Basketball Baby

• Chapter Twenty •

Nothing Lasts Forever

I grinned down at Colton as he held me in his arms after we had just finished getting dressed after making love for the third time that day. "You are trying to kill me woman." He groaned out tiredly. I giggled as I grasped his face between my hands and began to shower him with kisses. He chuckled as he shook his head and then placed a gentle kiss on my lips.

  "You know you love me, Colton." I teased and he grinned at me as he nodded his head and rubbed his nose against mine.

  "Ugh, I'm gonna miss you while I visit my sister back in South Carolina." He groaned out as he started kissing me eagerly and I giggled as I kissed him back.

"It's only two weeks, Colt. You'll be back here in this awful Florida heat in no time." I teased once we pulled away from each other and he chucked as he nodded his head.

"Very true. I'll be back in two weeks." He sighed sadly and I gave him a small smile.

"I love you." I whispered and he grinned down at me as his eyes lit up at my words. He leaned down and gave me a long, sweet kiss that I didn't want to end.

"I love you, too. More than anything in this world. See you soon." He sighed once again and he finally left.

I hadn't heard from Colton since he called me the first night he arrived at his Mother's house which was over a week and a half ago. He hadn't been returning my texts or calls since then and I had been worried that he might not be coming back. I checked on the turkey as I tried to keep my mind distracted from Colton. My Mom and Dad were dancing in the dining room to an old song playing on the radio and I couldn't help but not to smile at them. You can see the love my Father has for my Mother by the way he was smiling down at her.

My Mother used to tell me that that was the way Colton and I would look at one another, but now I'm not so sure I believe that. I heard my phone start to vibrate on the counter next to the oven and I glanced down at it to see I was receiving a call from unknown number located in South Carolina. My eyes widened and I quickly answered the phone. "Hello?" I demanded and I began to walk towards the living room so I could hear who was on the other end of the call.

"Hi Diana." I heard Colton say quietly and my heart began to race once I heard his voice.

"Hi baby, how are you? Is everything okay? I've been worried sick about you!" I yelled and he stayed quiet for a few seconds and I began to think he had hung up. I sighed prepared to hang up the phone until he finally said something.

"My Mother... she died, Diana," He sighed and I gasped as I placed my hand over my heart. I was shocked and incredibly worried about Colton. Only God knew how he was feeling at this terrible time and I had wanted nothing more than to be with him.

"Oh Colton, I am so sorry, baby." I whispered and he took in a ragged breath as he cleared his throat.

"Diana, I'm not coming back to Florida." He announced and I felt my heart suddenly stop beating. Everything had gone quiet around me and I was in utter shock as I stood there in the living room. "My Mother left me as my little sister Gracie's guardian if something ever were to happen to her and I don't want to make her move to a new state after we just lost our Mother. I'm not going to take her away from her friends, too. I have to be here for her." He said sternly and I didn't know how to respond to that. I wasn't angry for the reason he had to stay there. I completely understood why he had to stay, I wasn't some sort of selfish monster who would take away a thirteen year old girl's only family. "You're going to be just fine without me, Diana. I love you and I'm sorry it has to end this way, but I don't see how this can work." He admitted and that was when I had become angry.

"Listen, if you loved me you would want to make this work. It's not like I can't ever come visit you or something, Colton. I understand that you need to stay with Gracie and I am so unbelievably sorry about your Mother, but there is no need for you to just throw me away for no reason other than that you're a coward. Goodbye Colton, don't call me again." I croaked out as I hung up the phone angrily. I began to cry as I raced up to my room, ignoring my Mother calling after me worriedly.

I slammed my door shut and collapsed on to my bed as I began to sob loudly into my comforter, hoping that it was muffling the sound of my cries. I was alone now. I had given up Columbia just so I could stay here with him and now he was gone. I heard my door open slowly and I didn't bother to even look to see who it was. "Oh Diana," I heard my Dad say gently as he slowly approached me. "It's going to be alright." He sighed. I sat up and quickly wrapped my arms around his neck as I cried into his shoulder.

"I thought he loved me, Daddy." I sobbed and he started to stroke the back of my hair gently as he pulled me closer to him.

"He did, baby. Can you tell me what happened? It's okay if you're not up to it." He said gently and I took in a ragged breath as I told him everything Colton had just told me.

"I just don't understand, if he truly loved me he would've made us work." I sighed.

"Well, some people can't focus on two important things in their lives at once because they're too worried about trying to make everyone happy. He did love you, Diana, and I believe he still does. But it seems to me that you two fell in love at the wrong place in the wrong time." He admitted and I felt another tear slide down my cheek and I quickly swiped it away.

"Then, I guess it's time for me to be strong on my own." I said confidently and tried my best to ignore the ache in my heart.

"It'll be okay. I promise in time the pain will start to go away and when you think back on Colton, you won't be angry anymore." He kissed the top of my head and squeezed me to him tightly.