Love Starts Out in the Darkness

Part 15

Carol took one last look around the apartment to make sure she wasn't leaving anything behind. It took her over two weeks to find somewhere to live, and by the time she signed the lease, she couldn't wait to move out. She really thought she could change Lindsey's mind, especially when he returned from seeing Stevie, who Carol soon found out wasn't any guy friend of Lindsey's. He came home late, she could tell he had been crying, and he was in a terrible mood. She cooked while he was out and she offered him a plate, you must be hungry, she said, but he shook his head. She opened the same bottle he drank from the night before and poured him a shot, that he didn't decline. She wanted to show him that she cared, she asked about what happened while he was gone, but he didn't tell her anything. As a last resort, she even tried to lure him to bed, but that didn't go very well. At last, she asked what was it he wanted then and, Stevie, was his answer. That was when he told her everything.

"So, I guess, this is a goodbye." Carol said, standing by the door. 

"Yeah." Lindsey just nodded. 

"Seriously? That's all you can give me after all this time?" Carol asked, then sighed. "I thought I meant more to you than that."

"I don't know what you want me to say." Lindsey shrugged, folding his arms over his chest in case she decided to give him a hug. "All has been already said."

"So it seems." Carol didn't see a point in trying to get anything else from him. She picked up the last two bags with her things and turned to leave.

Lindsey watched Carol struggling with the door handle for a second, then moved to open the door for her. Standing in the hallway, she looked at him, their eyes were locked for a brief moment. Realizing that he wasn't about to break down in tears and pull her into his arms one last time, she held her head up high and marched out of his life.

A heavy sigh passed through Lindsey's lips once he shut the door. If not happy, he felt relieved. He was far from feeling happy. Even though living with Carol during the past couple of weeks was nothing more than two people sharing an apartment, it was a bit strange now that it was so quiet again. He allowed himself to imagine Stevie there with him and a smile crossed his face, though, he quickly shook himself mentally as if to vanish that thought form his mind.

Stevie didn't respond to any of Lindsey's texts. He knew that she didn't want to talk to him, so he didn't call, but he kept messaging her, hoping that she would eventually say something back. He sent her good morning and goodnight texts. He asked what she had for lunch. He asked if she was watching any of the shows they watched together if he caught it on TV. He let her know when he saw something that reminded him of her. He told her he missed her. He told her how badly he wanted to see her and wrap her in his arms. He even almost told her he loved her, but those messages never got sent. He no longer questioned his feelings. The pain he experienced when he saw her cry, when she said that she didn't know him anymore, when she asked him to leave... He was prepared to do absolutely anything to get her back.

"She moved out."

Lindsey informed Stevie of that too. He put his his phone away, not expecting to hear from her, and went to the kitchen to get something to eat. It was nearing dinner time and he hadn't even had breakfast. Since Carol didn't bother with grocery shopping, Lindsey didn't have many options, so he just made himself a pretty sad looking sandwich. With his breakfast/lunch/dinner plate in hand, he went back to the living room and slumped down on the couch, he reached for the TV remote. 

Then his phone pinged.