Sparks Fly

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen- The Talk

After school, Colby drives me to his house. I am not scheduled to baby sit but we both know that we need to talk. Even though we are no longer together. Sitting on his couch he hands me a glass of water. "So, you wanted to talk?" I ask him. Sighing, he nods. "Yeah. I don't want to do this relationship anymore."

"Well tell me why you don't want to be with me anymore."

Just as he was about to talk his mum called him. "Colby, you need to come and get your daughter. I need a hand." Looking at me with his eyes wide, he curses. "Just a minute, Mum. I am currently with Marney."

"So, you are telling me that you are Claire's dad and you never told me? Why wouldn't you have told me?"

Sighing he runs his hands through his hair. "I know that I should have told you, but I wasn't ready. I'm sorry."

"I suppose its okay. Didn't you trust me enough."

"No, of course I trust you. It's just I didn't want you to see me differently."

"Okay... who is her real mother then?" Sighing he grabs my hands. "It was a long time ago, but I used to date, Hannah."

"Hannah? My bully?" Nodding I take a deep breath. "Okay. Where is she now?"

Wiping his eyes, he shakes. "After she had Claire she left. Her parents were so ashamed that they said she had to choose. Claire or them. And she chose them. She wanted money over her daughter."

"So now that that's out of the way, tell me why you have been ignoring me."

"Yeah. I know that I have been avoiding you at school and ignoring your texts and calls but I just wanted to start by saying its not because of you. I really like you, I always have. But I just can't be with you. I value my relationship with my brother more. You know how strongly I feel about family coming first. He is my brother and he always will be, while I can't be sure that we will be together forever."

Bursting into tears I place my face in my hands and sob. "But I thought that you really liked me. How could you do this to me after everything."

He starts to get tears in his eyes, "I know. And I am really sorry, but I need to have family in my life. My brother likes you, yes. But it is better that no one has you, and we both lose you rather, then me losing my brother. Since the secret is out now. My daughter needs to have her family in her life and as much as it hurts. I cannot give her that if I am with you. These past few months without you have been hell but, please try to understand."

"I understand," I cry, "just I hope you don't regret your choice. I will not be back here waiting for you, when you change your mind." Walking me to the door, he has tears in his eyes.

"I love you." I say as my voice cracks "and I love your daughter." Shaking his head, he holds his hand out and glances at my hand. Sobbing I look at my hand. I remove the ring and hand it to him.

"Goodbye Marney." He says as he shuts the door on my face. He took my ring. He didn't tell me he loves me. He did not even offer me a lift home. Either I walk or I call a taxi.

*********

When I get in the taxi, I tell him my address and the car starts to drive. Closing my eyes, I try to take deep breaths and keep my tears at bay. The car spins and I feel myself move forwards and back and I hit my head on the roof. The seatbelt retracts and I cannot breathe. Looking around I gasp for air, when I see the taxi driver is slumped in his seat. "Sir are you okay?" hearing no reply I begin to panic, searching for my phone. The screen is cracked, but I can turn it on. Feeling my eyes fill with water, I struggle to stay awake. Feeling blood flow down my forehead. Typing in my lock code, I press Cole's profile. "Please answer." The phone hangs up before it even gets the chance to hang up. Typing 000, I call the emergency services, before they answer, I pass out.