Ain't No Sunshine

Fucking hell! How does she even know my plans?

This sounds so much worse than it is. Every word out of Liv’s mouth is like another shovel full of dirt, clearing out my grave. Because make no mistake, she’s burying me alive right now.

The second I hang up, midway through Liv’s next sentence, Cory takes a step back and then sags to the ground.

She shakes her head before burying her face in her hands, sobbing. Fuck!

The sight of her shatters my already broken heart, and I fall to the floor in front of her. “What can I do? What do you need from me to stop those tears?”

She wipes under her eyes, looking up at me with so much hurt that I struggle to take in air. “Just give me space and leave me alone.”

My heart stops. “What?”

“We’re not together, Nate. We need to start acting like it.”

“No, Cory. I thought… I mean… you kissed me back. I thought you just needed time. It’s been a week.” This isn’t happening. It can’t be happening.

“It’s over, Nate.”

I can’t breathe. “For good? Or…”

“Just give me space,” she says, standing to her feet.

That means there’s still hope, right?I don’t move from my position on the floor as she walks away, and as soon as she’s out of eyesight, I crumble.