Page 62 of Sawyer

Hey…are you around? Can we talk?

Three dots appear immediately, letting me know he’s reading.

CLARK:

I’m going out in half an hour, but sure. Is everything okay?

ME:

Give me two minutes, and I’ll call you.

My heart races unpleasantly, and I take a deep breath and close my eyes, trying to calm down before I dial his number. But I only feel more nervous as the seconds tick by. No matter what, this is going to be a giant shit show.

Just get it over with,I think again, tapping on his phone number.

It rings once.

“Hey, babe! You just caught me!”

“Hi,” I say. I clear my throat and sit up straight against the pillows on my bed. “How are you?”

“Um…fine.” He chuckles, matching my businesslike tone. “How are you?”

He’s making fun of me, and I get it. I’m being weird.

“I need to…um, talk to you.”

“Sure. Of course. Is everything okay, babe?”

“No,” I whisper. “It’s…Clark, it’s not you. You’re great. You’re fun and smart, and I know you have a great future—”

“Babe!” He laughs again. “It almost sounds like you’re breaking up with me.”

I gulp. “I am.”

Silence. More silence. Ohmygod, I think this is the longest silence Clark and I have ever—

“WHAT. THE. ACTUAL. FUCK, IVY?!”

His voice booms so loudly over the phone, I jerk it away from my ear and hold it a few inches away from my face.

“What are you saying? What are you even talking about? What the fuck? You’re breaking up with me?” he demands. “Are you out of your fucking mind? We’re engaged, Ivy. We’re getting MARRIED.”

“No,” I say softly, but firmly. “We’re not.”

“Your dad is going to SHIT,” he explodes.

My phone dings, and I swipe the screen to read an incoming text.

SAWYER:

Are you okay? Please tell me you’re okay.

I swipe the message away. I can’t deal with Sawyer right now. I’ll see him tomorrow at rehearsal.

“I’ll handle things with my father,” I tell him. “I’m sorry, Clark. I really am.”

“Fuck your sorrys. I don’t understand, Ivy. I sincerely don’t get it. You forced me not to cheat on you anymore, and I—”

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