“We need to talk.”

Olivia made the decision to pedal harder, words like those always lead to unpleasantness, and Olivia as a matter of course always avoided unpleasantness.

“What?” she shouted over her shoulder, hair wiping into her eyes, pretending not to have heard.

“We need to talk.” He repeated, voice louder, tone a mixture of anxiety and frustration. The wind was rushing past her ears, and the gravel crunching beneath her tire.

He always had to talk, he could never just let them have a peaceful moment.

Tightening her fingers and jerking her arms she hopped the curve, turning onto the dirt path. He caught her at the hill, her muscles aching her breath ragged. Some gentlemen he was, catching her at her weakest.

“Olivia, I want to tell you something.” Each of his words was punctuated by a puff of air, his face red from exertion, at least she had that satisfaction. “I got a job. It’s in New York.”

Olivia glared at the clear blue sky, the color deceitfully cheerful. His eyes were only two shades darker.

“That’s the opposite side of the country,” she groaned, reaching the peak. Her feet hit the ground, the soles of her sneakers worn. He rolled to a stop beside her.

“Yes, I aced geography,” he grinned trying to add levity to the situation.

Her face twisted into a scowl for his efforts.

“Have you accepted?”

“Olivia,” he said, sighing, “you know I…”

“Have you accepted?”

“Yes.”

It took no more than that little push to send her careening down the hill. The wind tore at her clothes, the ripple of fabric harsh against her skin. She wished the wind would carry his words far away.

She refused to acknowledge the wetness on her check as anything less than a bug in her eye. Throwing her legs out to the side she let gravity pull her down the hill.

Soon the land leveled on she needed to exert herself again to maintain momentum. “Idiot” she grumbled, relishing the ache in her legs. As each peddle separate them, pulling them further and further apart.

She didn’t stop, didn’t pause, didn’t think till she reached the car. He wasn’t far behind. He always had been the more athletic inclined out of the two of them. His bike tire was still spinning, when his mouth started desperately trying to righten her world. “Olivia lets discuss this, please.”

Her fingers fumbled on her bottle lid, but she got it open the lid smacking the ground. She gulped down water trying to wash away her anger, her hurt, just sweep it away and swallow it deep inside.

“Oh like you did about your job offer?”

“We are now.”

“A little late don’t you think. You already accepted.” Her bike rattled in protest as she slammed it onto the bike rack. “There’s nothing left to talk about, you’re leaving and you know…” she choked on a sob. “You know how I feel about long distance. I won’t do it again.”

He flinched at her words. “I do know, but what about trust? Have I not earned yours?”

“That’s unfair and you know it.”

She tossed her helmet in the backseat. Hating the feel of her hair sweat-soaked and plastered to her forehead.

“You could come with me?”

He knew it was unfair to ask, but he was making the end of their relationship her problem, she didn’t do long distance, she refused to come. Well her mother needed someone, and she was the only one left.

He looked so hopeful, she almost felt bad saying no.

Almost.