The Art of the Hustle (Complete)

Chapter Thirty-Eight

"You're still chasing your straight, aren't you?" I replied. 

Just then my phone vibrated in my pocket. Considering the people who usually call me were in the same room as me, there was only one other person it could be. I took out my phone and looked anyway. 

"Hold on a second guys, my girl is calling me, I have to take this." 

I excused myself from the table and walked across the living room, outside to Steve's exquisite patio.  

"Hey, baby," I said. 

"Hey," she replied very stoically. The instant I heard her voice, I knew something was wrong.  

"Are you okay?"  

"I don't know." 

"Why are you being so quiet?" 

"I don't know."  

"Are you sad?" 

"I don't know." 

"Ashley, please can you talk to me. You don't sound happy." 

"It's just... well, I've been thinking a lot." 

She didn't have to say another word, I already knew what was coming. My heart sank to the bottom of my stomach.  

"Okay, and what have you been thinking about?" 

"Us." 

"You're scaring me, babe. What's wrong with us?" 

"It's just... hard, you know?" 

"I know, but it's only a couple more years." 

"Trevor. A couple more years is too long for me. This past year was hard enough; I can't imagine what another two or three would be like." 

"Alright so what are you saying?" 

"I don't know, I just think maybe we should see other people?" 

"See other people? I don't want to see other people. Are you seeing someone?" I swallowed hard and tried to block out the thought, but I had to ask. 

"No, but it has been over a year now and we kind of lost touch. You used to call all the time, but now I don't hear from you for weeks. Even when I call you, you're always busy." 

"I know. I'm sorry."  

"And I want to go out, but I also don't want to feel guilty for talking to anyone, and I don't want to have to worry about what you're doing." 

"You don't have to worry about what I'm doing. I'm not doing anything." 

"I just feel maybe we should be more open to the possibility of seeing other people." 

"Why do you keep saying that? I don't want to see other people." 

"Alright well, I'm just not sure I can go another two years like this." 

"Like what?" 

"Trevor, don't make this harder than it already is." 

"I can't believe what I'm hearing right now." 

"I'm not leaving you for anyone else. I'm leaving because I need to. I don't think I can do this long distance thing anymore." 

"Alright whatever, do what you have to do." 

I hung up the phone and exhaled a deep breath. I took a moment to gather my thoughts before I went back inside. I had experienced my fair share of pain and sorrow in my life, but nothing like this. It felt like a part of my soul was ripped out and taken away from me. I leaned against the railing and gazed up at the stars. I didn't have to think too hard to realize there was only one way to fix this. One of us would have to drop out of school and move across the country, and that just didn't seem realistic.