Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Six

After leaving the hospital, Skylar went back to Ian's house and picked up her stuff. Then she quickly went back to her apartment. She didn't call Ian. She didn't talk to anyone. Instead she curled up on her sofa and watched movies all day long. Ian never bothered to call her either.

And today was a new day. And she had to go back to her classes. Which was good. At least she'd have something to take her mind off Ian. Off of what his mom had said. She hated the way she was feeling. But it just seemed like everything was breaking apart. Like her relationship with Ian was falling apart with Christina back. Of course Emily wanted her mother and father together. Skylar was just a crack in what otherwise would be the perfect family.

It broke her heart to think that things may be coming to an end. It totally sucked, really. Why couldn't she and Ian just be happy together? Why did there always have to be something that ruined their happiness? But she was coming to a realization that the good things in her life were always temporary.

Throughout all of her classes she had to force herself to push all thoughts of Ian aside. She was starting to also realize that she was so caught up in her relationship that she wasn't putting as much effort into her classes as she should have. Sure, she was doing great so far. Her professors loved her. But she knew she could do better if there wasn't a certain distraction in her life. But that didn't matter to her. She loved Ian, and of course she'd put him first, but was it worth it?

Then she made a decision. She had about twenty minutes before her next class started, so she headed over to the school offices. She'd decided that Ian had become too big a part in her life. It was one thing to be in a relationship. But she was also his intern. He'd bought her a car. He'd gotten her a great apartment. Normal boyfriends didn't get their girlfriends such extravagant gifts so fast. They hadn't even started dating yet when he'd done that grand gesture. They'd moved too quick. She needed space. Of course she didn't want to end things with him, but everything in her life was starting to tie her down to Ian. And that wasn't healthy.

So after a quick talk with a very nice lady, it was settled that Skylar move back into her old dorm by the end of the week. No one had moved in with Sarah, so she'd be back with her. Maybe living in an apartment all by herself had its pros, but rooming with Sarah was comforting in the current state that she was in. She just wondered how she would let Ian know. Would he be okay with it? Would he be mad? He had no right, though! He was just her boyfriend, not her owner.

Her next class was with Sarah. And when she saw her friend, Skylar hurried over to sit next to her and give her the news.

"Guess who's gonna be rooming with you!" Skylar enthused. Well, as much as she could manage.

Sarah's eyes widened a little bit, she looked a bit confused. "Uh, I don't want to sound like I don't want you to move in again, but...why? Did Ian stop paying for your apartment?"

Skylar sighed. "It's not that. I just realized that I was too lonely in that apartment." It wasn't a lie. Not really. She really did feel lonely sometimes in that apartment. Sure, sometimes Ian was there with her, but most of the time it was just her. "Plus, driving to school has become quite annoying. I felt like this would be much easier." She would have liked to let Sarah in on the more specific reason, but she didn't really feel comfortable disclosing so much.

"Are you giving the car back?" she asked.

That was something Skylar had not thought about. Would she give the car back? She wasn't leaving the apartment to put an end to their relationship. But would giving the car back make it seem like she was? Like she wanted no part of him. "I...I don't know. I have to get back to you on that."

During her lunch break she met up with a dear friend. Jason. They met up at a restaurant close to school. And, like he'd promised, he was waiting at a booth for her, a big smile on his face. He wore his usual black ensemble, except this time he'd accessorized with a black, leather cuff that surrounded his slim wrist.

"My lady," he greeted her warmly.

She smiled at him and sat down across. "Hi, Jason. Glad you came."

Jason's eyes studied her intently, a frown crossing his face. "Skylar, I don't want to seem intrusive, but are you okay? You don't seem to so well. Quite unhappy, really? You're not having any problems with Ian are you?"

Skylar almost laughed at his comment. Was it that obvious? Was it just written on her forehead that she was having serious doubts about her relationship? Did she seem that pathetic? "You really should be a psychologist, Jason. You sure know how to read people." But her words came out more bitter than she intended to.

Jason knew that she must be going through a tough patch and let it slide. "Sky, I'm here if you wanna talk. You can trust me, you know that, right?" He extended a hand to grip hers reassuringly. "I care about you, Sky. More than you know. And I just wanna help."

Looking into his blue eyes, Skylar couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if she had decided to date Jason. What if she hadn't called him Ian when they were making out? What if she'd decided to give him a chance when he'd confessed his feelings towards her? Maybe they'd still be together and things would be so much simpler. "I'm just kind of rethinking all of my decisions right now," she confessed. "I'm wondering if staying with Ian was the right decision."

"But you love him," Jason stated.

"Yeah, I do!" How could she not? "I love him so much, but things are getting complicated. His daughter hates me now that her mom is back. His parents hate me. I feel like an outsider. I feel like I don't belong. Emily was in the hospital, and Christina and Ian were with her, of course. They looked like a real family. I didn't belong there at all. I feel like...I feel like I'm not what Ian needs. And I'm just...I'm just so tired and sad. And I wish things were easier."

"Love is never easy, Skylar," Jason said. "Not at all.

"Why does it have to be so hard?"

"Talk to him," he said. "Let him know how you feel. A relationship needs trust. And you need to trust that he'll understand you and try make things work out. Look, Ian and I didn't get off the best start, but I know that he loves you."

"What if love isn't enough to make our relationship work?" she asked. And she meant it? She knew quite well that Ian loved her. He always made sure to show her how much. But there would always be obstacles.

Jason stood up quickly and went to her side and sat down next to her. He swung an arm around her shoulders and held her tight. "Skylar, if Ian doesn't work hard enough to keep you, he doesn't deserve you. You need someone that can devote all of his attention to you. Someone that will always make you feel like you belong."

Skylar was used to the looks she got at the firm by now. An intern dating the boss was bound to cause some gossip. But she always ignored the looks and the whispers. But apparently today was an occasion where she was finding it hard to ignore. She felt so judged by everyone there. She felt like she wasn't wanted or needed there. She'd gotten the internship because of Ian. Everyone knew that. Micah was an as.shole, but at least he'd gotten the position because of his hard work. The guy was smart. Ian had just decided to go easy on her. She knew that.

When she walked into his office, he was there already, intently working on his laptop. But he managed to look up at her when she walked in, giving her a small smile.

Skylar didn't say anything and sat down, took out her laptop, and started to do her assignment. But having Ian just a few feet away from her distracted her. There was tension in the air. And not the good kind. All she wanted to do was confront him. To tell him how she truly felt.

"How's Emily doing?" she asked carefully.

Ian looked at her again. "She's fine. She got a concussion, but she's fine. I let her stay with her grandparents for the day until I go pick her up later." His tone changed. He got more serious. "Why did you leave just like that yesterday?"

Right. She had just barged out of the room. "I figured Emily would be happier if it was just her family in the room. I don't think she would have appreciated my presence." Which was true. But she still wasn't sure is she should tell him the actual reason.

He nodded. "Okay."

Okay. She had to get it over with. Why stall?

"I'm moving back into my dorm," Skylar announced.

Ian, who had gone back to work, slowly looked at her with confusion. Closing his laptop, he paid his full attention to her. "May I ask why?" His face was too serious now. His jaw clenched. Skylar didn't know if he was mad, but she couldn't care about that now.

"I just feel like it'll be easier if I move back into school housing," she explained. "Plus it gets lonely in that apartment. And I don't need it, really. I'm used to school housing. I don't mind rooming with Sarah. She's turned into a good friend."

"Lonely?" he asked. "I spend the night there sometimes."

Okay. So he was right about that.

"Tell me the real reason, Skylar," he demanded. Then he stood up and walked over to where she was, sitting down next to her. He looked her in the eyes and waited for her to say something. "Skylar. What's bothering you."

Okay. It was time. "Fine," she agreed. "I feel like my whole life has started to revolve around you. You pay for my apartment. You bought me a car. I work for you. I've started to depend on you for everything, really. And I don't want that. Especially not now when..." But she trailed off not being able to complete her sentence. "You know what, never mind. Forget I said anything. But I am moving back into dorms."

But Ian wasn't having it. "Not now when what?" he asked. "Skylar, there's obviously something bothering you. I don't want us to be having problems. And we can fix this if you tell me what's wrong."

Her heart was beating extra fast. And maybe she felt like crying a little bit. "Ian, I love you. But I feel like we're not going anywhere. Christina is back, and Emily obviously wants her parents together. And I know that you'll always do anything to make her happy, and I don't blame you. Your mother made me realize something, and I hate the fact that it's true. And I'm not saying that I don't trust you, but I need space. Because if we keep going the way we are, when something happens it'll be much harder to move on."

"You're breaking up with me," he said slowly.

"No!" That wasn't what she was trying to say. "No. I'm not breaking up with you. Of course I want to be with you, but I just don't know how long this is going to last. That's why I need space. Everything connects back to you, and it may sound stupid, but moving back into dorms will make me feel a little less dependent on you. I don't know. But..."

"I love you, Skylar," he said. "I don't know why you would think that I'd give you up that easily."

"Because I know you, Ian," she said. "And I know that your family will always come first. And I'm not wanted in your family."

"But I want you," he said. "Skylar, you don't even know just how much I love you. Nothing can change that."

"Sometimes love is not enough," she said quietly, looking away from his intense stare.

When Skylar got her to apartment, which she would be leaving in a few days, she quickly stripped off her clothes and changed in a pair of yoga pants and a loose sweater. She was feeling so damn pathetic at the moment. And so freaking sad. All she wanted was to make their relationship work.

So they hadn't broken up. Not yet. Ian had promised her over and over again that they could work through this. That he would show just how much she meant to him. That he would never let her go. But after work they both went their separate ways. After all, Emily had just barely gotten out of the hospital and Ian needed to be with her.

She settled down on the couch and put on Pineapple Express because at the moment she could really use a good laugh. James Franco and Seth Rogan could probably take her mind off Ian for the moment.

But it was during the middle of the movie when her phone started to ring. And she was very surprised to see who the caller was.

"Christina?"

"Skylar, I need your help." Her voice sounded croaky, as if she was crying, and as if it were trembling. What could be the matter?

"What's wrong?" Skylar asked. "Are you okay?"

Sobs could be heard through the line. "I don't know how h-he knew in what hotel I was s-staying...but I think I'm about to do something very stupid. Please come quick."

After figuring out in which hotel Christina was staying at, Skylar slipped on a pair of black sneakers and rushed out to get in her car. Christina hadn't fully explained what was going on, but she knew it must be important if Christina was reacting the way she was.

When she reached the hotel, she quickly took the elevator to the floor where Christina's suite was in. And when she knocked, Christina opened almost instantly. The usually well-groomed, perfect Christina was a...mess. Makeup was smudges, mascara running down her cheeks. Her eyes were red.

"What's going on?" Skylar asked.

Christina threw her arms around Skylar and sobbed more. When she pulled away she said, "I need you to throw something out for me. I can't do it on my own. I'm to f.ucking weak to do it!" She pointed to her bed where a box lay.

Skylar made her way to the box to inspect what was in it. And she gasped. A small bag full of fine white powder substance was in it. Cocaine. She turned back to look at Christina. "Who sent this to you?"

"This guy I met while in Russia," she said. "We had a little fling, you know? And of course we did a lot of drugs together. When I went to rehab he was so mad that I'd left. I didn't think he'd look for me. But he found me. I don't know how. And Skylar, I want to do it. I'm clean now, but having it in front of me is so hard. It's so tempting. And I hate myself for it. I know that I can't."

Could she just throw cocaine out like that? Like just throw it in the trash can? Skylar had never really dealt with any other drugs besides weed. Should she just flush the bag down the toilet?

"I'm so f.ucking weak, Skylar!" She started to cry more. "You know a few days ago, when you and Ian had just left for Chicago, I went out to look for some. If it wasn't for the cop that stopped across the street from where the dealer was, I would have bought it."

Skylar took her hands into hers and squeezed. "But you didn't do it, Christina. And you are strong. You could have so easily given in, but instead you called me. That's a great accomplishment. You need to know that." She hugged her. "Let me call Ian."

"No!" Christina begged. "Please don't. He'll be so mad."

"But he has to know," Skylar reasoned. "He can help you."

"But you can help me, too," Christina said. "Please."

"Ian is not going to be mad," she said. "He'll understand. He'll take care of you."

So she ended up sending a quick text to Ian, letting him know that Christina was in a bad situation and that he should come to the hotel. And soon enough he was there. His emotions were unreadable as Christina and Skylar explained what was going on.

"You need to tell me the name of the guy that sent you this," Ian said. "I'll make sure that he's found and is thrown into jail."

Christina shook her head. "No, Ian. Please don't do that. Just let it be. I doubt he'll do it again."

"I highly doubt he'll just stop at this," Ian snapped. "Now give me his name and I'll have people on it. Now, Christina."

"Dmitri Volkov," she said sullenly. "He's thirty-two. From St. Petersburg."

Ian nodded and dialed someone on his phone, speaking rapidly he gave the name of the man and demanded that a full background check be done on him. He wanted that guy in prison for as many years as his criminal record called for.

"Pack your things," he said to Christina when he was done with the phone call.

"W-why?" Christina asked. She was starting to feel scared by the way Ian was speaking to her.

"You're coming to stay with me," he explained. "I can't have you here while that guy is out for you. And especially not when you still have cravings for that crap. What do you think will happen to Emily if you get hooked on that s.hit again, Christina? Or if you die from an overdose. You're trying to make me believe that you truly want to be a part of Emily's life, then act like it. I won't have a druggie be around my daughter." His words were harsh, and Christina ended up crying even more.

"Ian," Skylar said. "Can we talk?"

He nodded and followed her into another room of the suite. "What is it?"

She knew that Christina needed help to fully overcome her addiction, but she didn't think the way Ian was talking to her would help her. "You could try to be nicer, you know."

Ian sighed, annoyed. "What do you want me to do, Skylar?" he demanded. "Should I congratulate her on having a stalker druggie on her tail?"

"She's going through a tough time," she explained. "You could show some support. She's trying. If she wasn't trying she wouldn't have called me to come help her."

"And why did she call you anyway?"

"Maybe because she knew I'd be a little more sympathetic than you," she snapped.

"Well, I'm helping her, am I not?" he snapped back. "I'm letting her move in with me. I'm going to keep an eye on her. And at the same time make my daughter happy. You know how much Emily has been begging me to have Christina move into the house with us?"

She inhaled deeply as she took in the words. Yes, she wanted Christina to have all the support she needed, but was moving in with Ian necessary? Skylar wasn't sure she was comfortable with that idea.

"I feel like what Christina needs is a real family," he said slowly. "She'll feel happier if she knows that she has her daughter and a man to complete her life. Maybe she'll stop feeling dependent on drugs if she knows there are others in her life that need her around. And Emily will be so much happier if she has her mother around full-time. All I want if for Emily to be happy, and I don't want her mother's problems ruining it."

She swallowed hard as his words started to sink in. "What are you trying to say?"

Ian gripped one of her arms and leaned down to press a soft kiss to her forehead. When he pulled away he said, "I'm saying that you were right earlier. I will always put my family first."

Tears brimmed at her eyes, and her heart was currently shattering into a million pieces. It was one thing to think about a relationship falling apart, a whole other thing to have it actually happen. "So this is it, huh?"

"Yes," he said. "I love you, Skylar. But like you said, sometimes love is not enough."