Two Thousand Miles Away

Chapter 29

Jacob

It was the day after Thanksgiving break. I was hanging out in my dorm doing homework. I picked up my phone and looked at Cinder and my old messages. Then I yanked my hand through my hair. I had to do this. The longer I dragged it out the worse it'd get. My phone beeped. It was Ella. Wanna come over?

I texted her yes. I had to do this now. I grabbed my coat and walked over to her dorm. When I got to the door I pulled out the spare key she gave me. But then I put it back. It didn't feel right. I knocked. Ella quickly opened the door. "Why'd you knock?" Ella asked. She smiled brightly and let me in. She was wearing old sweatpants from a camp she once went to.

I stepped in her room and quickly swallowed a laugh. Ella was decorating for Christmas. She had paper snowflakes on the one window in her room. There was a little christmas tree on her desk. She was now stringing those popcorn streamers things on the wall by her bed. She pulled me by her bed. Then she jumped on it and started to hang the streamers again.

I reached for my phone and pulled up my profile for the penpal thing. Underneath it was all of the messages. "Ella," I said as my chest started to feel like it was tightening. She didn't look at me. "Ella!"

She finally looked at me. I swallowed, but the lump in my throat wouldn't leave. "I need to show you something."

Ella bounced down next to me. She looked way too happy. She frowned when she saw my face. She touched my cheek. "Are you okay?"

I looked down at my hand. It was shaking. I handed her my phone. "Just read this."

She looked at my phone and her eyebrows scrunched together. I saw her eyes move across the screen. He mouth opened and closed many times. Then she looked up at me. Her eyes were watery. "How did you get this." She said this slowly, like she was struggling to get the words out.

I looked away from her. "You know how."

Now her tears were flowing. Since she broke down so did I. Now I was crying. I tried to hide it with my hand. "You're R2-D2. The guy who I message all through my senior year."

I nodded. She stood up and backed away from me. "You're also the guy who randomly stopped messaging me. Then you started messaging me really mean messages! And you lied! You made me feel like crap for wanting to meet...you!"

I stood up and tried to walk towards her. She stepped away. "Stay away from me," she whispered. "I thought I knew you. But who are you? You lied to me for months. Why?"
I looked away from her. "I originally lied to you by not telling you I was a football player. Then I stopped talking to you over the summer. Then I saw you here and I just wanted a fresh start. I thought you wouldn't even talk to me otherwise. I wanted a real chance at a relationship."

Ella scowled at me. "You thought that lying to me was a better idea than just telling me the truth? What the hell is wrong with you? I didn't even remember that you told me that you weren't a f-ing football player!"

"Ella, come-on. It's not a big deal. We love each other."

Ella shook her head. "I loved the guy I thought you were. I'd never love the asshole you've become." Ella grabbed my arm and yanked me out into the hall. "Don't ever talk to me again. Not as you or some other character you create." Then she slammed the door.

Ella

 I slammed the door. Then slid down it. I let myself fall apart. How could this happen? I thought I loved him. I thought he loved me. But he was just an asshole who could be charming. I grabbed my phone and blocked R2-D2. Then I blocked Jacob. After that I threw my phone across the room.

The door handle jiggled. Nothing. "Ella let me in," Becca said. I moved over so she could get in. When she saw me she fell to the ground next to me. "El, what happened?" she said as she pulled me into a hug. I let my face go into her shirt.

I mumbled, "Jacob."

She somehow understood what I meant. She tightened my hug. She stroked my hair. "Oh, Ella."