Disclaimer: I own nothing. All original storyline, and characters belong to E.L. James.
I know it has taken me way too long to update this story and I'm sorry about that. That being said though, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and don't worry, it's far from over. I like Cavin and Phoebe a little too much to end it like that. So enjoy the rest of the story!
The next few months after Cavin decided to end our relationship go by in a blur of emotions. Anger and grief being the most prevalent. I was furious with my parents for causing all of this to happen. Pissed at Cavin, for not having the decency to break up with me in person, and mad at myself for allowing it to affect me so much.
I couldn't help it though. It hurt knowing that the one man I thought I would love for the rest of my life, could leave me just like that and never look back. No matter how hard I tried to contact him, he refused to answer my calls, and he had taken the banking job in Portland, so I couldn't try to reach him at his house.
The closer I got to the day I left for college though, the more excited I got. I didn't want to admit that it was because of the possibility that I might bump into Cavin, but I would be lying if I said that wasn't part of it. Of course I was excited about starting my college life as well; there was no doubt about that. I just wanted one more opportunity to see Cavin before I had to say goodbye to him for good.
"So do you have everything packed for tomorrow?" My mom asks on the eve of my departure.
"For the most part. I have a few little last minute things to pack tomorrow morning, but I'm ready to go." I say.
Lately I have been trying to mend things between my parents, and it is starting to work. Mostly because they finally sat down, and listened to what I had to say about my relationship with Cavin. Of course I didn't give them all the dirty details, but they seemed to finally understand why I was so upset about our break-up. It doesn't mean they approve of my relationship with him at all, but at least they don't tense up every time they are reminded of it anymore.
"What time do you want to leave?" My dad asks.
"I was thinking around seven. I have an orientation type thing going on at noon, and I want to leave enough time to get there, and get settled into my dorm before I have to take on the masses." I say.
"Have you met your roommate yet?" Ted asks.
"Yeah, her name is Kyanne, and she's really cool. We had coffee together last week, and we've been texting since. I think we'll get along, which is nice." The small talk seems forced, and I know it's because they are all trying to mend the bridges that had been broken for the past few months.
"Phoebe your mom and I have something to give you before you head off tomorrow." My dad says, pulling two packages out from underneath his chair.
I open the heaviest one first, and I can see that it's a new laptop. I'm sure it is able to do a lot more than I could ever dream that I would need it for, but it's pink, so immediately I love it.
"Thank you guys. My old one was starting to get a little slow." I say smiling at them.
"Open the second one." My mom says with a smile.
I do as she says, and I see that it's a scrapbook, filled with baby pictures of me and Ted together. More of my parents and me from when I was young. All of our family vacation photos, and countless other precious memories, split up into years, and at the end of each year there is a letter from both my mom and my dad written on my birthday of that year. It's the best present I could ever ask for.
Immediately all my anger toward them dissipates. It doesn't matter that Cavin broke up with me because he didn't want to cause any problems. They are my parents and no matter what they are always going to love me. This scrapbook is proof of that.
"Thank you both so much. I love it." I say with tears in my eyes.
"We figured if you were ever missing home, or needed some love from us you could look at this and know that no matter what we will always love you more than anything in this world." My dad says, and even though he is never too keen on showing his emotion, I can see that he too is on the verge of crying. My mom is already in full hysterics.
"I love you too daddy." I say, and get up to give him, and then my mother a hug.
"Alright what do you say we all watch a movie before we head to bed?" My mom says, dabbing at her eyes.
"Sounds good to me!" I exclaim happy to be spending some real quality time with everyone.
The next morning I wake up and look around my room. All the stuff that can't come along with me to my dorm is staying here, but for some reason it feels empty. Perhaps it's because I know that I won't be spending another night here for a while.
I pack up all my last minute things, and make my way down stairs. Of course my parents are already awake, and Mrs. Taylor is in the kitchen making breakfast.
"Everything ready?" My dad asks.
"Yep it's all here." I say pointing at my rolling luggage, and the few boxes that I had hauled down the stairs the previous night. It really doesn't seem like all that much, but I know that I'm going to be hard pressed to fit it in my dorm.
"Alright, well we'll have breakfast, and then we'll hit the road." My dad says, and gets up to start making me my morning latte. I'm going to miss his coffee, but luckily I know of a great little shop in Portland now.
"I'm making your favorite Phebs, raspberry and cream cheese crepes, with hash browns of course." Mrs. Taylor says.
"Thank you Gail." I tell her smiling.
The remainder of the morning goes by quickly, and before I know it I'm waving goodbye to my parents as they drive away from campus.
"Phoebe!" I hear from behind me, and I turn to see Kyanne coming toward me. "Hey Ky!" I call back.
"I went to our dorm, and you weren't there, but all your stuff was so I figured I'd come find you. Am I the only one who wants to blow off this orientation thing?" She asked.
"I know of the perfect place to go." I say with a smile, and we head to my car, which Taylor had driven down for me.
Honestly the orientation was just a tour of the campus, and a bunch of team building exercises. I had already had a tour with my mom and dad when I got accepted, and I wasn't really here to make a bunch of friends. I just want to get my degree, and move on with my life.
Kyanne and I go to Pioneer Place Mall, which probably isn't the best idea since the last time I was here was with Cavin, but we still end up having fun, and spending entirely too much money.
And just like that we are the best of friends. We do everything together, and thankfully she is an English major also, so we have a lot of the same classes. She makes school easy to bear, and in the blink of an eye we are already a month and a half into the term.
"I'm just saying if Dr. Varner would just pull the stick out of her ass she would be really pretty." She says on our way to class one day talking about one of our professors. "Seriously she needs to get laid."
"She's probably just sick of having to deal with us." I say laughing, because more than likely it's true.
"Phoebe?" I hear someone ask from behind me, a voice I would know anywhere.
"Cavin." I say turning around to face him. It's not a question. My heart gives a squeeze when I see his face for the first time in nearly five months. "What are you doing here?" My voice is a little harsher than I expected it to sound, but seeing him brings up a lot of memories I have been trying so hard to repress.
"I gave a partial draft of my manuscript to the head of the literature department to look over and make notes on. I'm here today to pick it up and discuss it with him." He says.
"Oh." I say lamely.
"You look well." He says giving me a warm familiar smile. Instantly I melt, and I wish I wasn't so weak.
"Thank you, so do you." I say in a small voice.
We stand there for a few more awkward minutes before I finally say, "Well I should probably get to class, it was…" What was I going to say? It was nice seeing him when I knew that nothing had changed, no. "Goodbye Cavin." I say finally and turn to walk away.
"Phoebe wait!" He calls, and I look back at him. For a second his expression is undecided, and then a steely resolve flashes across his face, and he's closing the small gap between us.
Before I can even process what is happening his lips are on mine, capturing me in a scorching kiss. And just like that all the effort I had put in to get over him is gone. There is nothing I want more in this world than to be with this man.
I feel his reluctance as he pulls his lips from mine. We're both breathing heavily, but both of us are smiling as wide as our faces allow.
"Come to dinner with me tonight." He says suddenly.
"Huh?" I ask lamely.
"Please Phoebe, come to dinner with me tonight, and allow me to try to explain myself. I know what I did was foolish, and I would understand if you hated me forever, but please, please give me one night."
And there's no question as to what my answer will be. "Yes." I say with a smile.
"Thank you!" He exclaims happily, giving me one more lingering kiss. "I really have to get going, but I will see you tonight, wear a dress." He says, and then jogs off in the opposite direction.
I turn to see that Kyanne has witnessed the whole exchange.
"Um, mind explaining who that was, and why I've never heard of him before?" She asks.
"His name is Cavin, and he's my ex." I tell her.
"Ex? Why ex? If he was ever mine I would have put a ring on that ASAP."
"Long story short, I was in love with him, my parents didn't approve, he broke it off because he didn't want to be the cause of any family dissention." I say.
"Damn, that really sucks. Well if it's any help, you two look far from over. What did he want anyway?"
"He wants to have dinner tonight with me. He said he would like the chance to explain himself." I tell her.
"Oh damn! Sounds like ex is going to be boyfriend soon."
I am not allowing myself to hope for anything so I just tell her, "I doubt it. He probably just feels guilty leaving me so abruptly, and never talking to me again." But the explanation sounds dumb to my own ears.
"Uh huh, I'm sure that's exactly what he was trying to say with that kiss." She says rolling her eyes.
"Come on let's get to class. Dr. Reed has already threatened to kick us out twice if we interrupt his class again."
"Please. Dr. Reed is so in love with the both of us that the only reason he would try to kick us out is so he could get some relief from the raging hard on he gets every time we walk into his lecture hall."
And this is why Ky is my best friend. She sees when a situation is too difficult to deal with right away, and she changes the subject from it. I know I will eventually have to explain to her what it is that just happened, but she knows that I can't do it right now.