The Chase

The Chase Ch. 28

Ginger's P.O.V

Following Donovan back to where our things were, I grasped Thad’s hand and smiled a little. Jealous. So cute! I grabbed my bag and decided to reload my gun while I was there. I could feel Thad watching me but I pretended not to notice. I could also feel Donovan watching me, that I acknowledged.

“What?” I said, raising my eyebrows at him.

“Nothing,” he said, shaking his head.

“Just say it,” I insisted.

“Never mind.”

            Donovan loaded his gun and grabbed the food we salvaged. Looking towards the outside, the sun was just barely still up. We would’ve left by now if Thad wasn’t going to get hurt.

“You don’t mind if we get a head start, do you?” asked Donovan.

I looked to Thad who just shrugged. “You can’t wait a little more?”

“Yeah sure, I’ll wait for the vampires to come out of hiding and tear us apart. Yeah, I’d love to wait.”

            I sighed.

“Thad—”

“Just go,” Thad said. “I’ll be fine.”

            I didn’t want to leave him. I really didn’t want to leave. I almost told Donovan to go alone but that would’ve been mean. Instead, I kissed Thad goodbye and grabbed my things. Nodding to Donovan, I marched ahead. Donovan retrieved the keys to the car we came here in and chased after me. He drove and I sat silently.

“So…” said Donovan.

“What did you want to say before?” I asked, remembering his reluctance to speak.

“I just miss you. That’s all.”

“You miss me?”

“Yeah.” He stared straight ahead as he spoke. “I think I’ve said this before but I’m seriously not over you. Can I ask you something?” I nodded and he continued. “Why did we break up?”

            I couldn’t answer that because I honestly did not know. I could sense his anticipation. Rather than giving him a stupid answer, I didn’t speak. He nodded as if that said everything. The sun was just minutes away from setting. In the dim light of the fading day I saw the defeated look on his face. I couldn’t answer such a simple question.

“Donovan?” He nodded, letting me know he was listening. “I know how you must feel—”

“Do you Ginger? Do you really or do you just think you know?” The pain in his voice rang loud and clear. “Can we just not talk for the rest of the drive please?”

“Donovan I’m—”

“Don’t you dare tell me you’re sorry.”

            But I am, I thought.

“Just tell me one thing,” he whispered. “Seeing you with Thad…it kills me. It kills me Ginger. And I just want to know: do we ever have a chance of starting over?”

            The silence in the car after that question was so loud that I thought I’d gone deaf for a moment. What was I supposed to say to that? A flat out no would crush him but a yes would just be leading him on.

“Honestly Donovan,” I began. “I have no idea.”

“You have no idea?”

            We were now parked in front of the house. His hands gripped the steering wheel painfully. A tear dripped out of my eye as I prepared to say what I knew would set him over the edge.

“Thad is a part of me now and so having you tell me how you aren’t over me; it’s…pathetic. Do you hear me? You are pathetic. So…” My voice quivered. “So stop hoping that I’ll come back to you because I really don’t see that happening anywhere in the near future. Just get over it Donovan.”

            I ran out of the car, leaving my things behind. I wouldn’t let him see me cry after I said such harsh words. I didn’t want to say them but saying anything nice would only give him false hope. He had to man up and hearing those words from me would help him do that. I don’t want to believe that it’s too late, too late. But you’re showing me it may be too late, too late. Those were the lyrics I heard blasting from Donovan’s room later on that night. I’d hurt him. Bad.