He Chased Me Across Continents, But I'd Already Gone

During a break from drill practice, my boyfriend treated the entire class to popsicles. He miscounted and came up one short. When it got down to me and the campus queen, he handed her the last one. I watched him tear open the wrapper for her with care. "We're done," I said. He looked amused. "Over a popsicle? Really?" "Yep." "Fine. Just don't come crawling back to me." Five years together, and he was dead certain I was bluffing. What he didn't know was that I'd already accepted a spot in the school's exchange program. The moment drill training ended, I'd be on a plane overseas. ***** "Breaking up? Over one popsicle? Have you lost your mind?" Colton Hayes let out a sharp laugh. The sunlight stung my eyes. I held his gaze. "Yeah. We're done." 'All over one popsicle,' I thought. My refusal to budge seemed to catch him off guard. A sneer tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Sure, let's split. Just don't come crying back to me later." I shook my head. "Don't worry. I won't." "Tch. Suit yourself." The rest of the class held their breath, watching a drill instructor argue with his own student. The only one bold enough to step in was Blair Monroe, the campus queen herself, popsicle still in hand. "Oh, come on, it's not that serious. Sienna, just take mine. I'll go buy another one." She held the popsicle out to me with a generous smile plastered across her face. She was clearly soaking up Colton's attention, but she had to play innocent about it. The whole act made me look petty by comparison. Colton's expression softened with approval as he looked at Blair. His eyes turned almost tender. My stomach turned. I didn't take it. I swung my hand up and slapped the popsicle straight out of her grip. It hit the ground with a wet smack, splattering cream across the toe of her shoe. "Drop the nice-girl act. It makes me sick." The color drained from Blair's face in an instant. "What's that supposed to mean? You think I'm some kind of homewrecker? Colton… I mean, Instructor Hayes and I are just friends. You're the one with the dirty mind, seeing things that aren't there." I laughed, more out of disbelief than anything. "Oh, sure, just friends. The kind of friend who texts him at 2 a.m. asking if he's still up. The kind who makes him run three blocks to buy her ginger tea when she's on her period. Real casual friendship you two got there." Blair trembled with rage. "You're insane, Sienna!" "Am I? If you're so normal, why do you keep throwing yourself at someone else's boyfriend? Last I checked, he's not a doctor." "Enough!" Colton stepped in front of Blair, his face dark with anger. "Sienna, you've disrespected a superior officer and insulted a fellow student. Get to the track. Now. Standing position, thirty minutes. Don't move until I say so." "Yes, sir." I didn't argue. I didn't look at him. I turned and walked toward the exposed, unshaded stretch of track. My body burned under the sun, but inside, I felt nothing but cold, still silence.