Bent Read Online Free PDF Page B

they'd fought, there was never the tension that was hanging in the air around them. "It's a small town and I'd rather not have things be weird between us."
    Her answer was simple. "Honesty."
    The one thing she asked for was the one thing that could make everything between them even worse. Micah knew that would be her answer and he'd already promised himself to give her that but her asking for it was painful.
    "Okay," he said softly.
    Julia raised her eyebrow at his acceptance of her demand, "Complete honesty, no matter what. You get that, right? It's not going to change anything, so there's no point in lying anymore."
    His hand squeezed her fingers staring into her ice blue eyes. "Yep. The whole truth."
    "Why did you leave?" she asked quietly.
    It was the only logical starting point but that didn't make it any easier to put into words. He thought back to the night he'd told her he was leaving because he didn't think he could handle a long distance relationship. He remembered the tears streaming down her face as she pounded his chest.
     
                  "You know I'd never hurt you on purpose, right?"  Micah asked. She simply shook her head, her eyes focused on the seat belt buckle at his hip. "Please, look at me Julia," his voice cracked.
                  "But you're going to, right?" Her eyes lifted to meet his as the first teardrop rolled down her cheek and landed on his thumb.
                  Micah's chest tightened as he tried to find the right words and the courage to follow through with breaking Julia's heart. "Yeah, I think I am," he said flatly. If he didn't get this over with, he knew there was no way he'd be able to leave her and he knew that would lead to more lies. "I'm sorry, but..."
                  "Just stop," she begged. Her chest heaving with sobs.
                  "I don't want to do this, baby, but it'll be easier this way. You're going away and I just really don't think I can do this."
                  Anger replaced sadness and her eyes shot into him like daggers. "You're a jerk!" The side of Julia's balled fist made sharp contact with Micah's chest. "We talked about this and you said we'd make it work. You promised me."
                  "I know. I'm sorry. I just can't do it. I can't stand the thought of you being over two hours away and only being able to see you on the weekends." He hated himself for lying, but he had to. "I'm sorry. I do love you."
                  "Save it. If you really loved me, you'd find a way. We promised we would find a way." Julia couldn't believe he was leaving her because she was going to school in ten days. She reached into the backseat for her purse and nearly hit him with it as she tried to escape the car before she lost it again.
                  "I do love you. It just has to be this way." Micah reached for her, trying to keep her in the car with him, not ready to say goodbye. 
                  Julia looked down at Micah's hand digging into her bicep and narrowed her eyes as she brought them up to meet his. She could feel the anger rising from the depths of her stomach. "Why, Micah? Why does it have to be this way?" She tried to jerk free from his grip but he wasn't ready to let her go. "Micah, just let me go," she begged, pulling away from him.
                  "Baby, I'm sorry." He knew breaking her heart would crush him. He wished he was man enough to be honest. Now that he'd essentially blamed her for the breakup because she was going away to school it was too late for the truth. "It's me. I don't think I can do it. I really thought I could, but now that it's almost time for you to go, I can't." He gave into his own emotions, no longer able to hold back the tears.
                  "I just don't get it. We promised..."
                  "I know. I don't know how to say I'm sorry enough. I just can't," his gaze met hers,