[Complete]
Chloe's world is shattered when her parents' long-standing marriage comes to an abrupt end. Determined to shield herself from the pain of love, she vows to never allow her heart to be entangled, even if it means severing ties with Henry...
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Two weeks later
"Clo," I hear my name.
However, my attention remains captivated by the girl across the restaurant wearing white cowboy boots. They are strikingly similar to the ones I bought to wear for Henry. I can't help but stare, my gaze fixed on her for no apparent reason other than the painful reminder of him.
"Chloe," I hear Leah say a little more clearly.
"Hmm?" I murmur, struggling to refocus on the lunch with our friend Darcy.
"Darcy asked you how Florida was," Leah states, narrowing her eyes at me, her concern evident.
I turn my gaze towards Darcy, attempting to regain my composure. "It was..."
...Incredible. Beautiful. Heartbreaking.
"... it was good," I manage to say, forcing a smile. The facade I'm putting on feels flimsy, like it could crumble at any moment.
Turning my attention back to the girl in the cowboy boots, I watch her share a moment of laughter with her date. Their joy seems so distant from the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside me. Since leaving Henry in Florida, I've been fighting to suppress these feelings, fearing that once I let them out, they'd shatter me into a million pieces.
"Chloe," Leah whispers, her voice laced with concern as she leans closer, "Are you okay?"
I try to play it off, maintaining a veneer of composure. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" I respond with a faint chuckle.
She continues to study me closely, her hesitation visible. "Well," she finally says, choosing her words carefully, "because you're crying."
"I'm not crying," I protest, raising my hand to my face only to discover that, in fact, tears are streaming down my cheeks. A wry "Oh," escapes my lips as I hastily wipe my face. "Must be allergies," I offer as a feeble explanation.
Leah's skeptical expression doesn't waver; my eyes flicker between her and Darcy, who seems puzzled by the unfolding scene.
This is almost as embarrassing as last week at Whole Foods when I stood in front of the ice cream aisle for far too long. I hadn't even realized I started crying until an elderly lady came up to me, asking if I was okay and if I needed help choosing an ice cream flavor.
To make matters worse, she called me "sweetheart," and that just set off a fresh wave of tears. I ended up leaving my cart in the aisle and just going home.
"You know what?" I say, pushing back my chair and wiping away the remaining tears. "I think I might just head home."
"Are you sure?" Leah asks.
"Yeah," I respond, offering her a reassuring smile. "I'll see you at home. Bye Darc."
"Bye Clo."
With those words, I make my way out of the restaurant onto the crowded city streets of New York City. Hailing a cab swiftly, I climb inside before the tears can overwhelm me further.
