Heartache
"Hey," Chrissy says softly to her boyfriend, nudging his shoulder slightly as they walk through the park. "What's wrong?"
"Christine, um," Mike sighs, not looking at her. He stops their walking, facing his body to hers. "I uh…we need to talk."
"Michael what's wrong?" she says apprehensively.
They have been dating for two years and she has felt like she has been living a dream. Yes they have occasionally fought, but nothing too major, nothing they weren't able to get over. But ever since his graduation from high school, Mike seems to have been pulling back from her. She watches his face as he arranges his words in his head, a ball of fear building in her stomach, as he still doesn't make eye contact with her.
"You're the best friend I've ever had," he finally says, tilting his head down and fiddling with his hands. "And I-I don't want to lose that…um-"
"Are you breaking up with me?" she interrupts, tears of hurt and disbelief springing to her eyes.
He finally looks up at her, his blue eyes sad and guilty. Her back straightens and she rapidly blinks her eyes; she won't cry in front of him. She sees him look even guiltier the second she pulls back, he knows her too well.
"Chrissy," he says softly, the nickname he rarely uses causing a pain through her heart. "It's not you, okay? You haven't done anything or…but you're just seventeen and-"
"And you're eighteen," she interrupts, her voice strained as she holds back her tears. "We're not even a full year apart so don't use age Mike, it's insulting."
He takes a deep breath, looking down and running a hand through his hair. "You still have a full year left of high school and you should enjoy that, you know? And I won't be here like now, I'll be in…college."
"Oh," she breathes out, surprised that her heart could break even more. "Well, that's it, right? You're going away to college, with college girls and college parties. This isn't about me enjoying my senior year-"
"Christine," he says in a voice full of pain.
"It's about you enjoying college," she ignores him, temper flaring in her eyes past her hurt. "You don't want to have to worry about your girlfriend back home who doesn't put out."
"No it's not!" he denies, though she can see in his eyes that he has thought about it.
"I-I should have expected it," she says quickly, knowing she will quickly lose her battle against her tears. "My mom has told me that anthropologically men…you know what, forget it. Go, get drunk, have sex and just…go to hell."
She turns and angrily walks away, ignoring his calls from behind her. She turns a corner and starts to run, her tears falling down her face. She runs a part of her illogically hoping that it will ease the pain racing through her heart. When she reaches the street she finally stops, wiping her face as she pants. She looks around as people walk past her, oblivious to the world ending as she knows it.
She feels a sudden and powerful longing for home, to be surrounded by the people who she knows will never change how they feel about her. Pulling out her cell phone she calls one of the few people who has not only made her feel completely loved her entire life but has always made her feel safe.
"Daddy," she cries into the phone when it is answered. "I know you're at work but can you or-or Parker come pick me up? Please?"
Not ten minutes later the black SUV pulls up in front of her and Booth quickly rounds the hood worry on his face. Fresh sobs over take her as he pulls her into his arms, hugging her tightly. She buries her face into his shoulder, the same shoulder she has rested her head on her entire life, absorbing the smell and feel of her father.
"Are you okay?" Booth asks worriedly. "Are you hurt? What happened?"
"I'm fine. I'm sorry, Dad," she sighs, pulling back and wiping her tears even as they still fall. "I didn't mean to scare you. I'm just…I'm so stupid."
"Hey, no you're not," he says softly, rubbing her arms. "Tell me what happened. Why are you crying Christine?"
"Michael and I…we were walking and then…" tears start flowing down her face, her obvious heartache breaking his own heart. "He broke up with me. We broke up."
"He left you here?" he says angrily, his eyes narrowing.
"No, I-I left him," she shakes her head. "I want to go home."
"Okay, come here," he pulls her back into a hug, kissing her head. "I'm so sorry, baby. Let's go home."
"Come in," Christine answers the knock on her door, closing her journal and placing it on the bed beside her.
"How are you?" Brennan asks as she walks in, closing the door softly behind her.
"I loved him, Mom," she cries, bringing her knees to her chest. "I still love him and it…"
"It hurts," Brennan finishes, sitting on the bed and wrapping her daughter into her arms. "I know."
"No you don't," Christine shakes her head even as she leans further into her mother. "You've never been rejected by your true love."
"Yes I have," Brennan answers, her voice filled with tears.
"What?" Christine pulls back in confusion. "But-but you and Daddy…"
"We knew each other for years before we became involved," Brennan explains, her eyes filled with tears more for what her daughter is going through than her own memories. "When I finally realized how I felt, he was with someone else and…he didn't leave her when I told him my feelings. I know…I know what you're feeling and I'm so sorry Christine."
The teen nods, her face crumpling with fresh tears as she leans again into her mother's embrace. They sit together, one sobbing as the other allows silent tears to fall. Slowly, Brennan's slight rocking soothing her, Christine's tears sobs stop though tears still trial down her face.
"You know what makes it even worse?" she asks in whisper. "I lost my best friend too. What…what do I do after this?"
"You remember that your family loves you," Brennan answers, pulling back to wipe her daughter's tears. "And you live one day at a time."
"Okay," she says softly, nodding and giving her mother a weak smile. "I can do that."
