A Thin Grey Line

Chapter Sixteen | Getaway

It's only been a week since the day all my hopes blew up in my face. It was all there, staring me straight in the face. All the signs were there. I just didn't want to believe them. Denial was better than the truth.

But the truth was and is, that Theodore Grey is out of my league. And, I, Coraline Hawthorne didn't need a man to survive. I've been doing it for so long without one, I didn't know why I let myself think that it was okay to let one back in my heart.

Not that he knew that. He would never know that now. Theo made several attempts to reach me, even as far as showing up to my job. The man didn't know when to quit.

But I did.

I haven't cried. I won't. He doesn't deserve my tears. No one does anymore. And I'm not the little girl that used to cower in her room while my mother had her parties. I'm not the woman who let men ruin her heart, and let them see how much it was crushed under their feet.

I ended up sending him a text, telling him to back off, and leave me alone, that things happened the way they were suppose to. But he kept texting and calling saying the same old script: That it meant nothing and that he need to see me in person.

I don't know who's more delusional. Him or me? At this point, I'd say him. At least I can admit defeat, even if it damn near killed me. He won't even acknowledge his feelings for Sophie, I know that they exist.

And that was ok.

In the deepest part of my heart, I wished it weren't true. I wished I had been the one who knew him best, who grew up with him. Who had the key to his lock. What gets me the most, is why Sophie waited all this time to tell him how she truly felt.

I'd be lying if I said it didn't piss me off to some degree. It did. I guess I should've realized that once he bared any feeling toward me that she might swoop in.

Unrequited love and all that shit.

Maybe for once, I just thought it would turn out different for me, this time. Not because he was Theodore Grey, heir to a throne. Not because he was rich. Not because he was one of Americans top bachelors.

But because of the way he cares for his family. The way he deals with pressure. The way the looked at me, like I was somebody. But I'm not the somebody for him.

I've decided to take a little vacation back to Georgia. Back to my roots. I need to feel the humid air against my skin, a place where there are no flashing cameras. No jealousy.

And no Theodore Grey.

I'm set to leave tomorrow, in the early am. I have two weeks vacation saved up, using one week to get away. Maybe by the time I come up with a good idea for the other week, maybe I'll be over Theo.

Who knows, maybe I can go away to somewhere exotic. I can scrimp and save. I was good at that. That was something to look forward to.

I'm driving my way to Georgia. I don't have enough money to fly. I'd rather drive anyway. I can soak up some sun and watch the trees change from state to state.

I have a few friends in Georgia. One in particular, who's excited to see me. Amelia, had finally decided to forgive me. I told her everything about Theodore Grey, emphasizing on the fact that he all but dumped me.

To my surprise she was angry at him for fucking with my feelings. She's the only person that I've told where I'm going, besides my boss, who wasn't at all happy about my impromptu vacation. And she only let me take it on such short notice because I've been working my ass off.

But she also said something that puzzled me. She made it clear that we needed to have a heart to heart when I returned, acting like we were the best of friends. It gave me a eerie feeling. But I put it to then back of my mind.

There was one thing that I couldn't put behind me. Or I should say one person; Phoebe. She didn't understand what was happening and why it was happening. She's called me five times, in the past three days.

I couldn't pick up the phone and hear her voice and not tell her the truth. On top of that I hadn't told Theo about Jared yet. It was probably for the best that they didn't know, I wouldn't want my name associated with him in any capacity.

But I had a strange feeling that, my gut was right about him. Despite my problems with the other man who dominated my mind, I needed to figure him out before I put my name in the same sentence as his.

I had a week off to figure things out. Clear my head, grab my bearings once again. The only thing I had to do now was get into my car and driveway away from the sounds of the city that had taken over my life the past few months.

I could come back, refreshed and new, without a care in my heart. Or I could come back and face down the demons that had momentarily took over my life.

I'd make that decision when I stepped foot back into this city.

Yes. I know short chapter. The next won't be. And the excitement has just began. *laughs evilly*