Page 68 of Meet Cute

“Like you’re scared!”

My heart drops into my stomach. “You…”

“No. I’m not... No, no!” Finn begins marching back towards the house, his fingers digging into my skin so painfully deep. “It’s not over. This isn’t over. You still love me, right? You love me? P-Please say you love me.”

Wiping my tearstained cheeks, I can only sniffle. “Why did you do it?”

“Because I had to,” he growls. “Say you love me, Duncan.”

I can’t. How can I? Not even pretending would fix this. He’s a murderer. I know that his dad was awful, I do. I really do. But he killed him. He killed him! Am I supposed to just ignore that? How can I? I can’t. I can’t!

“Why aren’t you saying it?” The door hinges scream as he kicks it open, heading straight for his bedroom. “Duncan?”

“I… I-I just…”

Finn blinks. “I’m not giving you up. I won’t. You’re mine. So love,” he takes a panicked breath, “me. You… we’re in love! Say it, Duncan! S-Seriously!”

“I-I can’t… Finn,” I gasp, “I can’t.”

He angrily throws me onto the bed before slamming his fist into the wall. “Fuck!” Another punch. “Fuck, fuck, fuck!” Three more punches. “This can’t be happening. T-This can’t…”

Finn goes silent, only turning back to me once his breathing goes back to normal. “Please, Dunk. Please. You have to understand. He… He really was so awful. Wouldn’t you want to do the same to your parents?”

“N-No!” I find myself screaming. “No I wouldn’t!”

“They wanted to ruin your life! They wanted to change you! Doesn’t that make you angry!?”

“Of course it does! But I wouldn’t… I couldn’t hurt them!”

His face contorts into pure disgust. “But you wanted to hurt yourself? Huh?” His tone is so unlike himself.

“But—”

“But nothing!”

Suddenly, it’s as if nothing has changed. Like I’m back in the basement pleading for my life. Everything we had worked so hard for is gone in the blink of an eye, and I don’t know if we can get it back this time.

Why did it have to end this way?

“I’m sorry,” I mumble. “I’m sorry. I-I’m sorry.”

“Say you love me!”

“I love you!” I do not. I can’t. But I’m too scared to find out what will happen if I won't tell him what he wants. “P-Please, Finn. I love you… I love you so much…”

Sobbing, my body convulses in a way only genuine panic can cause. It’s like I’m shutting down. Like the horror of seeing an actual dead body has only caught up to me now, and I can’t. I can’t. I really can’t.

I’m sorry, but I can’t.

FIFTY-TWO

“It’s okay.” Finn’s voice is warm as he holds me up, stroking the back of my head possessively. “It’s all okay. I love you, bunny. So very much.”

I’m not even crying anymore, silently laying here in fear. But what am I scared of? Him? Or the reality of it all? What is there to go back to? I can’t go back. It’s not even possible.

But I can’t stay here, either. I’m trapped. I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place and I really wish I was dead. I wish he never stopped me. I wish he let me fucking die in peace like I wanted. Why couldn’t he just let me die?

“Are you gonna be good?” He asks so sweetly despite the fact his words are dripping with anger. “Or are we going back to the basement tonight?”