ADELINE'S POV
Colton drops to his knees in front of me and I widen my eyes in surprise as I look at him below me. I don't know what to do or how to react to this gesture so I just stare at him. I know he must have a lot to say and I know he is basking in self-hate and self-guilt. He has been basking in those two things ever since he got involved with Veronica, that I am sure of. I wish I could tell hm that it wasn't his fault but that would be a lie because so matter how much we try to twist it, he still kidnapped me and he still brought me to erotica.
The only difference is that I don't hate him anymore for it. If there is one thing I have learned to do, it's forgive. Besides how could I hate him, how could I despise o loathe him when it is because of me that his sister was put in danger. When I met Colton, all I saw was a man I hated with my whole heart. I couldn't stand the sight of him. I wanted him dead but as I lived in erotica with him and as I got to know him, I realized that he was more than what met the eye. I learned about the hold that Veronica had on him and I saw the kindness he showed me and my heart ached for him.
I can't hate him because despite doing everything in his power to keep his sister safe and away from everything concerning erotica, everything was ruined because of his will to help me, everything was ruined because Colton chose to be kind to me and that is something I could never forgive myself for.
"Colton please get up." He looks up at me, tears in his eyes and it is clear that his heart is breaking. It is clear that he is barely holding it together. We don't have to talk about the fact that Colton was basically forced to have sex with me while we were at erotica. We both didn't have a choice and he was drugged. He wasn't in his right senses. I couldn't stand the sight of him after it happened but I learned to live with that too, just like I have learned to live with a lot of things.
I have learned the importance of forgiveness and I have decided to give it to Colton hoping that he might give it to me as well.
"I'm so sorry Adeline. I'm sorry for every bringing you to that godforsaken place. I'm sorry for all that happened to you just because I couldn't tell Veronic no." He says, tears falling from his eyes.
Colton needs redemption and I want to help him find it. I can't just give up on him because even after he lost everything, even after what happened to his sister, he didn't give up on me. He saved Naomi and he helped Dante take down erotica.
"It wasn't your fault, Colton. We were all victims of Veronica and her evil. We were all her victims. There's no need to throw around blame now. What's done is done and we're all free from her now. You don't have to do all those things anymore Colton. It's all over now."
I fall down to my knees and sit on the floor next to him.
"I failed her." He cries. "I failed my sister and I hate myself so much for it. Why did those things happen to her Adeline? Why did she have to die? Why did I lose her?"
"I can't answer that question, Colton. I don't know why bad things happen to innocent people and I want you to know that your sister was innocent and I want you to believe that she is in a better place now." I tell him, hugging him close to me as I comfort him. He has been so strong for everyone around hm without having anyone there to be strong for him. I want to be the friend he needs. I want to be there for him just like he was there for me all those days at erotica. He watched out for me and made sure all those hungry guards didn't put their hands on me.
He made sure I was safe and protected, staying at my door all night just to make sure no one else got in. right now, he has no one to be there for him. No friends or family to return to and he is suicidal. What kind of person would I be if I turned my back on him now? What kind of person would I be if I can't be the friend that he was for me?
"I want you to know that I am here for you Colton. You don't have to do it. You don't have to die." I say in a pleading voice with hopes that he will change his mind and stay.
"I have nothing else to live for Adeline. It's all over. Everything I fought for, everything I worked so hard for, I lost it. I can never get it back Adeline. I hate myself so much, I don't know how to wake up every day and not drown in my own self-loathing. I just needed to know that you didn't hate me. I just needed to apologize to you. I needed to at least try to right my wrong by saving you and your friends. I needed to make sure that you all were safe and you are. You are in good hands now and I am not needed anymore. There is no one who would protect you better than Dante and Liam. I've done my part and I have done more damage than good if we're being honest." He says his last sentence with a light laugh and my heart breaks for him.
What do I do? What do I do to make him better? I ask myself all these questions and then it hits me. I had left that life behind me but I used to be a therapist. I used to help people like Colton. I used to help suicidal people all the time.
"I used to be a therapist, Colton." I say rapidly, in every effort possible to try and change his mind and not let him kill himself. "I can help you get through this Colton. At least let me try. I want to be there for you and I cannot do that if you kill yourself. I cannot help you if you make this decision." I tell him.
"I don't think therapy is what I need Adeline." He says weakly.
"If you need something to fight for then I will give it to you. Dante, Liam, Naomi and I, we are starting something. We're going to track down other organizations like erotica and we're going to save other little girls. Is that not what you want Colton? Is that not something worth fighting for rather than just throwing the rest of your life away? You can help s many other girls out there suffering from the same thing Colton. You can save so many other victims. You have the potential for it and you know it." I tell him and he looks up at me with something that can only be admiration.
His eyes are wide and teary and I can see that if I keep this up, he might have hope. Colton is my friend and he may hate himself, he might have don awful things but he deserves a chance at redemption because he didn't do all these things to himself. Veronica wanted to turn him into a monster. She wanted to turn everyone around her into a monster.
"How can you be so strong?" He asks me. "After everything you have been through, how could you be the one comforting me right now? How do you not hate me?"
"Life is short Colton. After experiencing what I have do you really think I want to spend the rest of my life with hate in my heart?" I ask him softly with a tilt of my head. We, as humans have limited time on this earth. Sometimes I think we all just collectively forget about the fact that we cannot live together. We will all die one day and the rest of the world will move on and even those who remember us will die and the vicious cycle will continue.
We have to choose smart ways of living our lives.
"I want to explore the world, Colton. I want to go everywhere. Life gave me another chance and I will do everything in my power to use it. I will do everything in my power to utilize every second that life has to offer. I want to live and I want to help other people who are in the same situation as I was live too. I want to give them a chance at survival."
I finally stand up and offer my hands to Colton. He wipes his tears and takes my hand and I pull him easily.
"It will be my greatest honor if you helped me, Colton. It will be my greatest honor if you fought by my side. It will be my greatest honor if you lived by my side." He nods his head and then pulls me in for a hug.
"Thank you, Adeline. Thank you so much. I will not fail you. I promise I will not."
"Don't do this for me Colton." I say as I hug him back.
"Do it for your sister but most importantly do it for yourself."