The Perfect Promise

Chapter 33: The Anti-relationship year:

~Chapter Song: Perfect, Ed Sheeran~

I nodded in a very settled way.

We had said that when we had both talked about something being wrong with our relationship with our friends, he would look at me, and I would nod. The signal.

"One minute", I muttered and left before she could protest.

"Remember what you have to say?", I said to him, when we were at a five-feet distance.

He nodded and took a deep breath.

"Well, we have to appear like we are talking a bit at first, so... hey."

"Hey. So are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

He glanced behind my back, with a frown. "Wait... you don't think Christine can read lips, do you?"

"I wouldn't put it past her.", I resist the urge to laugh.

"Then...", he took a deep breath and screamed, "I can't do this anymore, Winter,", not extremely loud, but enough for Christine and David to listen. We had their attention.

"What makes you think I can?"

He scoffed.

"I can't be in a relationship with someone, who doesn't consider it his number one priority. There are more important things than the school you know.", I shouted back.

I couldn't believe what I was saying. Number one priority? I sounded so self-centered.

Relationships shouldn't be anybody's number one priority. They should be something that made life better, not add more workload.

It was though, what we had agreed on saying, which is the exact reason I wasn't looking forward to what he would say to me next.

"Well, I can't be dating someone so emotionally unavailable. Can you know what you are feeling for once? You are in constant need of attention, and I'm tired of having to deal with you and your problems. You are so messed up."

Ouch! I knew he would say that. I told him to say that, but it still hurt probably because it was true.

"Then maybe we shouldn't do this anymore."

This must have been the most obviously fake breakup in the history of fake breakups, but it was the best we could come up with.

"Fine."

"Fine."

And he stormed away.

That was it.

Christine came running to me. "Oh my God, Winter, I can't believe it. I'm so sorry. Please don't cry". She hugged me.

I wasn't crying, was I? I put my hands to my cheeks. Tears were burning down my eyes. I shouldn't be crying. This was all fake. I knew what he would say. Why was I crying?

David put a hand on my shoulder, "I know I've known both of you since we were babies, and let's be honest I like Cameron more. You do too. Or you did-"

Christine buried her elbow in his rips.

"Ouch. Anyway, want me to beat his ass?"

I left a dry laugh, "That's okay. I'm going to go home."

"Okay, honey.", she said still hugging me, "Do you want David to take you?"

"No, it's fine, I'll just call me dad.", I lied.

We parted and I walked away, finding Cameron already inside his car.