Since Summers

twenty six : regrets

TYLER

"They're gone," informed Faith who could see where Autumn was since my back was on her. I was being a coward and did that on purpose because I knew if I saw the hurt in her eyes, I would abort the plan and run to her. I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight if I saw her cry.

I did feel a rather sharp twinge of regret and ten thousand folds of guilt, but I knew it was for the best. It was the only way because as much as I hated hurting her, I would never be able to live if something happened to her.

"She will hate you, you know." Faith put one hand on my shoulder as moral support. She knew how hard it was for me to do it, yet this was the only way. "Girls don't forget things that hurt them. I'm living proof of that."

"I know." I dropped my gaze to the ground for a few seconds. When I looked up, I could see Autumn's back as she was walking further away. "I can live with her hating me." I took a deep breath to refrain from crying. "I just can't live without her"

"Are you sure you're okay on your own?" asked Faith for the seventh time this afternoon. She'd been treating me like I had a broken arm and not a broken heart.

I gave her a reassuring smile and nodded. "I'll be fine. Don't worry, I'm a big boy now."

She rolled her eyes. "Sure you are." Her tone suggested otherwise. "I'll be going then." Faith looked at the watch wrapped around her left wrist. "My PSA class is going to start in an hour."

"Have fun!"

Faith gave me an annoyed look as if telling me that there was nothing fun with school and lessons. Something came to my mind and I called her out again. She turned around with a questioning look on her face, "Yeah?"

"Faith, do you by any chance know a guy named Colton Barnes?" NYU was huge and it was nearly impossible for anyone to know everyone. But Colton Barnes was not just anyone, he was a legend in football and that was how he got into NYU scholarship program. I believed even in NYU he was as famous he was in Carlton. Plus, how many people on earth had the same surname as The Winter Soldier?

She gave it a thought. "Yeah. He's in my PSA class." Her brows rose. "Why?"

What a coincidence. A splendid one, I dared say. "Can I bother you for one last favor?"

Faith scrunched her nose as if she was going to say no but I knew her better than anyone and I could tell that she was curious about the favor, curious enough that she would pretend to sound uninterested when she asked.

"What favor?" asked her with the right amount of boredom laced in her voice. Just enough to make it sound like she wasn't really interested.

I knew how to play this. If I told her my request right away, she'd definitely say no. "How good are you in acting?"

A full grin appeared on her face. "So good. You know damn well how good I am! You watched me playing Juliet back in high school, don't you remember?"

One of the most agonizing time I'd had to endure in my life. Not because she was a terrible actress but because the guy who had played Romeo was my worst enemy. It was hard to watch your girl played an iconic role, portraying the famous love story, side by side with your enemy.