I Won't Let You Close Enough to Hurt Me

Chapter 3

     Brooke tried to avoid all eye contact as she passed Brandon in the hall. After their terrible break up, they had barely spoken two words to each other. He had tried to apologize, but Brooke didn't care. Brandon had no idea just how much she had loved him.

     Brooke could tell that Brandon was making his way over to talk to her, but she didn't want anything to do with him. She tried to make a sharp turn to avoid him, but it was too late. Brandon grabbed her elbow and pulled her to the side of the hall. "We need to talk," Brandon insisted.

     Even though she was furious, Brooke couldn't help but notice that Brandon hadn't changed a bit. His soft brown hair was still at the same length, his hands were warm on her skin, and his breath smelled minty fresh. She missed these things about him. He always made her feel safe and loved. She wished more than anything that they could go back to their once perfect relationship. But they couldn't. Getting over Brandon was that most difficult thing that she had done in her life, and she wasn't prepared to put herself through that again. "You are the last person on this earth I want to talk to," Brooke hissed.

     "Honestly, Brooke. Act like an adult for once in your life. So we're not together anymore, big deal. We still have to see each other all the time at dance, and now even at school. So if you could just get over yourself, this whole situation would be a lot easier," Brandon said flatly.

     Brooke was floored. She couldn't believe that he was complaining about her behavior. Wasn't he the one that decided to cheat? Wasn't he the one that pulled her aside in the hall and demanded that they talk? "Brandon, you are such an ASS," Brooke whisper-screamed. If she had been in a calm state of mind, she probably could have come up with a better come-back. But she felt like someone had punched her in the stomach repeatedly. As the tears started to form in her eyes, she spun around and darted down the hallway. She wasn't about to give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry over him.

     Brooke immediately found the nearest girls bathroom, and went in to dry her eyes. She couldn't believe that this was happening already. Was this what her life was going to be like for the next year? Crying over Brandon? No. She decided then and there that he wasn't determining her happiness anymore. She was going to have an amazing year without him.

     Just as she left the bathroom, Brooke ran into her friend Ryan. Literally. Ryan's books and papers went flying everywhere, and kids in the hall trampled all over them.

     "Ryan I'm SO sorry!" Brooke exclaimed, and then immediately bent down to pick up Ryan's things. "I'm just having the worst day, and I haven't even gone to my first period class yet."

     "Brooke, don't worry about it. They're just books. Why has your day been so awful?" Ryan questioned. Brooke wanted to answer, but she felt that if she tried to talk about what had just happened, she would cry again. Ryan noticed her hesitation, and decided that it didn't matter what she was upset about. He just wanted to comfort her, so he leaned in for a hug.

     Brooke wrapped her arms around him, and for the first time, realized that she was going to be okay. She had amazing friends and family that cared about her, and that was all that mattered.