This Is Me Trying

Chapter 15: Goodbye

HAYLAND swallowed hard as he looked upon Solis's old room. He then continues striding towards it, following Melissa. She called upon Solis's arrival three days ago. He remembered how he panicked upon realizing that Solis didn't come home to him, but felt relieved when he learned that she was in her parent's house.

Melissa called him. She sounds worried that it made him dreadful. She said that Solis teared up every night since her arrival and she sometimes wakes up from her daughter's screaming and begging. This made Hayland's heartbreak over and over as he sank into the bottomless pit of guilt.

"I'm hoping you could help her. I know that she will not be happy just seeing you but we don't have a choice. I guess this is for the best so I decided for her instead," said Melissa, looking back at him.

In her mind, Hayland doesn't need to know that Solis would wake up in the middle of the night looking for him and ask several times about his sickening mistake.

"How could you do this to me?"

"Am I not enough?"

"What did I do to deserve this?"

"Why did you cheat on me?"

Every time she heard those wanton pleas and remarks from her daughter's mouth, she would cry for her in silence. She would comfort her until she cried no more and went back to sleep like nothing had happened. She can't stand it anymore so she asks for Hayland even if it is against her will most especially Adorico, who always pays a visit upon learning that Solis came home to her.

"I-I'll do my best, Mo—"

Hayland's about to say it but he realizes that Melissa won't be happy by that so he shuts his mouth instead. He keeps on following her pace silently. His breaths are shallow as the piercing look of Adorico follows his every movement like he is his prey. Any wrong move, he felt like he would be dead in an instant.

"You can come inside. Please don't do anything that will upset her more. We're leaving you here," Melissa said coldly before stepping out and quickly striding downstairs, grabbing Adorico's hand who was too keen on observing him.

He knocks, letting his presence known from the inside and when no one speaks, he sighs. He turns the knob and luckily, it isn't locked. He heaved another sigh before slowly opening the door. He was met by a figure lying on the bed. The room is too quiet but her presence is very familiar to him even with his closed eyes, he couldn't be mistaken for anyone.

He silently walks towards it. The figure suddenly shifts, turning her back from him. He squeezed his eyes tightly. "L-Love..."

"Why are you here?" The coldness in Solis's voice wasn't new to him but still, it sent shivers down his spine. He is like a different Solis he once knew. "I needed some rest away from you, how could you?"

"I was just checking on you," he truthfully said.

"I'm fine." Solis is still lying there, motionless. "Leave."

He fiddles with his slender fingers. "You know that I can't. Unless I can make sure that you're doing fine."

"And you also know that I don't want to see you!" Solis cried out. "I hate you and everything about you so leave!"

Painfully, Hayland accepted it all without even protesting. "I know. Just please stop drinking too much, Sol. Mom said you're indulging yourself with that bad habit again. You can't just set aside your work for drinking. Remember, you have your reputation as a teacher."

Solis sat up furiously, facing him with anguish. "And who are you to tell me what to do? Leave! I don't want to see you! I hate you! I fucking hate you with all my broken bones!"