Page 28 of Meet Me at the Metro

“You’re leaving because you can’t face the truth, can you?!”

I hurry down the hall so they can’t start poking fun at the blush starting to heat my cheeks.“Goodnight, assholes!”

As I shut my bedroom door for the night and fall back against my waiting bed, I still can’t wipe away my grin as I replay the good moments I shared with Theo tonight.

My phone vibrates against the mattress beside me and steals away the flutter in my chest when I read the incoming text from John.

I’ve been up all night, El. Please just call me back.

I throw my phone across the room as soon as I read it and force away the bile rising to the back of my throat.

How long had all of this been going on between the two of them? Was it all taking placebeforeorafterI left? My eyes sting with tears as I face the reality that I’d never get the happy ending I always imagined with John because having me isn’t enough for him. That truth is more than challenging to accept, but I numb the pain now searing in my chest and force my thoughts back on another person entirely…

Teddy.

Part of me detests how quickly just the thought of his name seems to dry up my tired eyes because, all too suddenly, I’m forced to accept another truth I’ve discovered tonight.

Maybe I don’t hate Theo as much as I thought I did after all.

9

FRIENDLY

E L L I E

My sleepy senses are awakened by buzzing sounds from my nightstand, interrupting the dreams my consciousness was just starting to slip into. My eyes flutter open, and I turn my heavy body over, reaching for my phone. As the screen lights up with aFaceTimefromMom, I take notice of the time that’s displayed at the top—3:17 AM.

Without a second thought, I answer her call, an immediate sense of warmth spreading over me as my eyes take in the familiar features of her face.

“Hey, Mom,” I say groggily, wiping my tired eyes as they adjust to the bright light on her end of the call.

“Oh, sweetie, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you. I keep forgetting about the time change.”

“It’s okay.”

“I just had to call and make sure that you’re okay,” she tells me softly. “Hannah told me about what happened.Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” I attempt to lie, honestly grateful that my other best friend back home decided to fill her in on the details so I didn’t have to admit the embarrassing truth to her myself.

“You’re not, and you don’t have to be.”

Her words instantly open the floodgates, relinquishing my overwhelming emotions and causing my eyes to tear up. “I feel so stupid, Mom.So humiliated.”

“Baby, none of what happened was your fault.”

“But itfeels like it was,” I cry, sitting up in the bed to keep my tears from falling against my pillowcase. “It feels like I wasn’t good enough.”

Her line goes quiet for a moment, and she takes a deep breath. “Can I tell you something?”

I nod with a sniffle, wrapping my blankets around me tighter to shield myself from the cool draft blowing through my dark bedroom.

“The right person will never make you feel that way. Ever.And I know that’s hard to see now, but one day, when you do find thatright person,you’ll look back and understand why it was never supposed to be John.”

“Buthe’snot even the worst part.”

“I know,” she nods in full understanding, her dark, green eyes full of worry. “Have you talked to Lucy?”

“No,” I shake my head fervently. “She’s tried calling, but I can’t answer. I don’t want to.”

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