Stay with me

“Psych ward.” I shook my head in his hands. “I’m not coming back, Ollie … I’m so sorry.”

Ollie’s eyes glossed over right before Stanley ripped him away from me and slammed him against the wall. A pain entered my chest as I stood frozen. All I could do was watch Ollie crumble before my eyes, and I couldn’t comprehend what was happening. My mind slowly shut down as my heart pounded hard against my ribcage. The ringing in my ears competed against the loud thumping in my head.

Stanley attempted to zip-tie Ollie’s wrist behind his back as Ollie struggled against him, but Stanley was stronger. He slammed Ollie once more against the wall, this time applying the pressure of his forearm to the back of Ollie’s head, pressing his face against the cold cement. Stanley whispered inaudible comments in Ollie’s ear, triggering Ollie to stop struggling.

Ollie turned his head to face me with water in his eyes and red in his cheeks. His green eyes grew more beautiful when everything else had failed him. He needed me.

My feet moved toward Ollie, and he jerked against Stanley.

“No, Mia. Stay back,” Ollie pleaded, then winced when Stanley twisted his arms back, finally getting him into the zip-ties. My head darted between the two of them, feeling completely powerless as I took another step forward. “Jake, get her back!” Ollie shouted, and Jake pulled me away in seconds, keeping me farther than arm’s length—farther than I ever wanted to be.

Ollie pressed his forehead to the cement for a moment before turning to face me again. Tears fell from his bloodshot eyes and over his lips as my hands shook at my sides. “Mia, listen to me. You have to stay with me even when I’m gone, you hear me? Don’t let it burn out. Promise me,” he begged, but I couldn’t form any words. My body weakened in Jake’s hold and Ollie’s eyes screwed shut as more tears fell before he opened them again. “Dammit, Mia. Promise me!”

Before the last light went out in my mind, I was able to speak.

“I promise.”