I never thought looking around an empty room would hurt so much. Most of my things were packed, Evelyn was nice enough if not more than willing to store my personal belongings until I decided to come back.

She insists that my energy is still conflicted and that going to England would be a mistake but also an awakening in some ways. I'm surprised at how well she is taking this whole thing, I'm pretty sure Keiko was the main reason because of this. Since the two met they've been linked in spirit mentally and in some cases physically. I will miss them, but there is just too much pain here.

Pain that I caused.

Taking a deep breath I folded the rest of my clothes and shoved them down into my duffle bag. My mind was almost content with me moving away, repeating over and over that a new adventure would be exciting.

That was until a loud unsettling sound shook my door. The first time I ignored it and continued to pack, the second time it was loud, long, and impossible to ignore.

I went to see exactly what it was that was going on in the hall only to open my door to find a spiderweb of chains on it. There was Evelyn, sporting her gothic attire, safety glasses, red lipstick with a screw in her mouth, and a drill in her hands.

"What in the actual fuck?"

"Do you know how hard it's been finding the right roommate?" Evelyn spat the nail out of her mouth. "The years I've wasted looking for the right disaster to live here and stay!"

"Evelyn," I said calmly as I witnessed this newfound horror of emotion come out of her. Watching her as she wrapped another chain-link through a slot she had spontaneously added to the door frame.

"I refuse to let you leave me stuck with filling out applications!" Evelyn continued raving and she proceeded with her handy work. "Only to be stuck with some tan blonde hottie who wears too much pink, hogs the bathroom, flushes coffee grounds down the sink which I fucking hate. Constantly talks about people magazine, blurs Miley Cyrus at four in the morning, and hoards beanie babies! explaining to me that certain ones can't be put together because they have a past...and the sad, twisted thing about that is I'm going to wanna know why."

Evelyn took a breath as I just stood there in my doorway. "Have you lost your nerve?"

It was at that moment that I swore something in her snapped. Her eye twitched just slightly before she yanked on a chain causing my door to slam shut. I sighed and pulled on the knob only to be rejected, tats when I started to panic. "Evelyn? Open the door, Evelyn!"

"No."

"I'm serious!" I said yanking on the knob. "My plane leaves in an hour!"

"You're not leaving this room.....ever!"

I ran over to my window which I knew was too high up to jump out of, but perhaps I could get crafty. Nonetheless, that idea was shut down when I couldn't raise the windows only to find nails in the seal on the other side. How in the fuck did she even put those there?

"Evelyn!" I ran back and beat on the door. "You can't keep me in here forever! I have needs you know? survival-based needs!"

"I'll feed you through the rat door."

Confused, I looked down to see a small tiny fairy-like entrance at the bottom of the door. Having no clue that it was even there...how did I miss that this whole time living here? This would also explain how Cheddars was getting into my room and chewing up random shit.

I didn't have time for this, with a deep breath I rubbed my face and yelled again. "What am I supposed to do for a bath? What if I have to pee? I gotta come out sometime."

My words were quickly silenced by the sound of that loud annoying drill digging chains into my door. Going to my desk I grabbed my phone and began texting everyone within a ten-mile radius explaining that my roommate is a psychopath and to send backup....preferably Keiko.

Long minutes passed before I finally heard her voice on the other side of the door and the removal of chains shortly followed. "Hold on, I'll fix everything!"

Relief swept over me that I might actually get out of here in time and make the flight, after all, Riley and Greta were waiting for me.

They all have gone through so much to put up with me and make me feel welcome in their home. Pictures to prove that I was literally chained into my room were definitely going to be a must before I leave.

When the door finally opening I was ready to burst through like a tornado in a trailer park, until something stopped me dead in my tracks. Andrew slipped inside and with it came too many emotions. That pain I fought off so hard came rushing back all at once that I found myself backed into my desk.

This time it was Keiko who popped her head in, smiled, and then slammed the door shut. I ran over but didn't make it in time to stop it, frustrated I banked on the door and yelled. "This is what you call fixing the problem!!!"

The was no answer, just the same sound of the drill.

Andrew wasn't supposed to be here, he shouldn't even be on his feet this much. Looking at him I could physically see how weak he still was, the travel alone exhausted him. He looked around my room and took in its vacant state, his eyes stopping on my duffle bag.

"Keiko came by my place and told me everything...that you were the one who found me that night." Andrew half smirked "She called me a self-righteous prick."

"Good for her," I added.

" So you're really leaving?"

" That's what I said I was going to do?" I folded my arms over my chest, keeping to my side of the room.

"So you decided to run away from your problems."

" I'm not running away I'm starting over."

"Starting over?" Andrew scoffed, "Is that what you call it? Going to jump over the pond and expose someone else's personal life to the daily paper?"

There went that nerve again. That same hurtful feeling, a knife twisting the wound I'm desperately trying to heal.

"First off, fuck you asshole!" I shouted, my voice already breaking. "Secondly, I apologized for that shit over and over, I'm sorry okay! I'm sorry I'm a sheltered, spoiled, self-centered little brat that wrote about MY life and those involved in it on the internet. It's called a biography!"

I swallowed hard and fought back that lump in my throat, I will be damned if I allow anyone else to see me cry again " You, Jasmine, my father! I'm so sick of trying to fit into that perfect fucking mold to fit everyone's needs. To rip away who I am to satisfy someone else happy because for some fucking reason the world just seems to have a problem with me! I make mistakes, I do the wrong things...I'm not perfect but I am learning!"

"Cora," Andrew began.

I quickly stopped him by slapping him in the face. Something I swore I would never due but by this time is felt well deserved. Andrew just stood there and took it as my hand left a small red print on his face. My blood was boiling and I could feel the tears coming, blurring my vision the more I blinked.

"I took care of you, I stopped everything for you only to be neglected and treated trash while you played around with a nurse just to get back at me. Yet I stayed because I felt I could make amends for what I did, that somehow you ending up in that situation was also my fault."

I wiped the tears from my face but continued to let everything out. "Do you know have any idea what that did to me? Finding you like that. Every time I close my eyes I see it! That combined with everything we've been through...I fucking hate it. Makes me regret ever climbing into that stupid fucking window of your-"

Andrew had finally had enough. Before I could finish he jolted across the room and grabbed me. Pulling me into a kiss. I wanted to hate him to shove him away and just punch him, but I couldn't. That connection, the longing to be in his arms and surrounded by him was too much.

"Andrew," I mumbled against him, trying to push away.

"Don't get on that plane," Andrew said, holding me tightly to the point that I was up on my toes. "You're right, I am an asshole and I don't deserve you after what I put you through. I was angry...Please, forgive me."

"I don't know if I can," I said pushing him away. "I can't see how we can come back from this."

Andrew cleared his throat and pushed down his own pain building in this chest. "That's fine. I can live with that just....just don't leave Cora. Don't go where I can't reach you. I love you goddamnit!"

He suddenly flinched, making a small face of disgust, and looked away. In pure disbelief of his own words. What he said not only tore me, but his reaction to it was priceless. I got a small glimpse of the old Andrew for a moment.

"Was that you first I love you to somebody," I asked him.

He nodded and rubbed his throat. "It left a bad taste in my mouth...I don't like it."

"Do you regret saying it?"

"...No." Andrew sighed and rubbed his face. "I'm sorry...for everything, but please don't leave."

"What will happen if I stay?"

"Well, first off the chains will come off your door." Andrew tried to make light of the situation. "And I'd like to try one more time. To have that second chance to fall in love with you all over again."

Without another word he extended his hand, reaching out to me like he did the very first time we met. Like he did every time I needed him and wanted him close. I had finally come to the fork in the road, the one that would probably change my life for good...and for once it would be my choice that sends me there.

Like an old picture without everything I went through the very second my father slammed that door in my face flashed through my mind. Every emotion, every action, every touch just leading to this and had me asking... was it worth it?

I closed my eyes and took his hand.