Player Next Door

24: The Phone Rings

I took a deep breath before getting out of the car. Sean managed to keep a straight face even though I knew he wasn't happy. The diner's door opened with a ding and I looked around the room for Mason.

I didn't know either why I agreed to meet him. Maybe I was just being polite but I knew deep down that I was curious about him.

"Are you okay?" I touched Sean's arm gently.

"I'm fine." His voice was impassive.

I spotted Mason sitting at the back of the room with both his hands clasped on the table looking at us with a small smile

"Hey." Mason greeted, Sean and I settled across him.

Sean gave him a polite nod while I smiled.

"Soo..." I looked around the diner. The diner was packed for lunch. The red tables and white chairs were all occupied. It just looked like an old fashioned diner in the middle of the street. With brown walls and a wooden floorboard.

I turn my attention back to Mason who clears his throat and looks at Sean. "Dad wants to see you. He wants to discuss the will with you. He misses you and wants to talk to you."

Sean looks away like he didn't hear anything.

"I'm serious." Mason glances at me. "And he wants to meet Elise."

"The hell he will." Sean leans forward and seethes.

I see Sean's hands clenched into fists and I wanted to hold his hand and calm him down but I decided against it.

Mason sighs. "He just wants to know the girl you finally fell for, his words not mine."

Sean shook his head, his jaw clenched. "He won't meet her."

"Do whatever you want but he's damn curious." Mason leans back and crosses his arms.

"Excuse me, may I take your order?" A girl wearing a white blouse and a red apron interrupts, unaware of the tension in the air.

"I'll have a cheeseburger with fries." Mason says.

"Me too." I spoke up. "What do you want?" I turn to look at Sean.

"Nothing Elise, we're leaving." Sean said with no emotion. "But..." Before I could say anything Sean looks me dead in the eye.

"Now. Elise." He says, pissed off. It's bad enough that he said my name which means he's really furious.

"Okay." I said not wanting to fight back.

I turned back and shot Mason an apologetic smile and he nodded his head in understanding.

The ride back to Sean's house was quiet. Nobody was talking and the tension was thick.

When we reached his house I just went up to my room. But before I could climb up the stairs Sean stops me with his words.

"Elise. Don't. You. Dare." Sean spat out and I froze. He's never been this mad before and I didn't know what else to do.

"What?" I said finally, pissed out at his attitude.

"It's not my fault what happened a while ago." Sean said.

"So it's my fault? Mason did nothing but be polite, he didn't want to fight with you." I demanded.

"Oh, so now you're blaming me. It's not my fault he was born. It's not my fault that my mom suffered because my supposed dad messed up and cheated on her repeatedly. He never cared about her." Sean's voice releases pure anger.

"Sean." I whispered.

"No. Elise, my mom suffered because of that asshole and you're taking his side. That is just fantastic!"

Sean left the house and went to his car and shut the door with a bang. His anger was easily recognized and knowing the I caused this made me even more guilty.

I messed up, ugh! How could my life turn from happy to sad in a snap.

"Nothing could get worse than this." I muttered.

I went up to my room and cried myself to sleep only to wake up with someone shaking me.

I thought it was Sean but when I opened my eyes and saw my parents I couldn't believe myself. Was I dreaming? Both my mom and dad are here.

"We're sorry about this honey but we need to tell you something important right now." My dad says carefully.

"What is so important that you have to tell me now?" I glanced at them back and forth.

My mother was frowning while my father was in deep thought. My father sighs. "We're moving out of the country."

I narrowed my eyes and shook my head confused. "What do you mean we're moving out of the country?" I glared at mom who just stood away looking like she didn't care.

"I'm going to take full custody of you." My dad says.

"Don't worry honey, I will make sure that you will be happy in London. Your mom will come visit from time to time" My dad says smiling.

"London! Do you know how far that is? What about my life here dad? What about Sean..." I said, blinking away tears.

"I love you and this is for your own good. We'll give you a few days to think then we're leaving." My dad said. I looked up to my mom. "But I can't just leave Sean here and my life behind."

My mom speaks, "We just want what's best for you and your dad got a good job offer in London. You'll be studying at the best university there and I'll come stay too for a few months from time to time."

My parents went back home after coming to tell me the news personally. I have nothing against London, it's my dream city in fact and I've always wanted to go there. But I can't just leave Sean behind now that things are finally getting better.

I'm leaving Sean.

No.

The past few weeks was heaven on earth and now maybe my time is up. I don't know how to break this news to Sean and what will happen from here. I needed a break. I rose from the bed and went downstairs to the living room.

The phone rang.

Something's wrong, I can feel it. As if this day could get any worse, I know that something is really wrong.

Should I answer it or not, well... what have I got to lose. My happily ever after finished as fast as it started.

"Hello?" A woman asked from the other line.

"Ummm... hello, who is this?" I asked.

"Is this Gilbert's residence?"

"Yes."

"Is any relative, sibling, or parent of Sean Gilbert present?" She asks, her voice almost sounding pitiful.

"I'm his girlfriend. Why?" My voice was already breaking at the end and the tears was finally coming, threatening to spill.

"Well, you see..." she said with sympathy.

Then everything stopped. The phone dropped to the floor and tears fell from my eyes.

If this is what life thought of as a joke it wasn't funny. Claire entered the living room and spotted me crying.

"Oh, Elise what did my son do this time?" She asks.

I didn't reply and clung to Claire for support.

"I'm calling Sean." She says finally. I tried to stop her but she already has the phone on her ear.

After the third ring somebody answered.

"Hello?" I hear her ask.

"What! No, no, no! Why!" She shouted while tears were running down her cheeks.

Claire threw her phone and it shattered into a million pieces. Just like my heart.