Two Thousand Miles Away

Chapter 14

Jacob

As I sat up from the school's bench press I reached for my shirt. I wiped my face with it before grabbing the rest of my stuff.

I'd been working out in the school's weight room for the past hour. My sister had practice after school and I had to wait around. My phone buzzed as Ella's name popped

up on the screen.

Jacob,

I think it's time that I break up with Ben. You're a guy. How would you break up with him?

= Ella

As I read her message I wanted to break out in a dance. Finally Ella's been able to see that she should break up with that dick she called a boyfriend. I did a small fist pump as I quickly wrote back.

Ella,

Just dump him. It doesn't matter if it's face to face or a text. Just imagine me next to you - kicking him in his no-no spot ;-)

Jacob

I had my hand on the locker room door when Ella wrote back.

Jake,

This isn't a joke. Ben was my first relationship. I don't wanna end it like it means nothing.

Ella

I rolled my eyes. No offense to Ella, but girls always get this way. They make a relationship seem more important than it was. I know guys like Ben. He just wanted to have sex with a pretty girl. He didn't give a shit about Ella.

I opened the locker room door and threw my stuff on a wood bench. Our locker room was huge. There were rows of lockers, followed by bathrooms then shower. A person couldn't see who was in the showers by standing where I am.

I grabbed my clothes and walked through the bathroom to the shower's entrance. When I got there I clearly interrupted something. "Oh my God, sorry," I said as I turned away at the site of a girl and guy in the shower. And I can tell you that they weren't just taking an afternoon shower.

"No problem," the guy said. "Wanna join?"

I turned back around, not planning on joining, I just recognized the voice.

That's when I saw her. Rachel. "Jacob?" she asked, not seeming very embarrassed that her boyfriend of four years had caught her naked with another man.

"What the hell are you doing?" I demanded. I turned to the guy. He was a sophomore on the football team. He never got to play much.

Rachel got out of the shower and wrapped herself in a nearby towel. It was surprising how all the sudden she cared about covering up. "Let me change. I'll meet you outside." Her voice was quiet, if I didn't know her, I'd think she was sad.

I waited outside for five minutes. What were Rachel and this guy doing in there? Was this all just a stupid trick to get me out of there so they could resume what they were doing before? "Ugh!" I shouted. This whole thing was pissing me off.

I needed to burn off some energy so I grabbed a basketball and started throwing free throws. On my seventh one the ball bounced away from me. "You always were good at basketball," Rachel said. I turned to face her. She was wearing skinny jeans and a football shirt with my number on it. I got it for her on our three month anniversary freshman year.

"Why?" I asked. I had so many more questions but this one bubbled to the surface first.

Rachel look at the ground. "Why are you so good at sports or why did I sleep with another guy?" she joked quietly. I stared at her, not giving her an answer until she gave me one. She shrugged. "I've been sleeping with other guys all year."

I felt shock hit me as she said that. All year? Really? "We've been together for four years." I didn't know what else to say.

Rach looked away from me. Her eyes looked watery. "Yeah. Four years that honestly meant nothing. We never said I love you. We're just filling the high school stereotype. You have more of a connection with that chick on your phone than with me."

I glanced at my phone, suddenly feeling really bad. She was right. If Ella was here in Colorado I would have broken up with Rachel in a heartbeat. "I guess I just thought those years meant something."

Rachel gave a curt laugh before wiping her eyes with her hand. "What did you think, that we were gonna be that high school couple that gets married and regrets it the rest of their lives?"

I couldn't help but laugh at that one. I walked over to Rachel and pulled her into a hug. "You're right." I mumbled. Then I leaned down and pecked her on the lips one last time before saying, "Thanks for being my cheerleader."

Then I walked out of the gym. Right before I left I turned around to see Rachel. She was curled up into a ball on the bleachers. She wasn't crying. Neither was I. Sure I didn't like how it ended but I wasn't upset that it did.

I grabbed my phone and texted Ella.

Ella,

Don't drag along a meaningless relationship. Go up to him face to face. Don't be in a public place because he might make a scene. Be gentle but firm. He's not what you want anymore.

Jacob