A Tragic Heart by S. Elle Cameron Page A

enough. I wish they had. Jackson made himself pretty clear, and Kristen probably forgot I existed months ago. Sometimes I even forget I exist.
    Days go by, and it’s a new year.
I’m still here
. I once heard someone say that the way you start the year foreshadows how the rest of the year will go for you. I guess mine is pretty self-explanatory. I was looking out the window that doesn’t open, looking at the free world. I felt like a prisoner, or possibly worse.
    “Hey,” a guy says in a low voice.
    It sounds like Mason, but I knew it wasn’t because I’m not allowed any visitors. I turn around to see him looking at me with those beautiful, tragic eyes. I remember how hard it was for me resist those emerald eyes of his.
    “They called me and told me to come visit you. I heard you weren’t talking to anyone, and they wanted to see if you might speak to someone you knew.”
    I’m still silent.
    “I understand I might’ve been the wrong person to call, but Taylor, you have to speak. You have to say something, or else you’ll be here longer. School has started already and you need to come back. It’s your last year; you should be making the best of it.”
    Who is he to tell me what I should be doing? He should’ve used a condom, or better yet, not slept with her at all.
    “I…don’t…want to…see you right now,” I manage to get out.
    He looks at me with surprise. I don’t know if it’s because I was talking or because he thought I’d be happy to see him.
    “Well that’s a start,” he says.
    “You should leave,” I say, almost in a whisper.
    “I’m not leaving until we talk,” he says as he sits down across from me.
    “There’s nothing to talk about. You made your decision, and I made mine. I can’t stay, Mason. You’re about to start a family, and it’s not with me. So I can’t stay. So I’m sorry that you’re selfish, but I am too…and I have to save myself.”
    The words come out easily. I don’t struggle to say or find the right words; they just come out. He puts his head down, and I know he’s hurting. I am too.
    “I’m sorry. What more do you want me to say? What else can I say?” he says in a tortured voice.
    “Nothing. I don’t want you to say anything, and there is nothing you can say to me right now,” I say out of pure hatred.
    “So I guess I should leave then,” he says, without making any eye contact; not even for a second.
    He gets up and looks back at me one more time.
And he’s gone
.
    ***
    The next day, I decide to speak to the doctors. A social worker comes in once a day to speak with me for about forty minutes to an hour. Today, I don’t tell her much. I even lie at times.
    “Taylor, you have a visitor,” a nurse says when she steps into my room.
    “Okay,” I reply.
    My heart stops when the visitor comes in. I don’t expect it. I don’t know what to say. I don’t know what to do. Should I cry, laugh, or smile? I don’t know; maybe I should be angry, but that’s the last thing I am.
    “How are you?” he says, worry taking over his face.
    “What are you doing here?” I ask.
    “I told you I’d never leave you. I keep my promises, Tay. You should know that by now.”
    I don’t know what I know anymore. But I do know that Jackson is standing in front of me and all I can say is, “What are you doing here?” I decide not to think and let my body take over my actions. I hug him. I hug him tightly and cry on his shoulder.
    “I’ve missed you so much! I’m so sorry I didn’t answer your calls. I’m sorry I made you hate me. I’m sorry I forgot to tell youhow much I love you. I’m so sorry, Jackson!” I’m now in full crying mode as I let the words crawl from my tongue.
    “I don’t hate you. I never have and never will. Taylor, you know I love you. When I got the call, I had to cancel my shows in London and Germany for you—that’s how much I love you,” he says, still holding me.
    I can hear in his voice that he’s crying. I’ve never