Before long, Kevin was there, waking her from the nap she had fallen into. A grin spread across her face as she threw her arms around his neck. He picked her up, spun her around once. It was the kind of scene that made single girls act disgusted while filled to the brim with envy. Sunitha felt the earth beneath her feet once more as Kevin placed her down. The grass tickled lightly as she stood there, looking up at Kevin. She was only five foot four, very short compared to his six foot five. Kevin was tall and lean, but strong. She stood on her tip toes, stretching as high as she could, her hands on his chest for balance. He leaned down and met her waiting lips with his, but it wasn't the same. Something was different.
This kiss was an apology.
"Sorry, Sue. I can't go to dinner with ya tonight. Gotta stay in and study for my exam tomorrow. Not doin' so well in that class, y'know."
A sad smile on her lips, she nodded. It wasn't the end of the world. She would just have to face dinner with Jenna and her new boy-toy alone. Not that it would honestly be that bad-- Jenna had offered to pay for the dinner for Sunitha and Kevin since it was a celebration on her finding a new boy.
"Do not worry. I will stop by with some dinner for you on the way back." The smile was no longer sad. In fact, she was looking forward to spending some time alone with him.
"Thanks, Sue, but I need ta focus. Why don'cha stop over tomorrow instead, after I ace the exam." It was happening more frequently, his refusal to hang out with her. Sunitha was getting the feeling that something just wasn't right. Then again, it was her first relationship, and she was having all too easy of a time convincing herself this was normal. On her tip toes, she stretched again, hoping for one last kiss. Kevin leaned down and placed a delicate peck on her cheek before turning his back on her and walking off into the distance.
..............................................................................................
It was late. Much later than Sunitha had wanted to be coming home. Jenna had ditched her at the end of the night to go back to her new boy-toy's apartment. Sunitha was stuck walking back on her own. Something spurred her to stop by Kevin's on her way back. Maybe some spontaneity would do them some good. Not to mention a break would probably do him some good. Shivering against the cold night air, she pulled Kevin's sweatshirt closer around her body. It was huge on her, but she loved it. It showed the world she was his and that he liked her a lot, maybe even loved her.
Digging around in her purse she found the duplicate key Kevin had given her. Despite being a first year, he lived in apartment. It was on campus, though, so it made it easy to get to. Sunitha let herself in and walked up the steps. There were some loud noises--voices, banging-- coming from his room, and she wondered if maybe he had left the television on. It wasn't long before she was opening the door to his room, a bright smile on her face.
Her greeting died on her lips. The smile that had been there crumpled, her expression changed rapidly to one of confusion, hurt, and anger.
Kevin was with another woman.
Blonde, blue-eyed, tall. This woman was everything Sunitha wasn't. Kevin jumped from the bed, a look of surprise and horror on his face. Sunitha just stared at him, at his nakedness. He was talking, but she couldn't hear any of it. It was as if her heart had just been ripped apart. Tears welled in her eyes. She didn't understand. It wasn't like she didn't sleep with him-- she had given him her body many times. He had been her first. Now he was her first heartbreak.
Anger flared up as the tears started to fall. She tore his sweatshirt from her body and hurled it at him. The zipper hit him square in the face. Good. Maybe he would feel one millionth of the pain she was feeling. Sunitha never wanted to see him again. He had used her, used her body. The betrayal was the worst. How could he lie to her like that? Hadn't he known that he had meant everything to her? Somewhere in her rage, she had managed to yell at him that they were over.
Sunitha ran from the room, back down the steps and out the front door, leaving it wide open behind her. She didn't care. Honestly, she felt like she could die, felt like she wanted to die. Home was not going to be a comfort. It would be cold and empty. Jenna was with her boy. Sunitha ran to the bridge that crossed the river. She climbed the rail and let her feet dangle over the edge. The loss of her shoes meant nothing to her. They splashed into the river below and she realized just how easy it would be to let herself do the same.
But she wouldn't. She couldn't. Despite the pain, the heartbreak, she knew that this was good somehow. This would allow her to focus on her schooling, to keep her scholarship through outstanding grades. This would be good for her in the long run. Taking in a deep breath, she turned as she heard someone shouting at her.
"Hey! Hey, Girl! Get down from there!" Sunitha waved the man over. Campus security. He ran to her, dropping his bike where he had been. She asked for his help, she didn't want to fall into the river. With a nod, the man helped her down from the rail, setting her bare feet on the cold, hard pavement of the sidewalk.
Thanking him with a smile, she headed home. Her broken heart was pounding in her chest. Her shoes were lost to the river. The cold bit at her skin now that she no longer had Kevin's sweatshirt to protect her from it. Half an hour later, her nose and cheeks red with cold, Sunitha curled up in her bed, hugged her pillow to her chest and cried until she fell into a dreamless sleep.
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