A/n: This incredibly short one shot is based on the song "Austin" by Blake Shelton. None of his lyrics are used, that means I don't own them.
Four years. That's how long they'd been together, since they were fourteen. Everyone had been ecstatic, overjoyed. I mean, they all saw it coming; it was just a matter of when.
Corey Riffin and Laney Penn were meant to be.
What they didn't expect was a breakup, a messy one at that.
Corey had forgotten their anniversary, accidentally sold her bass, and a hundred other things. Laney had forgiven him a million times over, but of course he had always hatched a crazy plan to fix the problem first.
But this is where she drew the line.
In his defense, the girl kissed him, not the other way around and Corey hated it. Laney, however, was too upset to hear him out.
I'd be upset too if I found the love of my life kissing another girl. Wouldn't you?
Laney had left without telling the band, let alone Corey. She told Kin she needed to clear her head. Kin and Kon held the guitarist back the day she left. Laney had abandoned a broken Corey and a destroyed band.
Corey figured Laney went to Vermont, down in America. He'd heard her talk about it all the time. Remembering that had made him cry again.
It was almost thirteen months before Laney called him up. For the reports her mom had given her, Corey was still broken, the band was barely holding on, and the Newmans were popular. It was a disaster.
Corey wasn't there when she called and Laney got the answering machine.
He was out ordering Chinese food with Kon while Kin blew up the garage. Well, he called it inventing but whatever.
She heard three rings and an answering machine.
"If you're calling about the couch, I sold it to the guy down the street. If it's Tuesday night, I'm rocking out in the local bar. If you've got Girl Scout cookies, we've had enough. Kon's on a diet now. P.s., if this is Lanes, I still love you."
She dropped her phone on the floor. Laney was in shock. What man held on that long?
'I know that answer,' she thought, 'My Core.'
He must really love her. Well, she really loved him, too.
Three days later Laney called again. But she heard three rings and an answering machine.
"If it's Friday I'm at the derby. First thing Saturday I'm going camping at the lake and I'll be gone all day. I'll call you back Sunday afternoon. P.s., if this is Lanes, I still love you."
This time, Laney left her number but not a word more. No doubt, she was nervous.
Sunday evening, there was a call at the Penn residents. Corey couldn't believe what he heard.
"If you're calling about my heart, well, it's still yours. I should've listen better, Core. Maybe it wouldn't have taken so long for me to realize were I should be. By the way, if you can't tell, this is no answering machine. This is Lanes and I still love you."