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He turned and walked back to his car. It took everything in me not to call him back, but I forced myself to stand there and let him go. It was for the best. Pretty soon, he’d forget about me and move on to someone his parents would approve of. I swallowed back my tears and headed up to my dorm room.
I stepped inside and Jackie glared at me. Then her expression changed to concern by whatever it was she saw on my face. “Hey, are you okay?”
Ignoring her, I dumped my bag on the floor and went into the bathroom. The second I turned the faucet on, the first sob escaped. Then the next. I couldn’t hold them back any longer. I slid to the floor, tugged my knees to my chest, and bawled for everything I’d just lost.
I don’t know how long I cried, but I vaguely heard a noise. The water shut off and then an arm hesitantly went around my shoulder. My tears were still coming, but not like they had been. Needing the small amount of comfort, I leaned into Jackie who remained quiet. We sat there together while I tried to figure out how I was going to get over my broken heart.
Chapter 10
Gareth
A week.Seven days. That’s how long it had been since I’d seen or talked to Livvie, and I was fucking miserable. We’d been having a nice lunch with my parents, and then boom. I still couldn’t figure out what had happened. Everything between us had been so good. I’d called her several times, but she hadn’t answered her phone. My parents had kept me so busy that I hadn’t even been able to stop by the diner.
“Gareth, honey, are you ready to go?” My mom called from the living room.
I straightened my tie and shut off the bedroom light on my way out. “I’m coming.”
Going to the theatre tonight no longer interested me. Especially since Livvie wasn’t with me. This was something I’d wanted us to do together. Without her, I didn’t really care if we went or not. I grabbed my coat and shrugged into it. My parents stood by the front door and exchanged a glance.
“Son, is everything okay? You haven’t seemed like yourself this week.” The heavy weight of my dad’s hand rested on my shoulder.
“Livvie and I got in a fight last week. After we all went to lunch. She asked me to take her back to the dorm, and then suddenly we were arguing out in the parking lot. Now she won’t answer her phone when I call.” I released a heavy sigh. “I think we broke up.”
“Honey,” my mom spoke. “You’re so busy dividing your time between your work and your studies. Maybe it’s for the best. She’s probably distracting you anyway.”
I jerked back. “What? No. Livvie isn’t distracting me from anything. We both work and study hard. When she’s not in class or working, she comes over here sometimes, and we have study sessions together. If it weren’t for her helping me focus, I’d probably be behind in my classes.”
My father cleared his throat. “What your mother is trying to say is that maybe you and she are spending too much time together. Some people just need a break from each other for a bit. Do your own thing for a while.”
“But I don’t want a break from Livvie.” They didn’t understand. “I like spending time with her. Being with her makes me happy.Shemakes me happy.”
“Gareth,” my mother said my name in that placating fashion that always drove me crazy.
My gaze darted between the two of them. “What’s going on? Do you not like her or something?”
My mother sighed. “It isn’t that we don’t like her. I’m sure she’s a very lovely girl. But ever since you met her, you seem to have lost your focus. She’s all you ever talk about. You’ve been ignoring your friends. Even Ryder. All your time is spent with her. It’s just not healthy.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?”
“Gareth Michael,” my dad barked. “Don’t speak to your mother that way.”
“For the last eight years, I’ve busted my ass. Between baseball and keeping my grades up so I could get a scholarship to a good school, I’ve done everything I can to make you two proud of me by working hard.” My fist hit my chest. “I’m twenty-three years old, and I’m already an administrator at a rehabilitation facility. How many other people can say that?”
“No one is saying you haven’t worked hard for what you’ve accomplished. Your father and I are proud of you,” my mother intoned.
“Livvie was worried you wouldn’t like her. She freaked out when I picked her up. But I told her it was going to be fine.” I laughed without humor. “She was right, though, wasn’t she? I thought she was just nervous at lunch, but now I can see it. You didn’t really even try to get to know her.”
My parents cast nervous glances between each other. “Gareth, we know what new relationships are like. We just don’t want you to get so caught up that you lose focus on everything you’ve worked so hard for.”
I just shook my head. “You don’t know Livvie. She wouldn’t let that happen. There isn’t anyone more determined to succeed than her. I’ve never seen a person more dedicated.”
Neither of my parents said anything more. They’d told me countless times they only wanted what was best for me. What they didn’t understand was, that was Livvie. She was what was best for me. And for once in my life, I planned on being selfish.
“Look. Why don’t you two go to the theatre. I need to go talk to Livvie.”
They hesitated.
“Go. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
