Mismatch Lovers

Chapter 25

*Emma's POV*

I thought about that day all the time. The day everything seemed to change. One minute we had just graduated, and the next we were saying goodbye in front of Harvard. I could still remember every moment so well it was as if it had just happened, but the most vivid was the last phone call. It'd been days since we'd talked and I was getting my room ready for him to spend the weekend with me... until I got that call.

"Hey," I answered cheerfully when I saw it was him, sitting on the bed to talk. "You about on your way?"

"A-a-actually," he started nervously. "I'm n-n-not coming a-a-at all."

"Why not?" I asked, failing to hide my disappointment. "Did something come up?"

"N-no," he answered simply and I heard him take a breath. "Th-th-this isn't w-w-working, Emma, we b-both know it's n-not."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, my chest tightening painfully. "We see each other all the time, we talk constantly-"

"No we don't," he stopped me, his frustration settling his stutter. "We haven't even texted in days, and I haven't seen you in months."

"But..."

"It kills me to do this," he sighed, tears falling freely down my face now. "But I d-don't want to h-hold you b-b-back. I'm only ever going to be this t-town, and you d-d-deserve more than that."

"Killian," I all but sobbed but he again wouldn't let me finish.

"I-I-I'm so s-s-sorry," he said, his voice just as thick with emotion. "I'm always going to love you, I j-j-just c-c-can't..."

And with that my phone went dead and I didn't hear from him again. Unless you count when he sent my things to my dorm. I spent that night and many after it crying myself to sleep, desperate for him to show up and tell me he was wrong, that he wanted me back. But he never came, and I retreated behind those walls he'd so skillfully broken down- adding a few more layers this time.

I was broken from my thoughts when my ringing phone interrupted the silence of my car. Oh, the irony... This time it was my boyfriend as well, but one who still didn't know me very well. He'd asked me to marry him, but i told him I had to think about it and promptly took off for work.

"Hey," I answered, trying not to sound as annoyed as I was. "I told you I'm on the road, I can't talk."

"I know, but I miss you," Walsh answered and I rolled my eyes. He was so needy lately. "Is everything going alright? Your car holding up?"

"Yeah, my car is..." I trailed off when said car started smoking, making a horrible clanging sound until it came to a total stop on the side of the highway and I sighed. "An old piece of shit. I'm going to have to call you back."

"Want me to call a tow truck?" he offered. "Or I can come get you."

"No, I'm not far from-" I stopped dead when I saw the name of the town that would be a few miles down the road. I hadn't realized I'd gotten so far North... "I-I have to go."

I didn't wait for an answer, just shoving my phone into my coat pocket and just staring at that sign. I got out of the car and walked over to it, feeling tears in my eyes as I brushed my fingertips over it. This wasn't even on my route, I must have driven this way out of habit or... something...

I shook my head, grabbed my bag, and headed into town. It all looked the same way it did ten years ago and it made my heart ache. It still felt like home. I walked until I found the garage exactly where I remembered it, having to wipe my face before going in.