"Ericka, we need to talk. We cna't just sit here and say nothing."

She looked up at him, "I'm sorry. I can't talk here. Let's go somewhere more private."

"Fine. We'll go to my hotel."

Kevin got up, paid for the coffees, and they left. As they pulled up to the hotel, Ericka realized where they were.

"I'm staying here too."

"You are?"

"Yeah."

"Then your room will be more private. Nick and Sam's room connects to mine."

"They're still together?"

"Yeah. From what I can tell, it's serious."

"That's good."

They went up to her room. Kevin took a seat by the window while Ericka stepped out onto the balcony.

"Usually I'm terrified of heights, and I can't go near theses things."

"What's different now?"

"You're here."

He looked up at her and their gazes locked. There was a moment of awkward silence, when Kevin spoke.

"We can't just small talk all night. We need to talk about what happened."

"I know. I'm not sure where to start though."

"How about by telling me why you left."

She sighed and nodded, "I wasn't sure if what we had would work. I thought it would be better to break it off rather than get hurt. I'm sorry."

Kevin took a deep breath, "Did you love me?"

"Yes."

"Do you still?"

"Yes," she whispered.

Kevin closed his eyes and thought for a second. His calmness was slowly escaping him. He felt the anger he'd kept bottled up for so long start to bubble over, "You don't just-" his voice cracked, "You don't just tell someone that you love them, sleep with them, then leave without a goodbye or an explanation."

"I'm sorry Kevin."

"I am too," he said, throwing a peice of paper down on the floor before leaving the room.

With tears in her eyes, she picked it up and unfolded it.

Dear Ericka,
I'm not sure if you'll ever receive this letter, but I have to write it as though you will. The first thing I have to say is that I still love you, and I never stopped. I never will.The second thing I have to say is that I forgive you. I don't know your reasons for leaving and I don't want to know. I just want you back with me. I wrote a song for you, it's enlosed in this letter. I love you, please don't forget that.
Kevin

Tears streamed down Ericka's face as she looked at the song.

This world don't turn when you're not in my arms
The sun don't shine whenever I'm without you
And there's an empty space inside my heart
When you're gone And whenever you're gone,
It's too long And the waiting is driving me crazy
Baby, I'm not alive till you're here by my side, oh

CHORUS: I count the minutes
I count the hours
I count the seconds
Till you're here by my side again
And every minute (every minute)
Goes on for hours (hours)
Until you're with me
Till I look in your eyes again
And time is standing still till you're here with me
I need your love to set me free, set me free

Each night's a lifetime when I'm not with you
And every day just seems to take forever
I'm missing when I should be kissing you
I can't wait 'Cause I live for the love that we make
I can't breathe till I feel you beside me
And I'm lost in the dark Till you're here in my arms, oh

CHORUS

I can't wait a minute more
Just to touch you
'Cause I love you baby
Don't make me stay away from you too long
'Cause the waiting is driving me crazy
Baby I'm not alive
Till you're here by my side
Here by my side

CHORUS

After reading the song, she threw herself on the bed and sobbed uncontrollably.

"What have I done? I didn't tell him the truth about why I left. Now he's going to hate me."

Kevin sat in a chair staring at the wall in his room, thinking about Ericka. He started humming the song he'd written for her as tears slowly began to pour from his eyes. He silently wondered if she'd come to see him or if she'd run again.

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