“Elliot?”

“Dad?”

Elliot’s hand trembles as he grips the phone in his hands. He only holds it for a few seconds before giving up, switching to speakerphone, and setting the phone on the nightstand. “What’re you…Do you need something?”

“No, no I can’t ask anything of you. I just wanted to call and check in on you. Your mother and I…well, we’re real sorry, Eli. We want you to have the best future you can. We’re each sorry, more than you know.”

Elliot can’t bring himself to speak. His lips won’t move, his tongue won’t form words, his ears can scarcely even process what he’s hearing. So he keeps quiet while his father fills the silence.

“Life weren’t so terrible without you on the ranch, after all. We hired a few people to do the work you left, and they do a good enough job. It’s been good. You would have hated it. How’s things with you?”

Elliot taps his foot on the floor, blinking away the spots of tears in his eyes as he attempts to formulate an answer. No matter how hard he tries, it becomes quickly obvious that he cannot do this. He feels foolish for even trying, for thinking for a moment that he could make things right with his father. He doesn’t even know the man.

The call hangs up with a soft tone, and the phone screen goes black as Elliot sets it back down on the nightstand. The phone begins to ring again, but Elliot leaves it there on the nightstand as he pulls his coat on and leaves his dorm.

He’s no longer a child, no longer a boy hoping for affection from his mother or attention from his dad. He doesn’t need either of them. He’s a college man, on his way to a degree and a decent job, while they rot on that ranch with no love and no money for the sake of tradition.

The cold air outside served to distract Elliot from his thoughts as he made his way toward where he always went when he had any sliver of free time—your dorm.

You and Elliot had been dating for six months now, and yet it seemed the honeymoon phase had already worn off—for you, at least. Where you had been so loving and affectionate to him only months before, you were neglectful and even a bit cold now. Elliot blamed it on stress. With the end of the year and finals rolling around, of course, you had bigger things to worry about than him, and he’s sure this will all be only a bump in the road when you get to summer.

Right?

Either way, he was happy as long as you were tolerating him, and, from what he can tell, you are at least doing that.

As Elliot makes his way across the courtyard, he passes by a stand selling bouquets and immediately stops in his tracks to make his way over.

“Elliot!” the vendor calls. For some odd reason, everyone on campus seemed to know Elliot’s name despite him not knowing anybody else’s. “You looking to buy?”

“Yeah. For how much?” Elliot asks, although his mind is preoccupied and he hardly hears the answer.

“It’s two dollars per bouquet,”

“You said five?” The vendor is silent for a moment as Elliot reaches for his wallet.

“Um, er…yeah, five dollars. Thank you!”

｡ ₊°༺❤︎༻°₊ ｡

Elliot enters your dorm with a soft huff and grumble as he shrugs off his coat. The dorm is dark and silent, as usual, and Elliot finds you in your usual spot on the bed. He steps up a bit hesitantly, but you only glance up from your phone for a moment.

“The roommate’s gone? Must’ve been nice, having some quiet for once.” He’s pulling things out of his ass at this point. It’s always quiet here. It’d be rarer to walk in on you and your roommate having a casual conversation than sitting in tense silence.

“I…brought some flowers. For you. You know, people celebrate their half-anniversary, and all. I’m not too great at math, but I’m sure we’re getting close to the halfway point. And they were only five bucks. I’d say that’s a good bargain. Right?” It feels like talking to a brick wall.