Blue Skies Bring Tears

"Lane! Phone!" A loud voice barked. The sound of footsteps thudded up the stairs.

Lane froze, cd in hand. She was sitting cross legged on the floor of her room, rearranging her music collection.

"Crap," she hissed. She scrabbled to find the floorboard, quickly placing it over her forbidden music. She winced at the loud noise it made. The footsteps were getting nearer. She dived onto her bed, shoving the CD that was still in her hand under her pillow. She had just grabbed a book when the door opened.

"Lane, what are you doing?" her mother demanded suspiciously. Mrs Kim was always suspicious.

"Nothing Mama," Lane replied meekly.

"Phone for you. It is David. You have fifteen minutes," Mrs Kim announced. She handed Lane the phone and left the room, partly closing the door behind her.

"Dave, hi!" Lane said brightly, sitting up. "I haven't heard from you in ages, I figured you had forgotten about me or something."

"Hey Lane." Dave's voice on the other end sounded slightly sombre. "I'm sorry I haven't called much, I've been really busy."

"I thought so. They must be working you really hard over in California." Lane joked nervously.

"Yeah, they are." He replied distractedly.

There was a silence.

"So…how is California?" Lane asked at last. It was weird, talking to Dave had never been this hard before.

"It's good. Hot. You know, sunshine, blue skies and all that."

"Right. And, um, everything else is good?"

"Sure. I've been playing my guitar a lot."

"Awesome. Learn any new songs?"

"Not lately."

"Oh."

There was another silence.

"Lane…" Dave began hesitantly.

"Yes?" she immediately replied, eager for someone to make a sound.

"I really don't know how to say this…" he began again.

She swallowed hard, a sinking feeling in her stomach. She knew what was coming.

"I don't think this is working." He uttered the dreaded words.

She couldn't breathe. This couldn't be happening. Dave, her Dave, couldn't be splitting up with her. He wasn't capable of breaking her heart.

"I really hate to end it like this. I never wanted this to happen. But you're still in Stars Hollow and I'm all the way over here. We've been drifting apart recently. Things haven't felt the same for a while"

"Is there anyone else?" She whispered.

"What? No, God no! Of course not! You know I would never do that to you Lane. I just feel…I just feel that our relationship has run its course. You feel it too right?"

"Um, yeah," she croaked, tears starting to stream down her face. He was right. They hadn't seen each other for months and their busy schedules hade made it difficult to have regular contact. Their lives were going in different directions. But she loved him. Breaking up had not even occurred to her.

"I'm really sorry about this Lane. We can still be friends can't we?"

Friends. The worst f-word of them all.

"Uh huh." She managed to choke out. "I've got to go now."

"Ok. Goodbye Lane."

There was a dialling tone at the other end of the line. Lane lowered the phone from her ear with a silent sob.

"Lane! Time is up. You must tell David goodbye now." Mrs Kim called.

Lane clutched the phone in both hands, eyes like waterfalls, body shaking. Goodbye.