The Path To You

37. Six hours

He was being way too dramatic right now. Connor had decided that since I had to go back to school he was going to throw a fit in protest. It wasn't like I could control the fact that I had a presentation that was mandatory for my grade. It was either I went or I failed my class. Connor knew that but still be was being a little dramatic bitch about it.

It totally wasn't working.

I wasn't tempted to stay at all.

Okay maybe I was tempted a little.

"Are you really going to sit there all morning?" I questioned him.

"Maybe." He shrugged where he was sat on the floor with my bag held tightly against him.

"I have to leave Connor, you literally yelled at me the other day for slacking off on my school work for you."

"Well duh I don't want you ruining your own life for me."

I wanted to point out that none of it made sense. If he wanted me to put my life first then he should be shoving me out the door to make sure that I get to my presentation on time. However he was pouting in the corner like a five year old.

"I have to go Connor." I repeated.

"I know but I don't want you to. I'm going to miss you." He continued to pout.

"It's six hours Connor." I reminded him.

I had planned to return to Connors house as soon as I could. It wasn't the most realistic but being here with Connor was more important to me than anything. I had already made the decision to stay here with him through the rest of the semester. Of course I'd need to leave to go back for certain classes but I'd do the drive and come back as many times as I needed to.

"A lot can happen in six hours."

I didn't want to think about that. Everything would be fine. I'd come back and Connor would be deep into a reality tv binge. The worst thing I was hoping would happen was that he'd forget to eat because he was too invested in his show.

"Yeah a lot of trashy television."

I watched Connor relax his grip on my bag. He was finally giving in. Honestly it was faster than I thought it'd happen. I thought he'd be stubborn for awhile longer.

"Fine but I'm watching Big Brother without you."

"Please do." I laughed.

"Stop pretending you hate it."

"Who said I was pretending?"

"Go away before you hurt my feelings." Connor shoved my bag into my hands and I couldn't help but laugh.

—

Six hours later

I was riding high off of the feeling of getting through my presentation. Luckily I had been able to actually say my words correctly and not completely butcher the whole thing. Even with practicing it a million times with Connor I was nervous that once I stood up there I'd make a fool out of myself.

So now that it was over and I was finally making my way back to Connors house I was feeling a lot better. The weight that had been on my shoulders was gone and all I had to look forward to was seeing Connor.

I was just hoping that once I got there that he'd gotten his fill of reality shows and I wouldn't have to sit through a whole afternoon of them. His obsession with those was getting to be a serious problem.

When I pulled up to Connor's house I felt lighter at the sight of his car in the driveway. I was just excited to see him. I had given him shit about missing me after only six hours but after weeks of being around each other all the time six hours felt like a lot.

I was getting a little too clingy but I really couldn't find it in myself to care.

"Hi Jetson." Connors mom greeted me as she pulled open the door. "How was your presentation?"

"It went good I hope, I'll find out once the professor posts my grade." I replied.

"I bet you did great and you got back at the perfect time, Connor just got back and I'm running to the store, do you want me to get you anything?" She beamed.

My stomach twisted. Connor had just gotten back, he'd went somewhere. I knew it shouldn't be something to worry about but he'd whined and complained about how he was going to be sitting at home bored all day without me. He hadn't told me anything about going out somewhere.

"I don't need anything." I told her, she was always trying to buy me things to make the house feel like home for me but I felt bad that she was spending money on me.

So far I'd done my best to buy food and things for myself. She was a stubborn women so it wasn't working out all that great for me. She'd probably still show up with a whole bag of things she thought I needed or liked.

I waved her a last goodbye as she went off to the store and then made my way up to Connor's room. I shook any worries out of my head. I was excited to see him and nothing else mattered.

I pushed the door open and then I felt my stomach drop.

This wasn't happening. I blinked a few times hoping that my eyes were playing tricks on me.

But they weren't. Connor was sat hunched over on the floor a bottle of whiskey clutched tightly in his hands. He'd worked so hard to get clean and get his life back.

It had just been six hours.

"Connor," I said softly not really knowing what had happened to get him here.

His head whipped up to look at me. His face was stained with tears and his whole face was filled with devastation. My heart hurt at the sight.

Nothing else mattered. Not the bottle in his hands or any of it. Something had happened so I closed the distance.

I dropped myself onto the floor next to him and pulled him into me. The second my arms wrapped around him the sobs started and I felt his whole body shake against mine.

He needed me. He had needed me and I left. I had left and this is what had happened.

I let the guilt wash over me as I clung to him trying to comfort him the best I could.

A/n:

I have been writing a bunch lately now that I'm on break from work. I have a lot more time even with all this prep I've been doing for my trip this weekend. So I decided to give you all a surprise chapter and I don't know how happy you all will be that I did.

Sorry to ruin your Wednesday....

But I hopefully will have the next chapter up on Friday, I leave super early in the morning to start my drive for my birthday trip but I'm hoping to find a time at some point to post for you guys. So if the chapter is a little bit late don't be mad. But there is a chance I post it early just to make sure it goes out for you guys and you don't have to wait until I get back to find out what happens next. But I can't make any promises.

Anyways I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
-Cora Leigh