Page 49 of Breakaway

“Let’s go to that bench over there.” I point to a bench on my right. “And we can talk while Happy plays.”

“Okay.”

“How was your week?” I ask, hoping to fill the silence.

Fortunately, Travis knows me well, and instead of telling me off, he starts talking about work, about some code he’s trying to fix and how it is affecting the planned release. Even once we’re on the bench, he goes on and on about the work he and his team have done to ensure the quality of the code and avoid bugs. I listen, not interrupting him, enjoying the little break his rambling provides.

“I wasn’t sure if you wanted to go to that Chinese place—” I turn my head in Travis’s direction, my eyes narrowed to slits. He swallows hard and fakes a smile. “So I booked a table, just in case.”

“Wasn’t my text clear enough?” I scrutinize him, swinging my foot as I sit with my legs crossed. Sure, my vision was all blurry from my tears, but I remember saying no via text.

“Well, I know you said?—”

“Travis,” I say sternly, turning to face him. “I feel like no matter what I say, you’re not listening. We broke up. That’s it. I’m here as your friend, and I’m here for Happy. Us meeting at the park was so I could spend some time with the dog, because I miss him.”

Travis’s jaw ticks, his nostrils flaring. “Have you started therapy?”

“No.”

“Didn’t we break up so you could work on your issues?”

I lick my lips. My agitation rises; the beating of my heart becomes thunderous. He’s not making this easy at all.

“No.”

“What do you mean, ‘no’?”

“Yes, Trav, I need to work on my issues. But I didn’t need to break up with you for that. I left because I realized I’ve never been right for you. You deserve someone a thousand times better than me.”

“But I only want you!” he argues, grabbing my hand and holding it between his palms. “Nev, please, I’m losing my mind without you. I need you.” He sneaks a glance at Happy and then peers at me again. “Weneed you.”

Sighing deeply, I hang my head. “Travis, I’m really sorry. But friendship is the only thing I can offer you. We need to keep our distance. No more flowers, no more waiting for me in the parking garage or coming to my office. I want you to see how good you are without me, and that’s not possible if I’m always around.”

“So you want me to?—”

“Start seeing other people. Start going out. Having fun.” I meet his gaze, noticing the torment in his brown eyes. “You’re an amazing guy, but I’m notitfor you. I’m not as flawless as you think.”

Travis sits with an absolutely miserable look on his face. He keeps locking and unlocking his fingers, chewing on his bottom lip, and avoiding looking at me. Rushing him won’t bring me any solace, so I wait patiently, watching him.

“Are you going to start seeing new people too?” he whispers hoarsely.

“Not now,” I lie. Or maybe it’s the truth, since I’m not interested in anyone except the guy I live with.

“Okay.” Travis gives me a tentative smile. “At least we can be friends.”

“We can,” I confirm.

Sighing, he leans back against the bench and looks up at the sky. “How are you, Nev?”

I mirror him, raising my face to the blazing sun and closing my eyes. After a short internal debate, I start talking. Travis was my friend before things between us changed and we became a couple. I would be happy to have him as a friend again.

I hope it can work.

When I walkinto Roman’s apartment at six p.m., I notice how unusually quiet it is. When he’s home, he’s usually watching something or listening to music. This total silence sends shivers down my spine.

Tentatively, I move down the hallway and step into the living room. It’s dark and empty, and a weird feeling forms in the pit of my stomach. Where is he? Did he go for a ride again?

I pull my phone out of my pocket, and my heart sinks. Two texts Roman sent almost three hours ago catch my attention. Quickly unlocking my screen, I read his texts, and the only thing I want to do is to scream. This guy is infuriating.

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