3.9 Part Two: Leaving Town

WARNING:  I know it's been forever since I bothered to put a warning up, but there's a little cussing and some sexual references, a nude pic, nothing that isn't blurred out though by EA.


(Still Peter's POV)

   My heartbeat quickly as I sat at the lecture hall desk, trying to text her.
   "Dude, what is up?" The girl next to me asked.
   "Nothing. Nothing. Really, nothing." I said, trying to convince myself more than her. "My girlfriend just wanted to talk." I glanced at her texts from ten minutes ago.
   "Oh...talk. Right. Just talk."
   "Really. That's it. I mean I'm not clingy, right? We're not breaking up. No, we can't. I love her. No, no," I didn't know why I was freaking out. She didn't complete a text. That isn't weird at all. Defiantly not.
    "Now, what does this," The professor began going over themes and complex literary situations and themes. I tried focusing on taking notes; this was the class that we always had exams in, without any notice.
   "Uh...you're sweating. Like crazy." The girl wrinkled her nose and glanced around, pointing at me. Because a normal bodily function that's involuntary is more interesting to students earning master's degree then literary analysis or whatever the heck this class was about. At this pointing, I was sure; the professor was talking so quickly, switching from subject to subject.

----

    "Poor Peter."
    "I wasn't going to tell him over texts! You said yourself you thought it was a bad idea."
    "Now I feel bad for him. He thinks your injured or critically hurt and you're fine."
    "Pregnant doesn't count as fine. Especially when it's an accident."
    "Gabrielle!"
    "I loved the baby before it was even born, I always will, but it's the truth!"
    "I know...no one says the tuth when it comes to things, though. They just decide to gloss over it."
    "And I can't. It's who I am and you can love me or hate."
    "Gabrielle. I will always love you. No matter what you do, or I do, I will. Don't doubt that for a moment. A mothers love lasts forever." She smiled.
    "Aww...that was so sentimental."

----

    I nervously glanced at my watch. Finally, this lecture was over. Thank goodness. I needed to see Gabrielle; make sure all was okay.
    "Gabrielle?" I dialed her number; at this point, clingy had gone out the window.
    "Peter?" She answered. "Look, I'm sorry. Art history and all. Marketing and crap."
    "Are you alright?"
    "I'm fine." I'm fairly certain I could she could hear me blushing through the phone. "I just want to tell you something. I love you.Meet me at the park? In five? I need to clean up; I'm a mess."
    "Okay. Love you, too." She hung up. What was wrong? Why was she a mess? She was a girl. She probably thought even when she was the most beautiful girl on the campus; any campus, anywhere, she was a mess. I gathered up my things, taking no time to make sure I had everything. I quickly hailed a ride with a frat boy in exchange for a beer and an Economics report from last term.
    "Dude? Seeerioussslyy? This is fuuudging classsssy and ssssugar. This is fudgiiiing richhh peoppple alcohol. I ain't no classy person, I get fudged up like damn normal mannn." He slurred his words, clearly the time of day didn't mean he couldn't drink.
     "Look. My girlfriend loves wine, it was for her. Shut up and drive." I tried saying in a polite tone; a task I didn't exactly accomplish.
      "Fuddddging chhhill the fudddge out, mooothhher fudger. Dammmn. Takee thiss." He shoved two glass beer bottles at me. "Tell yourrr girlfrrrriend if she wantsss to tryyyy it with a real mannn, she knowwsss wheeere I amm." He dropped me off, throwing the full wine bottle out the window as he drove away. I hear the glass shatter and the liquid slosh all over my pants, much to my indifference.
     "Gabrielle." I rushed to her.
     "Peter!" She was leaning against a sign post, near the park.
     "Beer? I had wine but," I shrugged.

     "Thank gaw, I need alcohol." She took a sip, then spit it out. "Sugar! I rememb- can't drink beer." She blushed. There was something she wasn't saying.
     "What's wrong?"

     "Peter." She looked me square in the face, taking my hands. "I have to leave...I'm dropping out."
     "What? Why? Is everything okay?/ Are the classes too hard?"
     "Are the classes too hard? Are the CLASSES TOO HARD!?" She screamed at me. "What, I don't want to continue college and I'm an idiot. Oh, Gabrielle, is a fudging idiot. Right? Right? I can sing, but damn am I stupid. Right? What, I want to dropout and that's the only reason?"
     "I'm sorry! I didn't mean it. I want to help you."
     "Sorry." She sighed.

----

    "Gee, you exploded on him!"
    "Hormones." I sighed.
    "I hope you aplogized."
    "I did....kinda."
    "How did he take the news?"
    "Well...about that...."

----

     "Peter," Gabrielle continued. "I just can't take college. I'm not meant to be in a dorm. I need out apartment at home."
     "Do you want me-"
     "No. Do something for yourself."
     "It won't even be a  full year. I promise."
     "The bus is coming in fifteen minutes. I'm leaving, tonight. I love you but, I need to go home. I still want to date you; it isn't you that's the problem..." She leaned forwards and kissed me. "Peter." She whispered.
      "Yeah?" I replied.
      "I love your name....Peter. Peter, Peter. I have an assignment for my art class...I can't turn it in, but I would love to complete it."
      "What is it?"
      "Sketch someone...you. Sketch you." She kissed my ear.
      "Alright." I pulled away, posing.
      "No." She giggled. "Nude."
      "Nude?"
      "Please. Peter, I won't see you for so long...I need something."She  began pulling off my jacket. "Only if you want. Please."
      "Okay." I agreed, smiling. She wanted this. One thing for her. One thing.

    She delicately sketched me, complimenting me, commenting how much she'd miss me. I'd miss her, too. I wish she would tell me what was wrong, but she wanted privacy and I'd have to accept it. After she finished sketching, she-

----
   
    "Gabrielle, does this turn into a sex thing?"
    "Mom! We where in public."
    "You sketched him nude. Knowing you, this has to turn into a sex thing."
    "I'm hurt you'd thing that. Well...not really. It might have resulted in a little, you know. I mean we had a few minutes and I wasn't going to strip down, so you know..."
    "You did tell him about the baby though, right?"
    "Uh...nope?"
    "What?! Your first child and you don't tell the man?"
    "Grandma didn't tell the father," I couldn't say his name. The disgusting man who ruined my grandmother's life. He also led her to Harry...Harry...I don't remember them, but we have pictures of them holding me and playing with me. Reading me to sleep and cuddling me. My mother always said that's what a true love story was. "Sorry." I blushed. I shouldn't have brought up Grandma Alyce. The anniversary of her demise was only yesterday...

----


    "Amazing..." I'd just finished looping my belt around my waist and buttoning my shirt, when the bus pulled up. Gabrielle was dynamite.
    "I have to say bye now." She began crying.
    "It's alright. We'll see each other soon." I hugged her.
    "Come on! We got places to be." The bus driver snapped.
    "Go on." I comforted her. "It'll be alright."
    "That was great Peter. You probably think I'm a weirdo for suggesting...  goodbye." She blew me kisses as she climbed onto the bus. "I love you."
    "I love you too. Remember, a few months."
    "A few months." She repeated. The bus slowly pulled away.
    "Wait! Peter!" She has stuck her head out the window.
    "Yes?!" I screamed. My heart sped up, as my feet pounded the pavement. I needed to reach that bus.
    "I-I...never mind." The bus sped away, out of view. I sat down on the pavement, looking at the skyline. It was pitch dark; black as night. Gabrielle was gone. For tonight and tomorrow, but not for forever. I would come home soon....but never soon enough.