time to go

Times up, thought Amber. It was final. She had her car packed. She wasn't leaving anything behind. It was time to go.

She smiled at herself, looking at the bedroom one last time. It was good to get everything out that she'd needed to say to Kyle. They might not be real friends, but she knew he still cared. Just different now. And it was different with Roger too. She'd given him more than a month. Honestly, she didn't want to be this girl, anymore. She was leaving for Kansas.

"But-" Roger started as soon as she got to the stairs.

"I'm tired of this. I don't want to listen to you, anymore. I want to be with someone who likes the odd things about me. I never intended to be perfect." She looked him in the eye. "I'm sick of your I love you but I hate you shit. So don't even bother texting me or anything else." She was deleting him out of her contacts right now on her cell.

Amber didn't say goodbye to Olivia, but they'd stay in touch, she knew. Amanda still called.

No, she was walking out the front door. She wasn't looking back. Finally, she knew what freedom felt like. It was amazing. A little scary, but her gas tank was full and her brother knew where she was headed. She'd be in Lawerence in less than two hours.

 

He knew things had changed the moment she went off with Kyle. Roger wondered just what Kyle said to her. Of course, he'd been thinking of Doyle with his new boyfriend. It wasn't what he was expecting. Doyle with somebody that hot. He thought Doyle would have gone for a more nerdy type. Possibly.

But now he was all alone in an empty room. Really, he was sick of himself. He thought it was going to work. with Amber. He thought he tried. Really, it felt that way.

Roger sighed then. Why wasn't he chasing after her? He was going over scenarios in his head. If he did go after her, then what? He knew she wouldn't come back to him. His heart was cold. Or was he just heartless?

He started to sob then. But it was because he was thinking of Doyle, not Amber. There was a bitter sorrow within him. Thinking of things he'd done to make Doyle so angry. Yes, he knew he needed to be alone. But he took out his cell first.

"Mom," Roger said. "I've got a few days off before classes start up again." He guessed it was a good time to visit.