Shane woke the next morning, hoping the past two days had all been a bad dream, but when he saw the empty bed next to him, he realised it wasn’t. It was all real, and really bad.

He padded through to the living room, and saw the envelope from Karen propped up on the coffee table. ‘I s’pose now’s as good a time as any.’ Shane ripped open the envelope. As well as a letter where Karen’s keys to the flat, and the engagement ring, which only 48 hours ago, had been on her finger.

Shane sat down to read the letter, fiddling with the ring.

Dear Shane,

It would have been too painful for me to talk to you to your face, so I’ve put it in a letter instead. I used to think that something like this would have hurt you too, but now, I just don’t know. I don’t know you anymore.
You will never know how much you hurt me. It may have slipped your mind, but I gave up a scholarship to Oxford to be with you, because I thought that’s what we both wanted. And then you tell me that it’s your career at risk from this!! Mine didn’t have the chance to get off the ground, because I loved you so much that I gave it up for you. Proves what a fool I am.
I am returning the keys and ring as I won’t be needing them anymore. Maybe you can save them and give them to the next girl who’s caught under the power of your charms. I pity her, and can only hope, for her sake, that you last longer together than we did, as no-one can deserve to hurt as much as I do now.
Goodbye Shane.

Karen.


Shane’s heart dropped. She really hated him. How can something so precious end so quickly? It didn’t seem fair. A few careless words can split up two people who were planning on sharing the rest of their lives together. And words that weren’t even thought through. It just wasn’t fair.

Shane soon decided that he had to give everything he could to get Karen back. Judging by how miserable he’d been for the past day, without her, he knew that he loved her more than he had realised. He picked up the phone:

‘Hello, it’s Karen here. Sorry, I’m not available at the moment, but my phone is either switched off or out of range. If you leave your name and number, I’ll get back to you as soon as poss. Cheers’ The familiar voice brought a lump to Shane’s throat, but he composed himself.

‘Karen, it’s Shane. I’ve just read your letter. Darling, I’m so sorry. I love you more than I knew. This is probably futile, as you hate me now, but I just can’t give up on what we had together. Give me a call sometime.’

Over the next couple of days, Shane’s time was split between interviews with the guys, photo shoots, and leaving messages at every phone number he could think of to try and reach Karen. But she didn’t answer any of them.

‘Hi. You’ve reached Karen’s home answering machine. Sorry I’m not in right now, but if you leave your name and number after the beep, I’ll get back to you.’

‘Kar, it’s Shane again. Please pick up if you’re there.....I love you Karen. I can’t imagine spending the rest of my life as miserable as I am no...’

He was cut off, as she picked up the phone. ‘Shane, will you please go away, and stop leaving messages on my answering machines! I don’t want to talk to you - don’t you get it? We’re over!’ Her voice cracked on the last word.

‘But Karen, I love you. Please believe me.’ ‘Why should I Shane? I believed you before, and all it’s done has hurt me. Why should I risk getting hurt all over again? I’m trying to move on, and you should too.’ ‘Karen, I can’t move on without you. We were going to move on together. How can all that love disappear overnight?’ ‘It hasn’t, and that’s why it hurts me too. I still love you Shane, but I can’t let myself. I hate you too, for making me so unhappy.’ ‘And I hate myself, for making us both so unhappy. Can I come over and talk? I need to see you. Please?’ His voice sounded so soft and truthful that she relented.

‘Okay, but only for a little while. And don’t try anything funny.’ ‘Like what? Just give me a half-hour or so to get across there.’ ‘Yeah, sure. It’ll take me a while to get the place straightened out anyway. See you soon.’ ‘See ya.’ Progress at last, he thought. But no time for thinking about it now. He just had time to leap in the shower, and go to the florist on the way to Karen’s flat.

‘Coming’ said the voice from inside the flat. Shane took a deep breath. ‘Hi Shane. How have you been doing?’ ‘Lousy. I’ve missed you.’ ‘Come in’ ‘Thanks. These are for you.’ He handed her the yellow roses he had picked up at the florist on the way over.

‘Shane....you shouldn’t have.’ ‘Well, it’s too late now. D’you wanna put them in water or something?’ ‘Nah, they’ll keep. I wanna get this over worth, before either of us gets hurt even more than we already have been.’