start over | dreamwastaken x reader (sequel to split)

"This is Lake. I'm unable to answer the phone right now. Leave a message and I'll get back to you." Beep.

"I know you're probably screening my call. I just would really like to talk about what happened the other night. If you could stop over after work that would be great. Thanks." I sigh as I hang up my phone.

I don't expect a phone call back. I hurt Lake and he has every right to ignore me. It would be great to get closure for him but if he doesn't want that, it's okay. I'm just trying to do what Clay never did for me. Being able to flip the page of the this chapter onto the next one.

My phone rings in my hand as I pace around the store getting my last look at where I spent my last few months. I answer the call right away when I see Lake's name and photo take over my screen. His smile is shined brightly, but I know no happiness is going to come from this call. It will be the compete opposite.

"Hey Lake." I hold my phone to my ear as I walk down an aisle towards the stock room. This conversation shouldn't be had out in the open. I don't know how reckless this is going to be. I don't need a repeat of what happened with Clay again.

"What's there to talk about? You chose him. That's all there is to say Gaze." He says abruptly and harshly, almost defeated. "I don't need to face you to know that you never loved me. It's just the cards we were dealt. I wish you all the best but I don't want to see you again."

"I did have love for you Lake. I cared about you. I just..." I pause for a second. "I just am attached unhealthily to him. He knows all my deep dark secrets. He's been there for everything. I can explain it to you but you won't even know what it's like to be there while I'm going through it."

"You don't need to make excuses for the way you feel. It is what it is Gaze. I don't want to drag this out." He says matter-of-factly. He's straight to the point. He's always been like that. He's always laid all of his cards out on the table for the world to see. He's the opposite of Clay and I. That's why we worked when we did. But that's also why I couldn't choose him. I couldn't lay it all out for him.

"Well, I leave in the morning so. This is goodbye. I wish you the best as well Lake. I know you're destined to do great things." I let out a sigh as I pull the phone away from my ear and press the red button ending the call.

This isn't what I wanted, but it is what I expected. Seeing me would hurt too much. Just like seeing Clay hurt me. Hurt me in a different way, but still hurt. At least he called. He gave me the closure on this chapter of my life. A short one, but one nonetheless.

"Manager to the front please." My cashier calls over the loud speaker. I don't know if my boss is going to grab it so I head up to the front anyways. I'm done with the phone call so there is no reason to hide in the stock room any longer.

"You're leaving us?" A regular customer walks up to me and wraps her arms around me. "I can't believe you're gonna go."

"I know, I know. I'm sorry." I hug her back. "This is going to be good for me though. I'll be with my family again. I'll miss it here though."

I told a slight lie. I wouldn't miss working. I would miss most of the people. The regular customers who were kind and caring. I wouldn't miss the devils. I wouldn't miss getting screamed at. I wouldn't miss a lot of things. But seeing the happy smiles of regulars or children I would definitely miss.

"You will come back and visit right?" She asks in a sad tone.

"I will try. I'm not sure what my family has planned for this next year. Traveling has been in the talks so I don't know what my life has in store." I smile at her. "But I promise I'll make an effort to come visit."