We Found You

24

Neither of them really knew how the fight started. But it was enough that Ryan decided that he and Hayden would spend the night in a hotel. She stayed at Kelly's.

She didn't go to the race that weekend and he didn't call her to talk about it. So by that standard, they were broken up. She knew it. She flew home on a commercial plane and went straight to her and Ashley's house, knowing she wasn't going to be home. Because she'd be with Chase.

"Oh god!" Ashley snapped as her hand flew to her chest, not expecting to see Claire on the couch. "What are you doing here?"

"Ryan and I fought. Broke up,"

"Hold on...what?!"

"Yeah," she sighed, "We yelled, I don't even really know what about but he grabbed Hayden and stormed out,"

"That doesn't mean anything!"

"Pretty sure it does Ash. I can't do it,"

"Can't do what?"

"I can't do the distance, the being gone all the time, it just sucks. And then we fought and it seemed like the perfect out," she shrugged, but all in all, it hurt. She felt the pain of the breakup and she didn't want to discuss it anymore.

"You guys were perfect for each other,"

"Key word, were," she sighed, not wanting to admit it but she had to come to terms. "The only reason I ever have to see him now is if he drops Hayden off or picks her up,"

"You know that's not what you actually want,"

"You don't think I know that," she snapped, "I was so happy with him but after Matt moved and everything happened with that, I just can't do that again,"

"Matt and your situation was way different. Ryan is here at least most of the week,"

"Your point?" She asked, hoping for anything to change in the way she felt.

"My point is that Matt moved away to Oregon. Ryan is here. Ryan is just gone on the weekend but now that we're in summer, you can go with him. The only time he's gone is through part of the week," Ashley tried to explain, but Claire couldn't see it. "Is that what you fought about? Him being gone?"

"Maybe?"

"Claire you can't do that. You can't base an entire relationship or breakup on that,"

"Well. I did," she sighed, leaning back on the couch as she hoped Ashley would just take it.

"Well. It's not too late to take it back,"

"I'm not taking it back unless he really wants it,"

"I'm sure he does," Ashley told her, knowing that Chase's best friend would give anything to have her back.

——————

The next few days felt endless. She tried to text Ryan a few times but she never got the guts to press send. She missed him but she couldn't continue to think about him being away, it was just the perfect out.

But it hurt.

It hurt the same way all the breakups did but for some reason, even though they'd only been together for a few months, it hurt worse.

And she didn't know where to go from here.