My Missing Puzzle Piece

Chapter Thirty-One

Arielle-
I don't know what came over me, but last night, I told Justin everything. I told him what I thought about the program, that Sam bitch...everything.

He seemed pretty confused. "Why didn't you tell me? You made me think that you were super excited about it when you and my mom picked me up from detention.."

"I was pretending to be okay." I had mumbled. He had heard me and shook his head. "I don't quite understand. Why would you pretend? You know you can tell me anything."

"No." I was tearing up by now. "I can't. I'm sick of being that girl that pours her heart out to her boyfriend and shows her weakness in front of him. I want to be confident and positive like all your other girlfriends." I was going to say more, but by the look on his face, I was scared. He looked pissed.

"Arielle, Arielle Arielle." He repeated my name over and over, his voice full of disappointment. "Why do you always think this?"

"It just comes naturally-" He cut me off.

"No, it shouldn't. You put all this on yourself. Do you really think that's what I think about you? And is that how you see me? I'm here for you, all the time and you always just turn down the offer because you don't want me to get sick of you. Is that it?"

"Yeah, but-"

"No." He replied sternly. "No. I don't want it to be like that. I don't know what I have to do, but I know what you have to do."

"And what is that?" I had choked on my own words from my dry voice.

"Learn the truth and stop making things worse then they are. If you keep doing this, our relationship will be done."

I didn't even know how to feel at that moment. I wanted to scream "No, no don't even think that!" But I didn't wanna look stupid. I just sat there with a blank expression.

"Do you even care?"

That's when I knew I had to speak up. "What?!"

"You don't care about me, do you?"

"Of course I do, that's why I try not to put my problems on you and-"

"That's fucking pathetic." He was really mad. "Where do you come up with this shit? Seriously! Stop comparing yourself to my past girlfriends and stop thinking I'll get sick of you or I don't want to hear you out, I do. I'm always here for you, but by you doing this, it's making me second thinking our relationship."

"So you'll break up with me for being honest about how I feel?"

"How you feel is fucking un-true! It's like a waste of emotion. I don't even know what to say right now, other then I'm speechless and just upset."

"I didn't mean for it to be this way." I had started crying. "Please don't be mad, Justin.."

"I'm not mad." He had started through clenched teeth. "I'm just upset. Confused as well. I don't know what else to say other then...I think we should take a break."

My whole body had turned numb and my heart stopped beating- or at least that's what I thought. "No. No. No." I got up and paced back and forth, freaking out. "No!" I had shouted loudly. "No! Don't do this!"

He didn't even try and calm me down. "This is what's for the best. I love you, Arielle, but I need a break from all of this. You can go live with your mom for awhile until I think through all of this."

"How long will that be?"

"I don't have a time limit. It's just whatever my heart feels."

"Justin.." I was basically giving up. He didn't even seem to care how I was reacting.