1972

8. It's Too Late

<A/N> I know there's a lot of pain but please trust I have this story and the SEQUAL already planned out. I promise to keep hurting you in the best way possible. Don't pull your love out on me honey. 

***TRIGGER WARNINGS*** idk what it's called but that thing where a woman does what a man tells her to bc she doesn't want to be impolite. 

It's Too Late- Carole King

Your blood was boiling through your veins causing your heart to hammer through your chest. He'd hugged her, called her Bunny. The bile in your stomach made its presence well known. You instinctively ran to your next class, whether it was the redness around your eyes or the sheer panic in your voice your professor didn't question your needing to make this quiz up, probably blaming it on lady problems. You made your way to his room, knowing there was not a chance in a million that he really was with that horrible woman. There had to be some sort of mistake. Maybe they were old friends, maybe she was obsessed with him. The Philip she knew, had to be different from the Philip you'd spent the last few months of bliss with. Your Flip could never be unfaithful, he'd never leave you like that. Even if your brain couldn't connect the dots on your own, you were convinced that there was a beyond reasonable explanation as to what in the hell was actually happening. You sat on the cold stone bench forcing gulping breaths of the chilly air to fill your quick-moving lungs. Your head was spinning but you were talking yourself down, this was going to be fine, your relationship was going to be fine. You crossed your legs letting your foot shake and bob your leg with its motions. You could spot your tall flannel-clad boyfriend from a mile away so your eyes perked up as soon as he came into your line of sight. He was walking right by you which was easy for him to do since there was a 400-year-old tree that you were sitting under, its trunk blocking his view of your body. You stood for a moment waiting for him to see you and explain the bullshit that had just happened, but you looked a little longer and felt your stomach fall into the pit of your body. He'd been holding his bunny's hand. The tears filled your eyes so quickly as it was a physical fighting response. She must have seen you even if he hadn't, That thought was confirmed when she made eye contact with you smiling at the way he was holding her hand, tilting her head to the side as she did. Her nose went right up into the air as she walked by letting her pour a mountain of salt on a fresh wound. Your ears started ringing again and your face dropped to look down at your shaking hands. You heard her suppressed voice, despite your body's attempt to muffle the painful words.

"Slow down, Flippy. You know I can't keep up with you in these shoes!" You grabbed your bag from the bench and started running yet again. Cardio had never really been your thing but today you'd made friends with the strenuous activity. Your face was met with warm air as you entered the large doors to your dorm. You made quick work of the stairs even though your thigh muscles were screaming for a break. You hadn't noticed when it happened but you'd gone from letting tears fall to full-on sobbing. You wrapped your sweater around your wrist before wiping your eye and letting the fabric drag under your nose. You were staring down at your saddle shoes trying to avoid any embarrassing eye contact with the girls in your building. Making it to your door you swung your backpack off your shoulder, clutching it to your chest. You opened the bag to look for your keys when you were met with the sight of the lunch you'd bought for you and Flip. It made it worse, it made it so much fucking worse. Your crying had become audible and every breath became painful. The air making its way into your mouth in a shaky staccato the same way it would exit.

"Hey, you okay?" You felt a hand rest on your shoulder and it caused you to jump. You'd been so wrapped up in finding your keys you hadn't noticed anyone coming up around you. It was just Rosie, which really was a huge relief, out of all the people around she would be the only one you'd not be utterly mortified to see you like this. You shook your head no at her as you felt your knees give out slightly to her hold on you. Your body was wracked in pain as you felt your heart being ripped out. She reached up grabbing the key from your doorframe unlocking your door helping you across the threshold. "Shh, take your time." She lead you to the bed letting yourself sit on the soft familiar fabric under you. You took a few stabbing breathes though your body was far from finished crying. "What's the story?" She said rubbing the fabric across the expanse of your back.