Chapter 13: No More Love

Leila's POV

"Hi."

"Hey."

"How are you feeling, everything good with you?" He asked as he fumbled with his cup of coffee. His eyes were trained on my face and I couldn't help but avert eye contact as I bit down onto my bottom lip hesitantly.

I've never felt so awkward and alone with him before. I don't know if it's the fact that we're slowly drifting away or it's just that I don't have that connection anymore.

"I'm fine. Could be better if you were actually here to comfort me." I muttered bitterly and he sighed. "I told you I've been busy Lei, you can't really blame me." He exclaimed nonchalantly and I nodded my head.

I pursed my lips together in a thin line and brushed a strand of my hair behind my ear as I leaned in towards him, "all of a sudden work has been harder on you that you can't seem to have a one hour call with your girlfriend or at least see her in person?" I scoffed.

"Baby, I've been working a lot lately. I'm sorry but work is just–"

"Are you hiding something from me, Reese? Months ago work was never hard on you when I was back home but now as I left for college it's been so hard on you that you've forgotten about me. The person you claim to love?"

He rolled his eyes in frustration and facepalmed himself as a grunt escaped his lips, "Leila stop over exaggerating. I love you, okay? I'm sorry that I've been distant lately. I'm busy."

I shook my head. Not believing a word that slipped out of his mouth. I wanted to believe him but it felt like something in my gut was stopping me.

"You don't love me anymore, do you? When I needed you most you weren't even here for me. You visited me once Reese, once after the shooting when I was shaken up and traumatized. You knew that you were the only person I had and you weren't even there!"

"I do love you. I'm sorry, I know you needed me but I couldn't control my working hours! I was exhausted. . .I--I."

"Don't condemn me to your prison of bullshit, Reese." I hissed as I swiped my finger under my eyelid as a tear trickled down slowly. Reese enveloped my hand in his and parted his lips to say something but I cut him off before he could even speak.

"My friends were the ones who were comforting me and they went through the same thing as myself. Imagine comforting someone for a situation that you yourself were in. Goddamit my own professor who risked his life to save us was also the one comforting me when I thought I was gonna die!"

"What, why the hell was your professor the one comforting you?" He asked and I blinked back at him blankly as a scoff escaped my lips.

Is that seriously all he heard from what I just said?

"Really, Reese? Out of everything I said this response is your takeaway?" I said in disbelief and he shook his head as his lips fell into a thin line.

"No smart answers Leila, I really mean what and why was a professor comforting you?" He asked again and a humourless chuckle escaped my lips as I ripped my hand from his. "My roommate, I see him day and night," I replied nonchalantly and his face suddenly fell as a look of realization suddenly flickered across his features.

"It's him isn't it?" He scoffed.

"Him?" I asked confusedly. He rolled his eyes and chuckled bitterly, "don't play dumb baby, it was that guy at the bar a few months ago, wasn't it? The young-looking guy?"

Silence fell between us and I flickered my eyes away from him as I tried to process the situation. I said everything right, I pleaded with him to give me even an ounce of attention and he bounces on to the fact that someone else is comforting me when he had the chance to do so but neglected it?

I get it, I'd be pissed too if I learnt he was sharing a room with some girl. But I'd also be civil because I trusted him and I know he wouldn't do anything to hurt me. How could he look at me as if I was in the wrong for seeking comfort?

What he should be worried about is how we're drifting apart and how he's never there for me.

"Tell me you aren't sleeping with him." He mumbled as his brown eyes penetrated into mine. I arched my brows in surprise and leaned back in my chair as a chuckle escaped my lips, then another, until full-blown laughter bubbled out into the air.

"Unbelievable, Reese. You are unbelievable."

He parted his lips to reply but his phone suddenly began to chime non stop. He flickered his eyes onto the screen and I waited to see if he would actually turn the phone off and have this conversation with me. . . but now.

I watched silently as his lips tugged into a smile and the shade of his cheeks grew ashy pink as he stared down at his phone. I shook my head and grabbed my bag before standing up.

He couldn't give his phone a one minute break to settle this.

I guess this relationship is no longer a priority.

"Where are you going?" He asked confusedly.

"Call me next time when you're actually free and not too busy to acknowledge me." I snapped as I pivoted on my heels and marched away. "Come on, baby. Wait, Leila!"