Unrequited? Air at Sea

2. Clean-Break

A/N: Play Song when you see the Roses. Like Now🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹
**{I Only Wanted- Mariah Carey}

- Tee-

-I forced myself not to call or text him the entire weekend. It was hard to give him space and I missed him too much.

Monday morning I went next door to find him.

His dad opens the door with a smile and I tentatively return it. I feel completely on edge from not seeing him but I take a deep breath and zombie my way through the pleasantries

"So what's up kid?" He asks finally.

"I just thought I would hang out with Arie. I haven't seen him since Friday."

He looks at me confused.
"Tee...Arie isn't here."

"Where is he?"

"His mother and I put him on a train yesterday evening. He decided to spend the summer in Florida with his grandparents. Didn't he tell you?"

My heart drops.
I shake my head after a minute. "We fought. I think he is a little mad at me."

He places his hand on my shoulder.
"This is for the best you boys have been practically glued together for too long."

I can only blink at him.
"I'm going to call him." I mutter as I turn to leave.

-I sit on my bed and call his number ten times in a row. He doesn't answer. I text him he doesn't reply.

I hardly know when I grabbed my keys or when I got in my car. But I find my self on the highway and hours later I'm in Jacksonville.

I knock on the door and he answers wearing pink sunglasses.

He chuckles. "A record for you."

"Why did you do that?"

"What?"

"Leave without telling me. Not answer my calls or text."

He takes a deep breath,
"Tee, we are done. I have nothing else for you. Take the summer get over it. You're the one that ended it. Why do I need to tell you we need space?"

I don't want to admit to him or myself that he's right. In the end it doesn't matter to me I rush him wrapping my arms around him and burying my nose in his neck to take in his scent.

He takes a frustrated breath and his back goes rigid but I'm grateful he doesn't push me away.

"You're being too cruel." I mutter after a while.

"No. I'm letting go of a toxic situation. You aren't good for me. I'm done Tee. Let me go."

I listen to his words. I always do but my heart never lets me do right by Arie. My arms hold him tighter on their own accord.

I don't know how long we stand there in the entry way but after a while he reaches back to pull my arms, freeing himself.

He steps away from me, quickly wiping at his eyes.
"You have your parents. You have friends, you will be ok."

I hate this part of me. I feel like stomping my foot and screaming No.
It's been barely three days and my anxiety is through the roof. I step forward and try to kiss him.

He pulls his glasses off to scowl at me.

And again he makes me feel small like a child who did something they shouldn't. He seems to catch his anger before he snaps at me.