Lover Dearest [3]

1.) Fresh Starts

*This story is in Libby's POV*
*Yes, the WHOLE story*

"I think we need to break up."

The words that are supposed to break you. To rattle you to your core and leave you heartbroken. Huddling under a rock with tears flooding your eyes and a tub of chocolate ice cream with your sympathetic best friend by your side while you rethink your whole existence. 

However, I saw it coming. In fact, if he didn't say those word, I probably would have. Even after two years of being together, anybody could see that our spark was gone. The two hour distance between us was just too much. For the first year, it was fine. It was more than fine, it was perfect. But after he left for his sophomore year, our Skyping sessions became shorter and slimmer. The awkward silences appeared way too often when nothing would appear to talk about. And then the Skyping sessions were nonexistent and we'd reduced to just short calls and texts. With my dancing and his intense studying, we just never had time. When dance was over, the awkward silences were still there and calling my boyfriend had become a chore.

Which is probably why I was standing in front of Brendon Polaris in the living room of my summer house. AKA, Jackson Thorne's house. AKA One of the most famous teenagers in America. AKA my best friend’s older brother. Brendon had gotten back from moving out of his dorm at Berkeley yesterday, I'd also finished moving out of my dorm at UCLA yesterday and ready for the summer to start. Well, after I unpacked all of my boxes that I’d lugged back here from my dorm yesterday, which was a day full of sweat and sore muscles.

"I know." I finally responded, looking up at him with an apologetic look. I should feel bad that we were ending a two year relationship, but I didn't. I only felt bad about not feeling bad. Does that make sense? Yeah, I think it does. I mean, I still love him of course, but maybe just as a friend. I don’t know yet.

"But we'll still talk and stuff." Brendon chirped lightly.

"Yeah." I beamed. "We can be friends. Totally unawkward friends."

He nodded in agreement, but even his short nod held much awkwardness and I knew that this wouldn’t be as easy as it seemed. You can’t just break up with somebody after two years and then just have a normal conversation like nothing’s happened. But, of course we could try. "Sure. So tell me about your year."

I sighed and sat on the expensive couch that was placed in the living room, which Brendon mimicked, sitting beside me.

"Well, Jackson isn't as slammed with his movie stuff, but Ryder just signed for a movie deal. Andy and Tommy set their wedding for August 4th, but all the plans are set, so no more bridezilla, thank god. I never thought I’d see something as terrifying as Andy when her wedding wasn’t going perfectly perfect. Isaac and Elle are coming back from New York in a few days. Kale and Holly are still, you know, engaged and happy and such. Is that everybody? I mean, Jarrod and his girlfriend are coming home tomorrow, but I assume you know that since he's your brother."

He gave me a small smile as he chuckled softly. "I mean you, Libby. How are you?"

"Oh." Was all I said. I haven’t really been anything, too busy with school to even give myself to breathe most of the time. When dance ended last month, that was kind of the end of my social life outside of Holly because I was so busy studying and getting my grades up. Basically, I’ve been stressed and boring. "Well, I'm good, I suppose. Um, how are you?"

"Busy, I've been really busy. I finalized my major last semester as an engineer." He said proudly, but I already knew that. He told me over the phone when he paid for his first classes, but I figured that he was only fishing for something to talk about so that we didn’t sink into a deep, dark awkward silence.