A week had come and gone.

Each day was a struggle, getting out of bed, pretending to smile, going to work and then coming home to start all over. The only thing making it all worse than it already was, was the fact that Jessica and Hunter had seemed to work things out.

It turned out the night that Hunter had a party that I'd thought he invited Jess to, he actually hadn't. She had just made plans with a friend from one of her classes to go out to see some show downtown. But, Hunter had called her the next day and the two had gone out twice this week. I'd had to sit by and listen like nothing was wrong while she talked all about how she could feel herself falling for him. Sarah watching me like a hawk every time his name came up in a conversation.

Hunter had only tried to call me one time three days ago at nearly two in the morning. I silenced my phone, knowing he was only calling me because he was drunk. It had been harder to keep myself from listening to the voicemail he left me when the day we were supposed to go to the Civic Center together came around. I'd spent the whole day out in the middle of my cornfield, but I found that a little of the magic of the place was gone now too. Hunter had changed my secret spot, making it the most beautiful place in all of the world for a night, but now it is only a reminder of his absence.

Today I had nothing else going on to distract myself from the fact that Hunter would be leaving in a few days. Odds are, I'll never see him again. By the time he gets home, I'll have moved back to school and who knows how going to war is going to change him. We had just been two people who ended up on the same path for a while. He seemed like a godsend then, and maybe he was...A person put into my life to steer me in the right direction, and to show me that I actually am capable of loving someone again.

But what good is the knowledge that I can love if the person I want to love isn't an option. He's just an unreachable idea.

"Tall black coffee, please." I muttered weakly, handing the barista my money. "Keep the change."

I moved down to the end of the line while I waited on my drink, trying not to pay attention to the other people in the busy shop. I couldn't handle going to another place in town and risking running into someone I didn't want to see right now, so I went a town over for my coffee. I was planning to see a movie, but since I didn't really care what it was I decided to just grab a coffee and then show up to the theater and whatever was playing at the time when I get there, that's what I'll see.

' I walked slowly, quietly enjoying the sound of the light drizzle bouncing off of my raincoat. The town was small, but well kept. Mostly known for the upper class citizens and nice mansions throughout the little city center. I kept to the sidewalks, winding my way through the little crowds of people rushing here and there, all trying to get out of the rain. I dodged their umbrellas and made it to the theater just as two movies were beginning.

My options were limited. It was either Star Crossed, a romantic drama, or Dead Line, a crime movie. It was easy to choose between the two. I couldn't sit through a romance, especially not one that even the title sends my mind directly to the person I'm trying so hard to forget.

I sat in the nearly empty theater, waiting for the movie to start.

When the 'Please Silence Your Cell Phones' screen came on, I almost laughed to myself. Not like anyone was going to be calling or texting me today. At least, not someone I wanted.

As was typical for me, I'd downed my entire tub of popcorn before the movie even started. When the lights went down, the universe was practically laughing into my face.

The screen was black, and as the movie begins the first thing you hear was, "Hunter! Hunter you've got to get up! They're coming for us!" Before the screen lights up and you meet the movie's male lead, who just so happened to be named Hunter.

I groaned audibly and the older couple a few seats down glared at me.

I stood and walked out of the theater, flipping up my hood as I hit sidewalks out front again.

"Miss?" I heard someone calling. "Excuse me, Miss?"

I kept walking, not thinking the woman could be calling me, but when she persisted I glanced back, seeing a woman I recognized rushing up behind me, her nice tan coat pulled tightly around her body and her big black umbrella getting a little caught in the wind.

"Oh, god." I whispered to myself when I saw Hunter's mom, who I'd seen that night in the restaurant standing right in front of me. I didn't know what to do. Stand here? Or keep going on my way? When I remembered exactly what Hunter had told me about his parents and the look on his face and tears in his eyes filled my mind, I knew to keep walking.

"Please, please don't go!" She called, grabbing my wrist. "I just want to talk to you. I promise I won't take up more than a moment of your time, dear. Please?" The desperation in her eyes and voice were the only things that kept me from yanking away and running.

"What do you want?" I asked, my voice clipped.

Her big blue indigo eyes dropped down to the wet ground, then back up as she extended her umbrella to cover the both of us. "You know who I am?" She asked, although it was obvious. I nodded and she pursed her red lips. "I just need to know, is he alright?"

It felt like a knife twisting in my chest. "Who could be after what you and your husband did to him?" I was glad I was already rained on so the tears in my eyes could blend. "He was your son too."

His mom brought her shaky hand up to her chest and heaved around it slightly, her perfectly put together face seeming to crumple. "I know, dear. Oh, how I know." She whispered. "I have to live with the mistakes my husband and I made every single day." I could hardly hear her over the rain. "I know it isn't an excuse, but we were just...The pain of losing a child..."

I don't know why I did, but I found my arms around her and she cried into my neck. "I'm sorry." I told her, knowing full well what my parents went through after my brother died. They handled it one hundred percent differently than Hunter's parents, but everyone processes grief in a different way.

"I not only lost one child, but I let my mouth and backwards thoughts of how his life should have been lose me both of my children." She whimpered. "And I will tell you, it almost hurts even more to know that my other son is out there, on his own. To know that the loss of his light in my life is a direct result of my own actions...To know that I have a child still breathing, out there in the world, but that wants nothing to do with his family...It's the most painful thing."

When I pulled away, she was quick to dry her eyes, looking around the streets. "I don't know what to say." I admitted and she tried to smile.

"I only stopped you because I need to know that he's alright." She told me. "I hate not knowing what's going on with him. I don't know his pain or his struggles, and I don't get to share in his happiness." She told me, reaching out to brush her hand lightly on my shoulder.

I realized she must think we are together. I also realized that I would hate to be in her position. Maybe she wasn't a great parent, but I have to believe that all parents love their children, even if they don't do it the right way.

I tried to lock away my heart, but it was impossible as I talked about him.

"He's done really well for himself." I told her, and the smile on her face was one of the most genuine things I've ever seen. "He lives comfortably, he's got a ton of friends-."

"He always did." She laughed.

"I'm sure." I nodded. "He's smart, and funny and kind. He's a really good person." I told her honestly. "He told me what he was like as a kid, but you should know, he isn't that kid anymore. He's...Hunter has a beautiful soul. He's damaged, but he doesn't like to let people see it, he's everyone's best friend and he has this way of making you feel-."

"Special." She cried a little. "He was the sweetest little boy, before he started getting into trouble. I used to call him my little sunshine." She fanned her eyes a little. "I never should have stopped."

"I'm sorry for your situation." I told her, at a loss for how to say anything else.

She stalled for a moment, then looked into my eyes, hers so similar to his. The one thing he got from his mother while the rest of him is a spitting image of his father. "I know I lost the right to know things a long time ago, but can you please do me a favor?" She asked, a begging in her voice. "Please tell him that I love him. Tell him how sorry I am. I would do it myself but the other night was the first time I've seen him in years and he does a good job of keeping himself unfindable. I've tried." She shook her head and then dug into her little purse, pulling out a card and putting it into my hand. "Dear, please give him this." She said. "I know he probably won't, but should he ever want to talk to us again..." Her name, Cindy Quaid, and her number were listed on the card. She was an interior decorator. "Please tell him how much we love him, and how proud we are of the life he's built." She nodded to herself, reaching out to squeeze my hand once, before she wiped her eyes and turned away.

I was frozen on the sidewalk, tucking the card away into a dry pocket as I looked up, letting the cold rain wash down my cheeks. I can't imagine being a mother and having zero contact with my child. Not even being able to know if he was ok or not. It made me shiver, and not because I was cold. I knew how much Hunter's parents had hurt him, but now I know how much they are hurting too. I didn't know what to do with the information.

My phone started to ring, and when I saw his fake name on the screen I only felt more conflicted. He'd totally blown me off, after we'd gotten so close, then he tossed me like the trash in the morning and completely ignored me for days. After that, plus having a run in with his mom, I just wasn't ready to face him yet.

Nice Ass: Hey Kit, sorry I forgot about the other day. Wanted to invite you to my going away party tonight though. My flight got moved up, need to check out my knee before deployment, so I'm leaving in the morning. Love it if I could see you.

I couldn't believe how lame of a text that was. Sorry for forgetting? He had been the one to practically beg me to go to that with him. He'd been the one pushing to see me the whole time, and then he just dropped off the face of the earth and now wants to resurface right before he deploys and I likely never see him again.

I'm not a masochist. I don't enjoy inflicting pain on myself, and seeing him, that would definitely be painful after the way I embarrassed myself.

Nice Ass: Please come.

Nice Ass: I really want to see you.

I rolled my eyes at the screen.

Tay: Why don't you just invite Jessica.

Nice Ass: She's coming too. Please, Kit!

Tay: No. I have no intention of seeing you again.

I waited a few minutes for a reply, but it didn't come.

Not until late that night.

Nice Ass: Tayler please. Everyone is leaving and you're the only one I even care about saying goodbye to. Please come.

Tay: Goodbye Hunter.