Truth Out Of Darkness
Chapter 8
The following day after school.
"Phillip, do you have a minute?" Chloe caught his attention as he walked down the hall.
"Yes." He said, surprised that she was even giving him the time of day.
"Can we talk?"
"Sure, let's go into this classroom. It's empty."
There were a few moments of awkward silence while Chloe thought of what she was going to say. She then spoke slowly. "First of all, I wanted to say that I forgive you."
"You forgive me?" he asked slowly.
"Yes, for everything. The Last Blast, and everything up until now. I forgive you. It's okay." She said, smiling at Phillip.
Phillip looked at her beautiful smile and for once in a long time felt hopeful. Could she be coming around?
"Also, I wanted to apologize. I had no right to get upset with you for going out with Cynthia, especially since we had broken up and I kept rejecting you. I'm sorry." She paused shortly. "The main thing I wanted to talk about though, is us." She inhaled deeply. "Things can't go on as they have been."
Yes! Phillip thought mentally. He felt like doing cartwheels. "Chloe, I'm so happy! I've missed you so much. I had almost given up hope. This is so great! You know there's this new action flick opening this weekend. We could go Saturday night, maybe Tuscany afterwards."
Chloe interrupted, confused. "I think you misunderstood me. It's my fault. I've led you on – let you believe that we could get back together. But we can't."
Phillip's heart fell.
"I'm sorry Phillip. Things can't be the way they were. Too much has happened." She felt so sorry for him, for the renewed pain in his eyes. She thought about changing her mind – but realized she had to do this.
"I know they can't be the same, they'll be better. I can make it work. I love you." He pleaded.
"I'm sorry, Phillip. But I don't love you." She said simply. She felt enormous pain in her heart at hurting him so. But it will be worse for him in the long run if I don't let him go now. I can't keep lying.
"I could make you fall in love with me. I'll win you back." Phillip couldn't believe that it was really over. That he had no chance.
"I no longer want you to. I'm setting you free, Phillip. It's time we both moved on." She said gently.
"But…" Phillip had never felt such despair, such utter hopelessness. His love was leaving him.
"Goodbye. Phillip." She turned and walked away.
Phillip felt numb as he watched her walk away. He had lost her for good.
Later that afternoon…
"Well, I did it." Chloe said into her phone. She was lying on her bed.
"How do you feel?" Brady asked. Chloe could hear the concern in his voice.
"Better than I thought I would. I hated hurting Phillip, but I know I did the right thing….The strange thing is he no longer any pull on my heart. I think about him, and I care about him, but just as a friend."
"I can't tell you how happy I am to hear you say that. Listen, I am taking you out tonight to celebrate your new freedom. I will pick you up at 7." Brady said. "Oh, and wear something nice." He said mischievously.
Chloe hung up the phone still trying to fathom what had just happened. "Oh! It's 5:30. I've got to get ready!"
Chapter 8
The following day after school.
"Phillip, do you have a minute?" Chloe caught his attention as he walked down the hall.
"Yes." He said, surprised that she was even giving him the time of day.
"Can we talk?"
"Sure, let's go into this classroom. It's empty."
There were a few moments of awkward silence while Chloe thought of what she was going to say. She then spoke slowly. "First of all, I wanted to say that I forgive you."
"You forgive me?" he asked slowly.
"Yes, for everything. The Last Blast, and everything up until now. I forgive you. It's okay." She said, smiling at Phillip.
Phillip looked at her beautiful smile and for once in a long time felt hopeful. Could she be coming around?
"Also, I wanted to apologize. I had no right to get upset with you for going out with Cynthia, especially since we had broken up and I kept rejecting you. I'm sorry." She paused shortly. "The main thing I wanted to talk about though, is us." She inhaled deeply. "Things can't go on as they have been."
Yes! Phillip thought mentally. He felt like doing cartwheels. "Chloe, I'm so happy! I've missed you so much. I had almost given up hope. This is so great! You know there's this new action flick opening this weekend. We could go Saturday night, maybe Tuscany afterwards."
Chloe interrupted, confused. "I think you misunderstood me. It's my fault. I've led you on – let you believe that we could get back together. But we can't."
Phillip's heart fell.
"I'm sorry Phillip. Things can't be the way they were. Too much has happened." She felt so sorry for him, for the renewed pain in his eyes. She thought about changing her mind – but realized she had to do this.
"I know they can't be the same, they'll be better. I can make it work. I love you." He pleaded.
"I'm sorry, Phillip. But I don't love you." She said simply. She felt enormous pain in her heart at hurting him so. But it will be worse for him in the long run if I don't let him go now. I can't keep lying.
"I could make you fall in love with me. I'll win you back." Phillip couldn't believe that it was really over. That he had no chance.
"I no longer want you to. I'm setting you free, Phillip. It's time we both moved on." She said gently.
"But…" Phillip had never felt such despair, such utter hopelessness. His love was leaving him.
"Goodbye. Phillip." She turned and walked away.
Phillip felt numb as he watched her walk away. He had lost her for good.
Later that afternoon…
"Well, I did it." Chloe said into her phone. She was lying on her bed.
"How do you feel?" Brady asked. Chloe could hear the concern in his voice.
"Better than I thought I would. I hated hurting Phillip, but I know I did the right thing….The strange thing is he no longer any pull on my heart. I think about him, and I care about him, but just as a friend."
"I can't tell you how happy I am to hear you say that. Listen, I am taking you out tonight to celebrate your new freedom. I will pick you up at 7." Brady said. "Oh, and wear something nice." He said mischievously.
Chloe hung up the phone still trying to fathom what had just happened. "Oh! It's 5:30. I've got to get ready!"