Run With Me

Chapter 1: Walking away

Tom:

I ran down the road, a warmth building up in my chest. Slowing slightly as I approached my apartment, but couldn't slow to a walk. The excitement, twisting into fear as I realised she may say no. No, she would never hurt me that bad. I put my hand gently on the handle and twisted it, barely containing myself.

Once it was open the room felt different, and I knew something was up straight away.

"Lauren?" I called into to the home. Even before the silence, I knew that there would be no response. All my earlier excitement washed away, and I felt pained. I walked into the house and slowly closed the door behind me. All the books on the shelf in the hallway had been removed, apart from my DIY manual. Lauren was the reader in this house, not me. The kitchen was missing some plates and cutlery and her mums embroidered table cloth was gone. He teddy had vanished of the bed and the wardrobe left open with most of my clothes left on the bed. In the Living room, the magazines had gone from the table and a little note set by the remotes.

I picked it up.

"Tom," it wrote in an untidy scrawl, "I'm so sorry. I just, had to. This guy from the business down town offered me position of PA, in a business in London. It has really high pay, and I couldn't wait around at the flat for something better. Thats maybe what you want, but for me, it's my chance to have a better life. I need this, it could really boost my chances of being a somebody. Sorry about the haste exit. The train left in less than an hour. I'm sorry - Lauren."

I crumpled the paper and chucked it to the ground in anger. A chance to be a somebody? So what, I wasn't anybody? These years we had spent together, did they mean anything? I loved her, and I thought she loved me. I was going to med school. it wasn't like I was a slob or a layabout. I actually wanted something from life.

I slipped my hand into my jacket pocket, and felt the soft velvet of the small box. I pulled it out. Something inside of me fell apart, as I flipped open the lid. A small silver ring sat in the box, with a tiny diamond embedded into it. I slammed the lid shut on the ring and stuffed it deep into my pocket.

I loved her. But she didn't love me.