AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I find it funny that I’ve been waiting for him to contact me so I could ruin his inflated ego with guilt, but now that he did, I don’t even feel like responding to him.
I can just leave him in my inbox, right?
But pretending I don’t want to see him and talk to him for the last time is a lie and a hypocrisy. Because I do want to.
I want to see the look on his face when I stare him straight in the eyes and tell him I’ve come to terms with it all now. That it hurts, but I refuse to let it hurt me more. That I’m moving on now, and I’ll be okay soon enough.
That’s all there is to it.
Just like he emailed me to return my things, I’m seeing him one last time to let him know I’m continuing my life without him.
I’m off tobetterthings.
So, I write the shortest reply possible:Let’s meet at Coffee and Blues at 5:30 pm.
Without waiting for a reply, I stand up from the beanbag and find my engagement ring on top of the bathroom shelf.
Opening the box Larson proposed with, I gaze at the ring for the last time before closing it again and putting it inside my bag.
That way, I won’t forget to bring it on the day we meet.
I should at least return his promise to marry me and love me forever. I mean, I now know that’s bullshit.
Chapter Twelve
Fourdayshavepassedsince I last spoke to Carter.
Four days since he brought me to Jefferson High, and I finally told him that I’d been lying to his face about knowing him from that high school. He hasn’t messaged me since, and I, too, haven’t messaged him.
I just don’t know where to start.
How do I tell him I’m genuinely sorry? How do I ask for a do-over? How do I tell him I like himafterdeceiving him?
Do liars even deserve second chances? I mean, personally speaking, Larson doesn’t. So why should I?
And speaking of Larson, he’s driving to Atlanta tomorrow to see me. For the last time. As he said in that short, stupid email.
These are some of the thoughts that weigh down my head as I do my afternoon jog.
Same route and same time every day—so I can ‘unintentionally’ run into Carter after his afternoon classes.
Except every time I see him through his classroom windows, I either crouch and hide or bolt and never look back.
It’s almost pathetic.
But at least jogging around Carter’s kindergarten isn’t the only thing I do now; I also spend most of my day submitting CVs and attending job interviews.
Also, I’ve been meditating on my own. Mostly so I can mentally prepare myself for meeting Larson. The last thing I want to do is break down and cry before him.
I already did that.
As I bring my legs to the familiar sidewalk leading to Carter’s kindergarten class, I catch him right when he’s leaving the building. Immediately backing away, I almost throw myself against a passerby just so I can hide.
I find myself covering the side of my face as I crouch down beside a fire hydrant.
I know, I look ridiculous. And I can tell it by the way strangers are looking at me. But what matters more is the fact that Carter didn’t catch me.
I watch him walk down the street as he scrolls through his phone, and against all my morals and values, I decide to follow him.
