Chapter Forty-Five
A week had passed, and Preston was going back to school. He had spent most of his time in his room. He used the excuse that the pain killers made him sleepy, when in reality he would cry and write out all his emotions. His mom didn’t think he should go back to school, it would be best if he took the semester off. She believed a week wasn’t enough time to fully heal, but he didn’t want to spend all his time in his room. A little part of him wanted to go back to school so he could get a chance to see Robert, even if Robert hated him right now. Preston finished packing his bag and took it downstairs; Xavier had driven back all the way last night just to pick him up. None of them could believe that he had broken up with Robert. He just told them that things just weren’t working out. Ann Marie and Grant were the only ones who knew the truth. He placed his bag by the front door and went to the kitchen. He found his mom and dad having breakfast.
“Morning son, excited to go back to school?” his dad asked, Preston was glad that his dad was finally able to get past him being gay and just accept him for him.
“Morning dad, yup so ready for school, I was starting to go a little crazy just staying here all day and not really doing anything.” Erin looked at her son and husband, she was glad they were talking again. Preston looked at his mom; he could see that she was worried about him going back to school.
“Mom please don’t worry, I’ll be fine. I don’t want to fall behind; besides I will have Xavier and Ann Marie there. If it makes you feel any better, I will call you every morning, afternoon and night if that will make you feel better.” Erin walked over to Preston and hugged him.
“Would it be too much if I asked for a phone call every hour?” Preston and his dad laughed.
“You worry too much Erin; he is going to be fine. Remember he is staying with Xavier and they won’t let him go off on his own just yet.”
“Yeah mom, I’m just going to go to my classes and back to the apartment. I doubt much could happen to me if I’m always around other people.” Erin sighed, she knew she was going a little overboard, but after what happened to him, she couldn’t help but worry.
“Ok fine just call me when can, just so your poor mother can sleep at night.”
“I will and remember I will be back for spring break.” Preston hugged his mom and kissed her on the cheek. They enjoyed their breakfast and waited for Xavier to come down. When everyone was done, Preston cleared the table and started on the dishes. Erin walked into the kitchen to refill her coffee cup when she saw Preston washing the dishes by hand.
“Why are you doing the dishes by hand?” Preston turned around and saw his mom looking at him funny, he had gotten so used to doing the dishes by hand.
“Oh it’s just that Robert always did them by hand, he didn’t believe in using a dishwasher. So I got used to washing them by hand too.” Even saying his name made his heart feel heavy, he missed him and really wished he could be with him right now. Erin could see that Preston was hurting, she wishes she knew the real reason Preston broke up with Robert.
“Preston why did you really break up with Robert, the look on your face tells me that it wasn’t because it wasn’t working out. I think there is another reason you broke up with him?” Erin stared at Preston as she waited for him to answer. Preston placed the last of the dishes up and turned his back to his mom, he couldn’t bear to look at her in the face. He knew she would see through his lie.
“Like I said mom, we were just going in different directions. I just need to go my own way.” It took everything Preston had not to cry, Erin knew that wasn’t true, but she let it go. He had his reason and if he felt like he couldn’t tell anyone, then she would wait until he was ready.
“Ok, oh by the way Xavier is ready and said he will be waiting for you out in the car.” Preston turned to face his mom and nodded; he dried his hands and hugged her on more time. He grabbed his bags and walked outside to the car, where Xavier and his dad were.
“So you’re already to go son?”
“Yes sir, so dad I was wondering when can I have a car of my own? You know I hate that I have to always depend on Xavier and Ann Marie for a ride everywhere.” Gregory put his arm around Preston’s shoulder.
“Well I have been thinking about that and I think I still need more time to think about.” Preston looked at his dad and rolled his eyes.
“Really dad, come on I’m eighteen going on nineteen and I don’t have my own car. I bet if I had a car it would help ease mom’s mind knowing I don’t have to walk.” Preston said He knew if he laid on the guilt pretty thick about what happen to him because he didn’t have a car; then his dad might be more willing to get him a car.
“Wow son that is pretty low, you really know how to lay on the guilt don’t you?” his dad said. “But you do have a point there, how about after your first year of college is over we will go looking for a car?”
“Ok, but I’m going to hold you to that.” Preston hugged his dad on more time before getting in the car. He and Xavier pulled out and headed out onto the road. Preston pulled out his phone to call Vera.
“Hey Preston are you and Xavier on your way back?” Vera asked.
“Yeah we should be there in a couple of hours, I wanted to stop by and pick up my stuff as soon as we get there. Will you be there?” Preston asked.
“Yeah I will be here, don’t really have much to do on a Saturday. So I’ll just wait here for y’all.”
“Ok I will see you later then.” Vera hung up her phone; she just hoped that when Preston comes over Robert isn’t here.
It was late in the afternoon as Robert was making his way out of the library when he ran into someone. They both fall to the ground; books and papers went flying everywhere. Robert scrambled to his feet and started picking up everything. When he is done he finally looks up to see who he had run into. He locked eyes with a girl; she had long dirty blonde hair, blue eyes and tan skin. She could have possibly passed off as Preston’s twin sister. Robert shook his head as he tried to focus.
“Hey sorry I wasn’t looking where I was going; um are you ok I’m not sure what is what.” Robert said as he held up the stack of books and papers.
“No problem, I wasn’t looking either. I guess I shouldn’t be texting and walking at the same time. Oh by the way I’m Chloe Levy.”
“I’m Robert Castillo, well I guess we should really figure out what’s what in this mess we made.” Robert laughed; it had been a while since he really laughed.
“Yeah I think we should,” Chloe said. They walked back into the library and sat down to sort out everything. It too them almost an hour to sort everything out, they would have finished sooner had they not been talking and goofing around.
“So I’m sorry I took up most of your time, how about I treat you to a cup of coffee. It’s the least I could do since I kept you from doing your school work.” Chloe laughed.
“That’s alright I wasn’t really in the mood for doing work, but I could sure go for a cup of coffee. Where would you like to go?”
“We could go back to my place; I have been known to make a pretty good pot of coffee.” Robert liked her, not in the way he like Preston, but in the way he liked Vera.
“Ok sure.” They picked up all their stuff and headed to Robert’s place.
Preston and Xavier finally made it to Tallahassee; it was late in the afternoon. Xavier drove all the way to Vera’s apartment complex. They went up to Vera’s apartment and they walked in silence, Preston was a little nervous about running into Robert here. Even though Vera had told him that Robert wasn’t here, he couldn’t help but feel like he might just show up. They finally reached Vera’s apartment, knocked on the door and waited for her to open up,
“Oh my god Preston I have missed you so much.” Vera said as she gave him a big hug and pulled him inside.
“It’s only been like two weeks Vera.” Preston said.
“It’s been two of the longest weeks of my life!” Preston laughed.
“Well I missed you too, so where is my stuff? The sooner I put it in the car the faster I can leave.”
“But you just got here, don’t you want to hang out for a while?” he really did want to stay, but he was worried he might run into Robert. As much as he wanted to see him, he wasn’t ready to face him yet.
“I really do want to stay and hang out with you, but I just want to get settled in at Xavier’s place.” Vera stared at him and knew he was trying to avoid Robert.
“He won’t be back for quite a while; he had some work he had to take care of at the library. If that’s the reason you don’t want to stay.”
“I’m just not ready to face him yet; I know he hates me right now.”
“He doesn’t hate you he is just hurt right now. With time he will come around, so will you stay now? I can make us some spaghetti and meatballs; I know how it’s your favorite?” damn Vera Preston thought, she knew he could never pass up his favorite.
“Ok I will stay only if you make me some brownies.”
“I am already ahead of you.” Vera said as she walked into the kitchen and came back with a try of brownies.
“Ok now I will stay, but can I at least get all my things in the car first?”
“Ok I guess and I will help so we can finish faster.” It wasn’t much that Preston had, between the three of them they could take it all down in about three trips. They were coming down with the last load and putting the boxes in the car, when Vera noticed Robert’s car pulling into the parking lot. Preston noticed that Vera had stopped and he looked up to see what caused her to stop dead in her tracks, that’s when he saw Robert and a blonde haired girl getting out of his car. Preston felt like his heart just dropped into his stomach, he couldn’t believe Robert had moved on so fast. Preston had let the box he was holding fall to the ground, it made a loud crashing noise. He saw Robert and the girl turn in their direction, Preston ducked and hid by the side of the car. He could hear footsteps move towards the car, crap he thought. Robert was going to see him and he didn’t know what to say, he had to get out of here before Robert saw him.
“Hey Vera and Xavier what you guys doing?” Robert asked, even hearing his voice caused his chest to tighten, this was a lot harder than he thought it was going to be. Preston was looking around the parking lot, damn he thought why did it have to be a fenced off area. There was no way he will be able to make a run for it.
“Oh you know just picking up Preston things since he is coming back to school.” Xavier said.
“So he didn’t come here with you?” Crap they were going to tell him I was hiding behind the car Preston thought.
“No he didn’t, he was too tried so I left him at my place before coming over here for his stuff.” Xavier was his hero right now and he was going owe him big for that.
“Oh ok, well it was nice seeing you again Xavier. I will talk to you later Vera.” Robert said.
Preston could hear him walking away. He stayed crouched by the car until Vera told him it was safe to come out.
“Thanks Xavier,” Preston said as he picked up the box he dropped.
“No problem you would have done the same for me. I don’t know about you but I am starving.” Vera laughed; as much as he wanted to stay he couldn’t now he just had to get out of there. Preston placed his box in the car and took off running, he could hear them call after him but he didn’t stop. He kept running until he couldn’t run no more, he slowed down and leaned against a tree to catch his breath. He hadn’t noticed he was crying until he placed his hands on his face. It was going to be harder then he imagined, just seeing Robert with someone already hurt him. Preston wiped away his tears and stood up straight, he looked around to see where he was. He was by Bruegger’s; he couldn’t believe he had run that far. He walked in and ordered himself a coffee and brownie. He sat at a table by the window; he played with his brownie as he slowly drank his coffee. He was so lost in his own world he hadn’t noticed someone standing next to him.
“Hey Preston I didn’t know you were back in town.” Preston snapped out of his daze and looked up at who was talking to him.
“Oh hey Noah, yeah I just got in.” Noah sat down in the chair across from Preston. He could see he still had some of his scrapes and bruises.
“I heard about what had happen to you, sorry to hear that. They ever find the guys that did that to you?”
“Thanks and they never find them, but I’m good. How have you been?”
“I been well, look I’m sorry about what happened between me and Grant. I felt like such a jerk doing that to you.”
“Don’t worry about it; it’s all in the past.”
“So how have you been, are you and Robert finally going out?” Noah heard Preston’s breath hitched when he said Robert’s name.
“No, well we were but I broke up with him.”
“What why?” Noah couldn’t understand why, he was certain they would be together forever.
“I just felt like things weren’t going how I wanted them to go. I just wanted some time alone.”
“Oh ok, so where are you staying now?”
“With my cousin Xavier, just until the semester is over and I will move back to the dorms.”
“You know you can always come back to our dorm room anytime you want.”
“Thanks I’ll keep that in mind when Xavier is driving me crazy.” They laughed and talked some more until it was time for them to leave. Preston walked down the street until he was at the school; he pulled out his phone to call Xavier to come get him. He saw the car pull up to him and got in.
“Before you say anything, I’m sorry for running off like that. I just had to get out of there.” Xavier said nothing, but nodded his head and drove off. They got to the apartment and Preston just crashed out on the bed.
Robert led Chloe to his apartment and gave her a quick tour, before sitting at the table and having a cup of coffee.
“So Robert, tell me a little about yourself,” Chloe said as she took one of the cookies off the plate Robert had placed on the table.
“Well there isn’t much to know just that I love my family and I have only one best friend who you just met and I’m studying law. I am planning on becoming a lawyer, so what about you?”
“I am an only child and I’m studying journalism.” My god she was almost exactly like Preston, it was eerie how much they were alike. “So have you have ever had a serious relationship?”
“Um I think I will pass on that question, ask me another one.” Robert replied.
“Ah come on, now you’re making me more curious about that.” Robert looked at her and just laughed.
“Fine if you won’t tell me, I guess I will have to force it out of you.” Chloe got up from where she was sitting and walked over to Robert. She grabbed him in a headlock and dragged him out of the chair before letting him fall to the ground. Then she got on top of him and started to tickle him. Robert started too squirmed on the floor and tried to get her to stop, he managed to roll over and pinned her to the floor. Their eyes lock onto each other, Robert stared into her eyes and all he could see was Preston’s face. He leaned down to kiss her, but it didn’t last long until she started to laugh. He snapped out of his daze and looked at Chloe’s face and started to laugh as well.
“I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to laugh, it’s just I should have told you. I really do like you, you’re just not my type, I’m sorry but I’m a lesbian.”
Robert started to laugh harder; he couldn’t believe what he had just done. “It’s alright, sorry my head isn’t here right now. You just remind me of my ex, we have recently decided to go in separate ways.”
“Aw I am sorry to hear that, you must have really cared for her.” Robert laughed as he got up and helped Chloe up, before sitting down. “What’s so funny?”
“Actually it was my ex-boyfriend, which you remind me of.”
“What really, you just don’t strike me as the gay type and should I be a little offended that I might look like a boy?”
Robert laughed and just shook his head. “No you don’t look like a boy, you just have the same hair and eye color as he does. Plus I wasn’t always gay, until I met my ex. He just changed everything in my world and I thought I knew about love and since then I haven’t been the same.”
“Aw it sounds like you really loved him, but why did you two break up?” Robert sighed and took a sip of his coffee.
“He broke up with me, to get back with his ex-boyfriend.”
“Oh man that sucks was he the boy you were asking about earlier and I take it he was the serious relationship you didn’t want to talk about?”
“Yeah it was and it’s alright; it’s nice talking to someone other than my mom, sister and Vera.”
“Well it sounds to me like you have three women who care a lot about you.” Robert laughed dryly.
“Yeah three women telling me I gave up too easily.”
“Are they right, did you give up too easily?” Robert’s mind went back to that day, no matter what he said or did he wasn’t going to change Preston’s mind that day.
“It wouldn’t have matter if I tried.”
“Why do you say that? It wouldn’t have hurt to try? Maybe they were right about you giving up too easily.”
“You didn’t see the look on his face when he told me he wanted to break up. Even before I walked in and saw him kissing his ex. I knew no matter how hard I would have tried, I wasn’t going to change his mind. He knew he was going to break up with me before I even walked into his room.”
“What look did he have?”
“The look of someone who had no choice, he had to do it.”
“So do you think someone made him break up with you?”
“I don’t think so, unless it was his cousin.”
“Why wouldn’t his cousin want you two to be together?”
“I guess I should really start from the beginning.” Robert told Chloe everything from the first day he met Preston to the day Preston broke up with him.
“Wow I could see why she would want to do that, but I don’t think she would have done that. I still think someone made him break up with you; from the way you talk about him I don’t think he did it on his own free will. I think you should talk to him.”
“He doesn’t want to see me; I said some things that I really regret now.”
“You don’t really know that, it wouldn’t hurt to try.”
“I know, I am just not ready yet and besides I might run into him while he is with his ex and the last time I saw that guy I punched him.”
“Oh my god, are you for real?”
“Yeah wasn’t really one of my proudest moments.”
“Oh but I bet he had it coming. So, is that what the letter p stands for on your tattoo?” Robert had forgotten that his tattoo was showing. He brushed his thumb over it and smiled as he thought about the day they get them.
“Yeah the p stands for Preston.”
“Have you ever thought about getting it removed?”
“I did, but then I thought I would leave it as a reminder, that love doesn’t exist.”
“You don’t really believe that do you?”
“At the time yes, but I was just so angry. Now I want to keep it in hopes he will come around and we can be together again.”
“I think you two will be together again one day soon.”
“Thanks I hope so too, well it’s getting late do you want me to give you a ride back to your place or you could just crash here I have a guest room.”
“Yeah sure I could stay here.”
“Alright I will show you to your room.” They got up and Robert led her to the guest room and he went to his room to sleep.
The next morning Robert woke up to the smell of someone cooking, he got up and walked to the kitchen. He found Chloe making breakfast.
“Hope you don’t mind that I made us breakfast.”
“Not at all, you need help with anything?”
“No I got it and here you go.” She handed him a plate of food and sat down with him as they ate in silence. When they were done Robert cleared the table and started on the dishes. After everything was cleaned up, Chloe told him she had to go.
“Well Robert it was nice getting to know you and I hope we can do this again.”
“Of course anytime, here is my number,” Robert grabbed her phone and punched it in. “Always nice to make new friends.” Robert walked her out and hugged her and kissed her on the cheek before she left. As Robert was going back in, he saw Vera standing down the hall and she was staring at him.
“Morning Vera” Robert said.
“So is that your new girlfriend?” Vera asked. From her tone Robert could tell she didn’t like Chloe and this was the perfect chance to get her and everyone off his back.
“Yes it is her name is Chloe and I really don’t care if you approve of her or not. It’s my life and I’m going to live it however I want.”
“Wasn’t going to say anything, just wanted to know that’s all. Ok well have a nice day.” Vera said as she walked by him. Sometimes he didn’t understand her, but she was the only other friend he had, he shook his head and went back inside.