Love and Ambition

6 - Better Days

The summer breeze turned cold as autumn drew near.

Sean and I sat in our usual spot in the park: by the fountain in an open space. We watched people pass by us as the trees rustled with the wind, red and orange leaves falling to the ground. I had my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

"I wish time would stop," I said, looking up at him. His eyes were set ahead of us, as if he was in deep thought. 

"Why did you have to move so far away?" He finally snapped, looking down at me.

I shifted in my seat. "You know why."

He sighed, "I just don't get it," he pulled away from me to see me face-to-face. "There's plenty of good universities here."

"Yeah, but this sounded more promising," my voice cracked as I raised it higher than intended. 

"Don't get mad," he moved closer to me, cupping my cheek in his palm. "I just want you close."

I smiled at what he said. "It's only a 2 hour drive, you can come visit during the weekends."

But today is not a weekend. It's a Monday. A school day. A weekday. Appearing right at our dorm room with a small pout on his face—like a puppy who missed his owner. I would have called it cute if he hadn't come so out of the blue on Saturday just to 'check up on me'.

"What are you doing here?" I keep my tone between gritted teeth.

"Don't get mad," he's saying that again, like he's patronizing me for having feelings. "You didn't answer my calls yesterday or this morning."

Behind me, Jane sat up from her bed and walked across the room. I hear her pick up her boots and zipping them up.

I placed a hand on my face, heaving a sigh in them. "God, this is so embarrassing," I mutter under my breath as I walk back in the room. Jane locks eyes with me and gives an awkward smile before squeezing out between Sean and the door. "You can't just drive here whenever I don't answer your calls!"

"How not?" Sean walks in, keeping the door ajar. "Then answer me this, Brooke: where were you on Saturday after I walked you back?"

I look at him, frozen. "I was here."

He gives a cheeky smile, shaking his head. "No you weren't," he pulls out his phone and shows a screenshot of my Snapchat avatar out of the university. On the hill where Jason and I sat. "I thought it was a bug and was gonna ask you about it in the morning. But you didn't answer."

"Sean," I sit on my bed, staring at the ground. "I can't answer your calls every time. I have friends and I have a life here too."

Quiet.

I look up from the ground and into Sean's eyes, he averts them as they met; his stare fixated on the clock above my dresser. Every tick growing louder than the last as if every excruciating second was a minute long.

What I said has to finally sit with him. His obsession of calling me and demanding that I answer his every beck and call is driving me insane. Since I moved here in August, I tolerated months of his 5,000 calls in one day.

I search his eyes for any sign of remorse of his actions, but they were blank. I could never read him properly.

Finally, he lets out a sharp exhale. "Aye, but I'm your boyfriend."

My fists ball up as my blood boils underneath my skin. He gives me that same puppy-eyed-pout. It was cute the first few times he's done it, but the sight of it now makes me want to punch his face.

Behind Sean, Jenn pops her face out of the door, beaming me a smile. "Brooke, we've got a group meeting now."

I sigh out of relief, rising from the bed and walking past Sean. "Go home."