Page 181 - It Ends with Us

There’ s a three- sec ond pause where I thi nk thi s could go one of

two ways.
He’s going to lea ve me.
Or he ’s going to hu r t me.
He runs a ha nd thro ugh hi s hair and walks straight for the door.
He leav es.
“R yle! ” I yel l.

Why di d I never throw that number aw ay ?!
I open the door and run after hi m. He’s taking the stairs two at a
time, and I fina lly rea ch hi m when he’s at the land ing of the sec ond
floor. I sho ve mysel f in front of hi m and grab hi s shi rt in my fis ts.
“R yle, plea se. Let me ex plain. ”
He grabs my wrists and pushe s me away from hi m.

• • •

“Be still.”
I feel hi s ha nd s on me. Gent le. Stea dy.

Tea rs are flowing and for some rea son, they sting .
“Lily, be still. Plea se. ”
His voice is soothi ng . My hea d hu rts. “R yle?” I try to open my ey es ,
but the light is too bright . I can feel a sting at the corner of my ey e
and I winc e. I try to sit up, but I feel hi s ha nd pres s down on my

sho ulder.
“You ha ve to be still unt il I’m fini shed , Lily.”
I open my ey es again and look up at the cei ling . It’s our bed room
cei ling . “Fini shed with wha t?” My mouth hu rts when I spea k, so I
bring my ha nd up and cover it.
“You fel l down the stairs,” he says. “You’re hu rt.”
My ey es meet his. There’ s conc ern in them , but also hu rt. Ang er.
He’s feel ing ever ythi ng right no w, and the onl y thi ng I feel is conf used .

I close my ey es again and try to rem em ber why he’s ang ry. Why he’s
hu rt.
My pho ne.
Atlas’s nu mber.
The stair wel l.

I grabbed hi s shi rt.