Winning Skylinn

74

Later that night, I got an unexpected call from the one and only.

"Skylinn," he said, and his voice sounded tight.

"You called." I didn't bother hiding the accusation in mine.

"Well I figured since I'm leaving tomorrow, we should-"

"We should what?" I interrupted.

"Um. Patch things up? I don't want to leave on bad terms."

"Okay. So what did you want to say?" I wasn't about to make it easy on him. He'd waited five whole days to make this call, and even if I was shocked to finally get it, I felt nothing but hurt. Why hadn't he called sooner? Why was he waiting til the last second?

"I wanted to say I'm sorry."

"For?"

"Leaving. I realized about halfway home that I'd left you there by yourself. How'd you ever get home?"

I wanted to be cold hearted and lie, tell him Jonny came to pick me up. But I did have some sympathy for the guy, so I told him the truth. "I called Jake, and she picked me up."

"Okay. Well. I'm sorry for what I did. Is there any way you can forgive me?"

"Yes, I forgive you."

"Gre-"

"But that doesn't mean it didn't hurt. I can't believe you did that. After four years together, you didn't even have the decency to drive me home, or call someone for me. You just left. And then you waited almost a week to check on me, and now you just want to 'patch things up'? 'Leave on good terms'? You don't know how many times I beat myself up about this. About you leaving me there. I felt like I didn't even matter to you. And all you're gonna say is you're sorry?"

I paused, waiting for his response. Finally he said something. "I messed up, okay? I was a total jerk, and I'm sorry I made you feel that way. It was wrong, and I never meant to treat you like that. I was just upset, and I couldn't deal with any more crap at the time, so I'm sorry, but I had to leave."

"Any more crap, huh?"

"Skylinn...you know I didn't mean it like that."

"No, you know what? I don't even care what you meant. I care that it's been five days since I've heard from you. That we had a whole week planed out together and you never called or texted, not even once. I care that after all this time, you didn't even think to do a grand romantic gesture! You just called on some stupid Saturday night, the day before your departure for freakin' Alaska! You know I'd much rather have you here, in person, apologizing with flowers or something. You know I like that kind of cheesy romantic stuff. I shouldn't be so upset about that part, though, should I? Because you never remember anything about me. Why would you remember something as stupid as that? You know, I don't even know why I try sometimes-"

"Skylinn!"

"What?! What could you possibly have to say? That I should stop treating you like this? That you do remember things, and you're sorry? That you're a big jerk for not taking the time to plan a trip to my house? Sorry, I didn't think ten minutes was such a big deal."

"It's not! I should've come, I just-"

"You just what?"

"My mom is sick!"

I paused, then spoke quietly. "What?"

He took a deep breath. "My mom. She has cancer. It's in her lungs, and it hasn't spread, but it could. I haven't been able to contact you because I've been hung up at the hospital day and night with her."

I thought he was finished, but he continued, his voice harsh.

"So yeah, I'm sorry I couldn't come running to your side with a bouquet of roses and some chocolates. I've been a little busy with my sick mother."

"Denver, I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"Neither did I. She just told me Tuesday night. You know, she's the one that encouraged me to propose. She knows how happy being with you makes me, and she wanted to see me get married before she died. But you said no, so I guess that's not happening."

"I-I don't know what to say. I really didn't think we were ready to get married-"

"Yeah, I know," he interrupted. "You've said that a million times. I get it, okay? You don't have to feel sorry for me anymore."

"Alright, fine. Then what do you want me to say?"

"I just want to know if we're okay. And if you still want to be with me."

"No, we're not okay. You left me at a school-"

"You said you'd gotten over it!"

"Let me finish, gosh dang it!" The boy was so impatient. "Right now, we are not okay, and it's going to take a long time for me to get over what you did. I have forgiven you, but I haven't forgotten about it."

"And I understand that, but don't you think we'll be okay someday?"

"How should I know? I can't predict the future. What I do know is that I can't be with you anymore. I was right when I said we're in different places. You're going back to the military, and I'm starting college. We're not gonna be anywhere near each other."

"But I'll come back again. It's just basic training, Sky."

The sound of my nickname on his lips stung like a bee. I didn't like it.

"You coming back hasn't proved to be the best thing in the world. It's pushed us apart, not brung us together," I pointed out, trying to remain calm. "The military changes a person. You'll get stronger, and more mature, and just different overall. There's no telling you'll be the same Denver I fell in love with when you get back."

"Okay...but that doesn't mean you couldn't grow to love the new me, whoever that person is."

"Maybe this is me giving up, then. Maybe I don't want to see what it's like when you're different, when you're back again. Maybe I just need to focus on myself, and on my career. Maybe I just don't have time for a relationship anymore."

"You don't mean that. Because as soon as I leave, you'll be throwing yourself at him." He spat the word, like Jonny was some sort of bug on his windshield.

"Either way, you'll have no way of knowing. And you shouldn't care. Because we're done."

"You're just deciding that for us? Don't I get a say in what happens?"

"Do you honestly want to fight for a girl who no longer wants you?" I asked rhetorically.

I could practically feel his cold stare through the phone. "I guess that's it, then. Goodbye, Skylinn."

"Goodbye, Denver."

- - -
A/N: Woooo some MAJOR shade thrown in this chapter! Somebody's gonna need ice for those BURNS!

...I'll stop with my corny jokes now. Hope y'all enjoyed the chapter. Leave suggestions in the comments below!