I slammed the suitcase shut and snapped the locks, I had to get out of here. I felt all the terror from being trapped in that house swell inside me, the confusion of whether I liked Vic or Mike, the guilt from liking both of them, the hate for Lily, the hate for myself. It was all too much. I screamed loudly, tears flowing down my cheeks, my head titled back, eyes tightly clenched along with my fists. I screamed again and again. My throat began to scratch and burn but I couldn't stop, I had to let it out somehow.

"Leda," a quiet voice said, I'm surprised I even heard it over my screaming, I opened my eyes, I knew that voice anywhere, it was Vic, his face looked frightened and his hands were knotted together. "Please stop screaming..." it wasn't an order, just a timid little plea. I dropped to my knees and threw my head in my hands, and began sobbing violently.

I felt his hands on my shaking shoulders, he drew me to his chest and held me there, unspoken.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry" I whispered hoarsely, he ran his hand up and down my back to try to soothe me. I clung to his shirt, the tears refusing to stop, I looked so weak but I didn't have the energy to care anymore, I didn't have the motivation to even think about it. Although saying that, I instinctively covered my face again, trying to disguise my defeat.

"I'm sorry" I whispered again, choking on a sob trying to escape. He softly took my hands away from my face and held them both his lap, I kept my eyes on his neck, I couldn't look at his face, I couldn't look at those deeply sad eyes. I took a shaky breath.

"It's okay, you can look at me" he whispered, probably because of the sudden volume change from my screaming to just pure silence (except the sound of my crying) and I loved how he could read me like a book. I lifted my gaze slightly, cautiously and when I did he smiled slightly.

"You know, your eyes go a really bright shade of blue when you cry" he pointed out and just like that, he brought a smile to my face, a genuine, happy, carefree smile.

-Mike's POV-

Lily recovered from Leda's assault within seconds. A red mark tainted her neck but her smirk still remained. She leant again the door frame.

"What?" I spat, more angry at myself than her but more willing to take it out on her than myself.

"Oh nothing. Could I ask you a favour?" She traced her tongue over the top row of her teeth and looked me up and down. I drew my eyebrows together, a favour?

"Depends" I shrugged not in the mood for her fucking games. She swayed into the room, uninvited.

"My neck hurts," her eyes lit up "Could you...kiss it better for me?" She titled her head to the side, almost like she was awaiting a vampire bite.

"Yeah, um, get out of my room." I bluntly replied.

-Leda's POV-

I was on my feet again, wiping at my eyes, I had to get a grip. I saw Vic eyeing the suitcase but I decided I wouldn't explain myself unless he asked. I went over to the mirror and fixed my hair, it was disheveled and ugly because I'd been pulling at it, I rubbed my eyes a little, they stung but not much, it was really my throat that hurt the most.

"You're leaving?" Vic asked evenly but I heard the underlying sadness. I looked at him through the mirror, he'd seated himself on the bed next to my packed case.

"Um, I don't know" I replied honestly, applying some moisturiser to my face. Now that I'd calmed down, running out seemed a little ridiculous and childish.

"Oh" he replied. Oh, just oh. I felt guilt wash through me, he wouldn't visibly show that he was upset but I knew he was, its almost like I could feel it. He traced his finger over the suitcase and then down to the brass locks, his face contorted in wonderment.

I watched him for a while, rubbing what remained of the moisturiser into the palm of my hands. I'd calmed down now so my skin wasn't as blotchy red as before but my eyes were still swollen. He dropped his hand from the case and folded it into his lap, a mournful expression painted on his handsome face. Suddenly an idea sparked.

"Come with me" I blurted, he looked up to where I was standing and I spun around.

"Huh?" He asked

"You asked if I was leaving, I wasn't sure before, but I am now. Yes I'm leaving, come with me" I explained, his face lit up a little and then fell. He was doubting, I knew he was. I quickly made my way over to him and knelt in front of him, lifting his chin with my finger.

"We could just get out of here, no Lily, no Mike, nothing tying us down." Excitement filled me. "No guilt" I added, that was a crucial part. I grabbed his hand, interlocking our fingers, he searched my eyes for something and then looked down at our knotted hands.

"I don't know what's going on in my head, Vic. But I do know that I can't let you go." It felt good to be honest, I lifted his chin once again and looked at him straight in the eyes, I wanted him to know how honest and raw I was being.

"If I didn't want to go, you wouldn't leave without me?" He asked, I think he was challenging how much I needed him. I smiled.

"Nuh-uh, no way" he smiled slightly and I kissed his lips softly.

"But your Mike's..." His eyes fell sad and his head dropped down ashamed. I didn't know how to reply to that, how to feel about that.

"But Vic..." I started but I wasn't all that sure what to say. I want to be yours, forget Mike and lets go. I couldn't be that selfish, could I?

"He's my brother." He mumbled "I can't do that to him." I nodded pretending to be okay with that. I was going to ask him something but he spoke first.

"Please don't ask me to come with you again...because I want to, god I want to. But I can't" he lifted his gaze to me. And I nodded, standing up and leaning down to kiss his lips briefly. I didn't know where to put myself, I wanted to keep packing and then slip out the back door and run down the street but I said I wouldn't leave without him. Damn. I pulled the suitcase off of the bed and slid it underneath it, as if I was changing my mind.

"Lets not be hasty" I smiled falsely and his eyes narrowed ever so slightly, he knew I was lying but he didn't say anything. The doorbell rang, saving me from his accusatory gaze, he knew me too well, he knew I was going to leave anyway. Considering my mom wasn't home it was my house too so I had to open the door, I rolled my eyes and headed downstairs to answer.

"Hi" the girl on the other side of the door greeted me with a warm smile, I smiled in return but my smile was tight. She wore a lot of heavy eyeliner, her hair choppy and her eyes bright.

"Um, hello?" I replied perplexed.

"I just brought this back, I forgot to give it back to Mike so," she smiled awkwardly and held her arm outstretched, in her hand was a jacket, Mike's jacket.

"Thanks, um, I'll let him know you returned it" I replied my face attempting to be polite but my tone of voice not really sure how to.

"Okay, thanks! Bye" she smiled and waved before jogging back down the driveway and to her car. I shut the door confused.

I knocked on Mike's door a couple of times.

"Can I come in?" I asked through the door. No reply. I sighed heavily and opened the door, not caring if it'd make him more pissed off with me or not. He wasn't in there, I was about to just throw his jacket on his bed and leave when I heard someone behind me, I quickly spun around, and there was Mike. Fresh from the shower, hair slick back, towel around the waist. It took me a second to come back down to Earth.

"Um, some girl just dropped off your jacket" I stammered, unable to take my eyes off of the towel around his waist, my mind wandering.

"Who?" He asked as if there was more than one girl who could possibly have had his fucking jacket. I snapped out of my trance and things felt a little awkward, I looked around, at anything but him.

"Didn't catch her name" I shrugged "Anyway that's all I really came to say so..." I motioned to the door awkwardly before I began heading out of it

"Wait, the girl, she's not...we didn't- I haven't-" he stuttered over the words and I smiled.

"It's cool, none of my business. Looks like neither one of us can fight for the other one." I shrugged my lip raising at one side in a sympathetic smile before I turned around again and headed towards my room, I heard him sigh heavily before I closed my bedroom door.

"Are you okay?" Vic asked once I reentered the room.

"Hm? Me? Yeah yeah I'm fine" I answered with a fake smile and a voice way too high pitched to be mine.

--

Night time came round eventually. It had been the slowest day ever, even slower than when I was locked away. I climbed out of my bed which I'd be laid in for an hour straight waiting for everyone else in the house to fall to sleep.

I grabbed the pillows and stuffed them underneath the duvet. Oldest trick in the book but it always worked. I slowly dragged my suitcase from under the bed. Grabbing my jacket from the back of the door, I slipped it on, my heart beating in my chest. Was I really going to do this?

I answered my own question by opening my bedroom door and heading out, I crept silently to Vic's bedroom and slid a note I'd written earlier in the day under his door, the note (in my scrawled ugly handwriting) read:

I know I said I wouldn't leave without you
but you have to understand this is something I have to do.
I wasn't kidding when I asked you to come with me,
I wanted you to, I still do. But I understand your reasoning for not doing so, you're a good brother.
Don't miss me, maybe I'll be back someday.

Your Leda.

My heart was in my mouth, could I really leave Vic behind so easily? Mike too? I had no other option, I'd gotten this far, I'd hate myself if I turned back now. I sighed and turned around heading for the staircase. At the front door I took one last look around, I knew I'd return but I didn't know when, I couldn't live in a house where my supposed best friend flirted with my boyfriend and I had feelings for my boyfriends brother, it was all a mess and although I shouldn't let these things drive me out I couldn't stand to stay. I opened the door as silently as I could, pulling my jacket tighter around me, my case felt a million times heavier in my hand. I can do this, I can.

I stepped out into the night, shutting the door behind me. Goodbye. I walked a little while down the road, I thought about just taking Mike's car but soon realized it'd be a lot easier to find me if they knew what car I was travelling in, so instead I walked slowly in a daze to the bus stop, slightly shivering, heart slightly heavy, teeth chattering.

But I honestly felt more free than I had before.

Notes

Ok this is shorter than usual but I really wanted to update before I went to bed because I'm so exhausted and I really enjoyed writing this so. :)

I love your guys' feedback, you're awesome!

Tell me what you'd like to see, more Vic POV's? Maybe a Lily POV? Mike and Lily action? TELLMETELLMETELLME :)

G'night pumpkins. <3