He steps closer."What if we're throwing away something that could be real just because we're scared?"
I don't answer right away.The silence stretches."This isn't just about us.You love teaching.I can't be the reason you lose that."
"And I can't be the reason you lose your degree."
We're both quiet, the weight of everything pressing in.
"I hate this," I whisper.
"Me too."
"Do you regret it?"
He shakes his head slowly."Not for a second.Even now.Especially now."
My throat tightens."I wish I could hate you.It would make this so much easier."
"You don't.And I don't hate you.Which makes this so fucking hard."
"I'm going to miss you.Every day."
"Same."
Neither of us moves.Neither of us knows what to say that won't break us all over again.
I turn and walk to the door."Goodbye, Gage."
"No," he says, stepping toward me."Not goodbye.It's goodnight.Because this isn't the end.I'm going to fix this."
I turn to look at him, eyes wide.
"I don't know how yet," he admits, voice raw."But I will find a way.I'll look at every option.I'll do everything by the book, everything right.And if that's not enough, I'll keep going until it is.I'm not letting us be casualties of bad timing.I'm not giving up."
My heart twists painfully, but hope flickers too.Just a spark.
"I hope you do," I whisper.
When I get back to my apartment, I shut the door behind me and head to my room before I collapse onto my bed.My phone is in my hand before I even realize that I'm calling Gemma.
She answers on the second ring."Hey…"
I don't say a word.Just start crying.
"Skye?Skye, what's wrong?Are you hurt?"
I sob harder.
"I'm coming over," she says."I'm calling Summer too.We'll be there in ten."
True to her word, less than ten minutes later, the front door opens without a knock.Gemma and Summer rush in, and they find me curled up in bed, a mess of tears and blankets.
Gemma climbs in first, pulling me into her arms.Summer follows, sandwiching me between them.
"Tell us everything," Summer whispers.
So I do.I tell them about the conversation.About how we stood across from each other, so close but so far apart.About how it ended.How ending things with a Dom isn't supposed to feel like this.It's supposed to be clear.Clean.A scene ends.You go home.
But this?This was more.