The Unforgettable Infatuation

Chapter Eight

When Delaney walks into my apartment a week later, worry is evident all over her face. She looks around at my boxes of clothing, bathroom and kitchen supplies, and any other things I might have, before her eyes land on me.

Frowning, she walks right over to me and pulls me into a tight hug.

"Where's Travis?" I ask into her shoulder.

"He's at home with-" she cuts off, sighing. She pulls away then, resting her hands on my shoulder. "I need to give you something."

I frown. "Okay..." I trail off, dragging on the Y.

She reaches into her purse and pulls out a dark book with a tree on the cover. A bird sits in the tree, along with a child standing beneath it.

To Kill A Mockingbird

Winter of the Pulitzer Prize

HARPER LEE

"Tyler gave this to me months ago and told me to give it to you next time I saw you." She whispers.

I stare at the book in her hand, agony flooding my heart.

Still, I take it from her grasp, clutching it to my chest.

It feels like it's the only thing I have left of him.

Her sad eyes follow me as I walk to my couch, pushing a few articles of clothing aside so I can sit. She sits down on the coffee table in front of me.

"Does he know that I..." I trail off.

"No." She shakes her head. "He doesn't know how badly you're heartbroken. He thinks you live in California still."

"I haven't lived there since last November." I murmur.

"I know." She says softly. She runs her fingers through her wavy dark hair, her blue eyes studying me.

My throat feels full as I stare at the cover of the book.

"I miss him." I mumble.

"I know." She whispers back.

"How-" I cut off, shutting my eyes. "How is he, Delaney?"

She takes a deep breath.

"I don't know." She says. "He's avoiding me. Every time I see him, I get angry. He's so selfish."

My eyes snap up to hers.

"Tyler Griffith is anything but selfish." I mumble. She looks confused, so I continue. "His decision to cut me off..." I shut my eyes. "Tyler would never do anything without thinking heavily of the consequences. He doesn't know how much he hurt me, or he does, I don't know, but what I do know is that...his decision was something he thought was best, not just for himself, but me too. He could tell how badly I was hurting whenever I saw him. He-" I frown, a memory of the wedding raking through my skull. "I cried on his chest..." I swallow the lump in my throat, willing the tears away. "The first time I saw him after...everything. I cried because I was going to have to leave. He knew how much I hurt. He was trying to save my heartache. I've had him taken away from me before, but it was never voluntary from us, except for the second time when we both had homes across the country from each other. We knew what we were getting ourselves into the night of Mom and Mitchell's wedding, but we did it anyways. I think the reason this time around is so difficult is because...he wanted me to go. He broke up with me for the first time ever. I always had hope beforehand, that maybe one day I would run into him in the grocery store and we would start dating again, get married, have kids...but not I don't see it happening. How could it? He wanted me gone this time. Now if I run into him in the store, it won't matter."

She shifts slightly on the coffee table.

"You never even told me how you knew Tyler." She whispers. "But he's obviously your world. I have never seen you so depressed."

I look down.

"I've been in love with Tyler since I was old enough to hold my head up. Our parents practically betrothed us together. We were best friends. We did everything together. We dated from four to fifteen, and when I was thirteen my Mom started doing drugs. When I was fifteen my Dad got custody and they got divorced, and Dad moved me to Florida. He had to physically pry my body off of Tyler. He's always so calm and composed, but that day he was crying into his fist. I'll never forget that day. When I left, my heart stayed, and he still has it. He will always have it. I didn't talk to my Dad for a year straight after that because I blamed him for everything. I cut my Mom out of my life until the wedding because it was her fault they got divorced. If they didn't...I'd probably be married. Hell, I would have married him at eighteen." I shake my head. "But I saw him at the wedding for the first time in eight years, and his eyes on me...I was shaking." I sigh. "We danced in the dark on the beach. He was with this girl Sara for a year, and he broke up with her so he could have one night with me. We took a shower together, cuddled...and then my Dad called and said he was outside, and I got mad at my Dad again, because he forced me to go to the wedding and then he once again ripped me away from Tyler. I've hardly spoken to him since. Then I saw him again that day, and he left me." I frown. "And I'm so shattered." I shake my head.

Delaney frowns, looking down at her hands.

"I want you guys to get married."

I snort. "Me too, Delaney."

"Do you want me to tell him that you moved?"

I shake my head, looking away from him.

"No. I don't want to hurt him any more than he's already hurt." I say softly.

"Okay." She says, rubbing her thighs. "Let's get you unpacked."

_____

"Casey Baines?"

My head snaps up. A man with greasy black hair, hands covered in crease, wearing a blue jumper stands in the waiting room of the mechanic shop. The keys to my truck are clutched in his hand.

I stand up, walking over to him.

"The oil change is done. We did synthetic, like your Dad said."

He's talking about Preston, but I don't bother correcting him.

"Thank you." I say.

"I put on the snow tires too. You're good to go. One of the mechanics is just bringing it around front."

"Thank you." I smile. He nods his head. I grab my purse and walk out, shivering.

Snow is so cold.

He driver stops my truck in front of me and hops out, leaving it running.

"Casey Baines?" He asks.

"Yes." I nod.

"You're good to go." He pats the hood of my truck. "Have a good day."

"You too." I smile.

_____

Vote and comment!

~Sam