brain, it couldn't be tricked into forgetting about her.
I had a million and one commitments after school today, but Liz's unexpected return sent every single one of those clean out of my head.

"Because you're sitting here, he replied simply. "Because you're you again." A faint smile ghosted his lips. "That's all I've ever wanted, Liz" Pain flickered in his brown eyes.
"I want you to be okay. He spoke slowly, enunciating every word with care. "I want you to have a good life"
"Yeah." Just not with you.

"I'm sorry you had to cover for me.” I said, feeling a great deal of shame for dragging him into battles that raged between my mind and me. "I'm sorry for pulling you into my mess at the hospital that day."
"I’d do it again in a heartbeat."
His words threw me. "You would?"
He nodded. "Yeah, Liz. I would."
"Why?"