Vega's POV

The dinner table had never been more silent. We're not normally one of those families who sit in complete silence as they eat. At any given point there is always at least one person talking about some part of their day. I loved it growing up and a small part of me still does. I loved the business of it all, the excitement in my father's voice as he would tell us about a new project he would be taking on or the pure joy on my mom's face when she would win a case and would tell us the thrilling story of how she got the bad guy out in jail. Hell, I even didn't mind the nights they would complain about the crappy day they had because even though it wasn't a joyful conversation we would at least talk. 

Tonight is very different. Everything is different. Tonight as I eat spoonful after spoonful of fried rice I don't even try to start any sort of conversation with either of the people across from me. It's not like they're exactly trying either, it seems after failing to elicit an answer to the simple question 'How was school, Vega?' from me, they sunk into the pits of silence and gave up. 

Setting his fork into his now empty bowl my father sighs and turns to face my mom, "That was wonderful, my dear, thank you."

A small smile turns up the corners of her mouth, "You're welcome, honey," she shifts her gaze away from my father and cautiously looks over at me, "What about you, darling, did you enjoy it?"

I've never heard my mother so nervous to try and talk to me. My moods have never affected them in any way before. Usually, if I'm in a foul mood they just ignore it and speak to me like normal, but it seems that normality has also been thrown out of the imaginary window my family life is flinging itself out of. Looking up into those green lakes of hers where fear is taking laps I almost want to break my vow of angry silence. I want to tell her that the food was delicious as it always is and I want to ask her how her day went and if she was any closer to closing her most recent case... but out of principle I won't so a shrug and a grunt is the only answer I provide. 

Her shoulders slump with either sadness, defeat or a mixture of the two as she nods and mumbles, "That's good I suppose."

"You know, Vega, you could have at least answered your mother's question with actual words," my father snaps the sheer anger in his tone sending shivers down my spine and shifting the atmosphere of our little dining room from warm to almost freezing cold. I don't have to look under the table to see the icicles forming in his hands to know that they're there nor do I have to look at my hands to know that mine will start forming soon if he keeps talking to me like that. 

"I don't have to if I don't want to," I hiss under my breath looking him dead in the eyes.

He chuckles. "Well, at least now we know you haven't lost your voice."

"Tim, can we please not do this now," my mom pleads. She laces her hand on my dad's shoulder hoping to calm him down, but all he does is shoot her down and harshly shrugs it off.

"No, Lena, now is the perfect time to have any sort of conversation with this one."

"I think you and I have very different definitions of 'perfect time'," I laugh. 

The table shakes as he slams his hands down. "Don't talk to me like that, you may be considered an adult in this world but I am still your father and you will respect me!" he bellows. 

"Sorry, but I find it hard to respect you when you're acting like a complete child." Besides, technically I am a lot older than you, is what I wish I  could have said but the last thing he deserves to know is my real identity. 

A sharp piece of ice flies past me just grazing my cheek as it makes its way to the wall behind me. A gasp flies from my mouth and my mother screams. My hand reaches up for my cheek and my fingers are met with a small trail of blood that was already making its way down the side of my face. 

"Tim, are you insane!" my mother screams as she rushes toward me. She tries to cradle me in her arms, but I don't let her. 

Rising from my seat I get an icicle of my own ready just in case he tries to pull another stunt. "Try that again and I'll bury this in your chest," I hiss under my breath. 

"Vega, you wouldn't," my mom gasps. 

"Yeah, you wouldn't," my dad scoffs. 

"Try me."

Silence settles over the tense room. My mom stands off to the side while my father and I lock ourselves in a silent battle of will. Icicles held tight in our hands and our intense glares never leaving the other neither of us notice my mother had snuck off and returned until out of nowhere a bucket of water is tossed on the both of us. The break in our concentration causes us to destroy our icicles and screams leave both of us. 

"Lena, what the hell!" 

"Seriously, Mom!"

Holding the bucket firmly in her hands she steps closer to us angrier than I have ever seen her before. "Well I wasn't going to stand here and watch the two of you kill each other because you're both too stubborn to walk away like responsible adults," she cries. All of my mother's anger washes away quickly replaced by sadness. Tears flood her eyes and her body starts to tremble as she drops the bucket to the wet floor. "I don't know what has become of this family, but I will not let it go on any longer. I am not losing my family because of a stupid argument so, Tim from now on I will be in charge of discipline when it comes to Vega," my dad tries to fight back but one look from my mom and he decided that keeping quiet and nodding in his best option. "And, Vega, if you plan on going out with friends or suddenly wind up at a surprise get-together with someone you'll at least tell me, right?" 

"Yes."

She nods and smiles, "Good. You are no longer grounded so if you want to go out after school you can."

Relief floods through me like a tidal wave. I can go spend some time with Seth. 

"Lena-"

"Tim, she is eighteen years old! She is not a child anymore and we can't treat her like one. She made a mistake for which I am sure she is sorry, right?"

"Very sorry," I quickly respond. 

"Good, then this conversation is over. Vega, you can go up to your room if you want and Tim you are going to help me clean all this water."

Bidding my mom a silent good night I rush upstairs to my room immediately grabbing my phone and opening a chat with Seth. 

Me: You'll never guess what just happened!

Holding onto my phone like it's a lifeline I watch as ticks glow blue and the typing appears at the top. 

Seth: I'm kind of busy at the moment. 

Typing 

Seth: We can talk tomorrow. 

Tears well up in my eyes as I read the texts over and over again. I never thought he would push me off like this and what on Earth could he be busy with at this time because I know it's not with homework. Emotional me would ask him what he's doing and why he can't take a little time out to speak to me but rational me says I shouldn't do that. 

Me: Yeah we can talk tomorrow. 

I expect at least a simple 'cool' or a 'good night' back but nothing. As the minutes go by I watch the screen waiting for the typing notification to appear but it doesn't. He read my message but didn't even bother trying to respond. I want to text him again and let him know how he's hurting me but that is a conversation best done in person so I put my phone back onto my bedside table and start getting ready for bed.

* * * *

Nerves twist my stomach from left to right, top to bottom and bloody upside down as I walk into the quiet hallways looking around for a certain boy. This morning I woke up to a text from him saying that he would meet me here early, the only problem is he didn't tell me exactly where he would meet me so now I'm running around trying to find this man before any of my friends find me. 

Right before I can reach the corner to the next hallway I feel a hand grab my shoulder harshly spinning me around to face them.

My lips curl upward as I stare long and hard into Seth's gorgeous eyes but disappear when I see that he doesn't look nearly as happy to see me as I am to see him. 

"Hey, what's wrong?" I ask trying to cup his cheek in my hand but a slight turn of his head pushes my hand away and cuts into my heart. 

"We need to talk," he says his voice still gruff from sleep and the usual shine in his eyes nowhere in sight. 

If my heart wasn't breaking already it certainly is now. I've never been in a relationship but even I know the words 'we need to talk' are the worst words that could ever be said in a romantic relationship. 

"Is something wrong?" I ask hoping that he's just pulling my leg and this conversation won't be as serious as I think it will be. 

He doesn't answer my question. His hand moves down from my shoulder and grabs my upper arm so that he can pull me through a side door towards his spot on the field. The cool air cuts through my flesh but nothing beats the pain in my heart. The thudding of each beat echoes in my ears as a pit forms in my stomach. 

He lets go of my arm and starts to pace back and forth running his hands nervously through his mattered hair. I don't know how I didn't notice how disheveled he is. His hair that is usually kept clean and well brushed is mattered and strands are flying all over the place. There are bags under his eyes, and stains on his shirt, and he doesn't look like he had a shower at all this morning. He looks horrible and that pushes my fear about this conversation sky high. 

"Seth, please say something," I beg the knots in my stomach twisting and turning so hard that I'm afraid that I'm going to pass out. 

The pacing stops and he slowly turns back to face me. "I'm sorry, Vega," he cries. "I'm so sorry. I didn't want to do this but I don't have a choice and I needed you to know that."

Tears well up in my eyes and my breathing turns almost sporadic. "What are you talking about?"

"I... I'm so sorry." With tears in his eyes, he rushes over to me and presses his lips to mine. Our lips become wet as tears trickle down both our cheeks. His arms wrap around my waist and for the briefest of moments, he holds me tight against his body before slowly letting me go. A gasp leaves my lips as he pulls back stepping back to the spot he was before. 

"I don't think we should see each other anymore," he finally says and my heart shatters way more than I thought it would. 

"Why!" I sob unable to pull together any more words as I look into his tear-filled eyes. 

He sighs and shakes his head. "Things are not the same anymore, Vega. We're not the same."

"What are you talking about we are literally the same people!" I scream not even caring who might hear me. "I know that's not the real reason so try again," I snap. 

He shrugs, "I don't love you anymore."

I shake my head. "If that was true then you wouldn't have kissed me a few seconds ago." Storming over to him I look him dead in the eyes. "So, you either give me the real reason why you're breaking up with me or I swear to God I will kick your ass and then never speak to you again."

"Fine, you want to know the real reason?" I nod. "I can't stand sneaking around. I can't handle not being able to walk side by side with you or even just hold your hand in public. I want to be with someone who doesn't have to hide their relationship with me. I could barely handle that the last time and I have no desire to do that again. I'm sorry, Vega, but I don't want to be with you anymore. We are done."

Flashbacks of all our arguments about hiding our relationship come flooding back. He never liked the fact that we had to hide our relationship so it doesn't surprise me that he doesn't want to go through that again. But it wouldn't have been for long. We could have run off together after high school and lived together out in the open. I thought he would have been able to wait until then but not. Apparently, I'm not worth waiting for. 

I wave my hands as I take small steps back, "Fine, if you won't want to waste your time with me that's fine I can handle that but if you didn't want to be in a relationship like that again then why did you get back together with me! Why would you let me believe that I could have you back? Why would you set me up for this? If you really loved me then you would have spared me of this!"

"Vega-"

"I'm not finished!" I yell. Taking a deep breath I wipe away my tears with the sleeve of my jacket. "Please just tell me why," I beg. 

"I didn't want to do this, Vega," he sobs. "I never wanted to hurt you. I wanted to be with you for the rest of my life but I can't. I just can't."

I can't stand this anymore. Pressing my hand over my mouth to catch the loud sob that wants to escape I turn on my heels and storm back into the hallways. 

Seth's POV

The door slams shut behind her sapping what was left of my heart into a million more pieces. 

A slow clap echoes from behind me. "That was perfect," Carla says reminding me that she was there the whole time watching.

Wiping my tears away with the back of my hand I turn to face her. "I did what you asked now delete those pictures," I snap. 

She smirks and shakes her head. "Yeah, no that is not how this arrangement is working. I'm gonna keep those pictures as a um... blackmail tool if you will."

Anger surges within me and I have to stop myself from blasting a fireball at her. "What the hell are you talking about? You wanted me to break up with Vega and I did. You do not need to keep those pictures so just delete them."

She chuckles. "Oh, honey, I have every reason to keep those pictures and unless you want me to send them in you are going to walk around school with me right now holding my hand the entire time." A pit forms in my stomach and for the briefest of moments I feel like I'm going to pass out. As I open my mouth to protest she holds up her pointer finger. "If you say no I'll send the pictures and blast a rumour all over school that your little ex is a major slut and let's be real here she will never be able to escape that rumour even if she moves to the other side of the country."

Screw a fireball I want to singe this bitches face off. I want to laugh at her threat. I want to tell her to shove her phone up her ass and walk away but I can't. I need to keep Vega's reputation safe. I have to keep her safe.  

Reluctantly I reach my hand out allowing her to place her hand in it. Squeezing my palm to the point where I fear it might break she pulls me into the school building talking to me about her life as we walk past gasping students and people taking pictures or videos. I try to ignore the few comments being thrown my way, the looks they are giving me or even the simple questions some people are trying to ask me and works until I pass a certain group of girls I didn't want to see. 

Tears threaten to trickle down my face once again when I see Vega looking down at my hand linked with Carla's. I would hate to know what is going on through her mind right now and even though all I want to do is run over there and pull her into my arms I can't. I have to stay here next to this bitch for as long as it takes for those pictures to be erased from this planet.