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Sue grinned. “Oh, I’m so glad. Have fun!”
“Thanks. I will!”
I was out of the door before she could respond. Yeah, I was that excited.
I slid into the driver’s seat, started the ignition, and drove out of the neighborhood. It only took me fifteen minutes to get to our spot.
I could see the harbor from where I was parked. The bridge was a straight shot to it, but it was an old, rickety bridge. They’d closed it off because it wasn’t very stable anymore. Construction was doing their part, but it seemed to be taking years.
I sat in my car, my heart galloping at every flash of light. Each pair of headlights on the street nearby only passed by. None of them were his.
I looked at the dashboard. 7:12 p.m.
I drummed my fingers on my lap. My phone buzzed and I reached for it. Mom was calling, most likely trying to bug me about something I probably didn’t need or want for the apartment.
I ignored the call and continued to sit there.
And I sat there some more.
My ass started to go numb so I climbed out of the car. The fall air enveloped me and I folded my arms. It felt nice, the breeze tickling my skin, my cheeks. I sighed.
Maybe he was running late. I had no idea where he was to begin with. I was optimistic, but only for so long.
Then 10 p.m. rolled around, and he still hadn’t shown up.
I saw a car—no, a truck. Its headlights were coming my way. They were LED lights just like Drake’s. I got so excited I couldn’t contain myself. I walked around the front of my car and waved a hand as the truck stopped at the stop sign at the street.
I couldn’t see what color it was, but the body was shiny like Drake’s was. It was clean looking… but then it made a left turn.
It wasn’t him.
My arm dropped.
My eyes burned.
My heart rattled.
The wind was much stronger and something tight pulled in my chest. It was the worst feeling ever. It hurt so damn much. Disappointment washed over me. Sadness cloaked my soul. I felt a hole in the middle of my heart. It’d been dug much deeper than it had before.
And then I realized exactly what it was I was feeling.
Heartbreak.
Never had I felt something so painful. Something I couldn’t touch physically, yet it was tearing me up inside.
It couldn’t be cured—not without him. But something told me he wasn’t coming. That he was never planning on making an appearance.
I trudged to my car and climbed in, slamming the door shut behind me. I picked up my phone. There was nothing, so I called him. But it went straight to voicemail.
I sent a text, thinking he’d respond to that.
But he never did.
Not even as I drove home.
Not even when I walked through my front door.
Sue was sitting in the den eating an apple and when she saw me, the gloomy look I wore, she didn’t bother saying anything at all at first. Her eyes scorched with sincerity, but I didn’t want or need it.
“Oh, Jenny,” she cooed. She stood, but I didn’t give her the time to try and console me.
I rushed up to my bedroom. I slammed the door behind me and I flopped on the bed, face down. I wanted to suffocate right there. I wanted to stop breathing—I wanted to do whatever I could to get rid of the devastating pain I felt inside.
I’d been cut wide open. I was raw and unmanageable… and it was all because of him.
Not long after and my door squeaked on its hinges.
“Jennifer!” Mom’s voice was loud.
Fuck, not this. Not her. Not right now.
“I called you earlier. What is the point of having a cellphone if you never plan on answering it?”
“Mom!” I screamed. I sat up and stared at her. She was shocked by my volume. “Can you just get out of my room?! I don’t feel like talking right now, don’t you see that?!”
“I will not leave! Who do you think you’re talking to? And why in the hell are you crying?”
“You! I’m talking to you!”
“What the hell has gotten into you?” she snapped. She was pissed now. I didn’t care. I was pissed. I was hurting, and with her around she was only making things worse.
She gave me the clear reminder that once I was gone, I would never come back. I refused to come back to this place. But at the same time, I knew I would never see Drake again.
Ever.
And a part of knowing that terrified me.
“Did that boy do this to you? Is that why your eyes are all puffy? Why you’re acting like the maniac he is?”
“His name is Drake and he’s not a maniac!” I don’t know why I was still defending him. I should have been on her side about this.
