Happier With You.

Chapter 14

Ding

I looked at my phone, it was a text from Cody.

"Can you meet me at the park in 25 minutes?"

"Okay." I replied back.

It took me 20 minutes to get to the park.

10 Minutes deciding if i should drive and another 10 minutes getting there.

I walked.

My shoes crunched on the gravel as I made my way to the park. The sky was starting to blush with the first hints of evening, and the air felt heavy, like it knew what was about to happen. I spotted Cody on a bench, his hands tucked in his pockets, staring at the ground. As I approached, his head lifted, but the warmth in his eyes that I was used to wasn't there.

"You're late," Cody said quietly, a faint edge to his voice.

I sighed, sliding onto the bench beside him. "I know. I'm sorry, it's just—"

"It's not just this time," he interrupted, his voice soft but firm. "You're always late. It feels like... like maybe this isn't a priority for you."

His words stung, and I looked at him, searching his face for some sign that he didn't really mean it. But I found none. The silence between us grew thick, pressing down on my chest. "I've been trying, Cody. But lately... you've been so distant. We even fought about it earlier, remember? You hardly talk to me, you barely look at me. What's going on?"

Cody's jaw tightened, and he blinked rapidly, his eyes glistening. "I haven't been fair to you, and I'm sorry. But I just... I don't think I can keep doing this."

My heart sank, his words hitting me like a punch to the gut. "What do you mean? What are you saying?"

"I'm saying... I think we should break up." His voice cracked as he said it, his eyes locked on mine, searching for understanding, forgiveness, something to make this easier. But all I felt was pain.

I shook my head, tears welling up as I choked out, "No, you don't mean that. We can work through this, Cody. Please, we can fix it."

Cody's hands trembled as he reached out and pulled me close. I clung to him, my tears soaking into his shirt. "I love you. But I can't keep pretending everything's okay. I'm sick, and I don't know what's going to happen. It's not fair to you."

"Cody, please... I love you." My voice broke, but I couldn't finish. Deep down, I knew this wasn't about me being late or our argument. It was about something bigger than either of us.

He held me tighter, his own tears falling as he whispered, "I love you too. I'm sorry." He kissed my forehead, a tender, lingering goodbye, as if trying to seal this moment in our memories forever.

Slowly, he pulled away, letting his hands slip from mine. I wanted to reach out, to hold onto him, but I couldn't move.

"CODY PLEASE." I yelled.

All I could do was watch as he walked away, leaving me alone on the bench, my world collapsing around me.

The park felt empty, the quiet hum of crickets the only sound as the sun dipped below the horizon. I sat there, tears streaming down my face, the ache in my chest growing with each passing second.

And in that moment, I knew nothing would ever be the same again.