Page 61 of Choosing You

“Ready to go?” Garret asks, back to his cheerful self.

“Yes.” I look down at my empty plate. “But it’s sad that I have to wait another whole week to eat these again.”

He laughs as he drops some cash on the table and gets up from the booth. “We could always make a weekday trip if you’re not able to make it that long.”

When we get back to campus, Mr. Kensington is there waiting in the parking lot in front of our residence hall.

“Dad, what are you doing here?” Garret seems nervous.

Mr. Kensington gives me a quick smile. “Jade, nice to see you again. I hope your classes are going well.”

I smile back. “Yes. Classes are going very well. I really like it here.”

“Good. Very good.” He nods, like he’s signaling me to leave. When I don’t, he seems annoyed. “I need to talk to my son now if you don’t mind.”

“No. Not at all. Goodbye, Mr. Kensington. I’ll see you later, Garret.”

I don’t know what this is about, but Garret’s dad seems kind of angry. When I get to my room, I peek out the window and see Garret and his dad in the grassy area just beyond the parking lot. His dad appears to be scolding him, making big hand gestures while Garret keeps his head down.

Garret finally speaks, looking like he’s about to explode. His father interrupts and gets right in Garret’s face. Garret looks like he’s going to fight back but then gives up and puts his head down again. His dad turns and walks away, then gets in his car and drives off.

Garret walks over to a bench and sits down, his shoulders slumped forward. I feel like I should go see what happened. I didn’t have to hear their conversation to know that something is definitely wrong.

When I get outside, he’s no longer there. I race up to his room but he’s not there either. I don’t see him the rest of Sunday. I assume he played flag football and then watched a game or two at that guy’s house again.

I don’t talk to or see Garret again until Tuesday afternoon during English. He’s late to class so I can’t talk to him until it’s over. He races out and I have to chase him down. “What’s going on with you? It’s like you’re completely ignoring me.”

“I can’t spend every minute with you, Jade.” His tone is harsh. He’s never talked to me that way and I don’t like it. “I’m behind on my homework. I’m not swimming enough. Blake’s pissed because I haven’t been doing stuff with him.”

“But you don’t even like Blake.” I’m almost at a jog trying to keep up with him. “Garret, wait. Why are you acting like this? Is it me? Did I do something wrong?”

He stops abruptly and places his hands on my shoulders. “No, Jade. You didn’t do anything wrong.” His tone has changed to one that’s warm and kind, like the Garret I’m used to. “Don’t even think that, okay? This isn’t about you.”

“Then what is it about? Why are you avoiding me?”

There’s something Garret’s not telling me. I can see it in his eyes and the desperate way he’s looking at me right now. It’s like he wants to tell me the truth but can’t.

“I just—we just can’t see each other anymore. I’m sorry, Jade.”

“Can’t see each other? But we’re just friends. You can’t be my friend anymore?” Hearing myself say it, I realize I sound like a little kid on the playground. I try again. “You’re saying that we’re done being friends?”

“I have to go. I’m sorry. I really am.”

He races off and I’m left standing there completely confused.

CHAPTERSEVENTEEN

I walk slowlyacross campus to my room. My mind keeps replaying Garret’s words but they make no sense. Why would he shut me out like that when everything was going so well between us?

As soon as I’m back in my room, I change into my running clothes. Running is the only way I can handle the emotions I’m feeling right now. I sprint down to the trail that Garret and I ran on a few weeks ago. I’m a little afraid to go into the woods by myself but I do it anyway. My body gives out after an hour. I go back and shower, then lie on my bed and end up falling asleep until morning.

The next day, I go to class, run, eat dinner with Harper, do homework, and go to bed. I follow that same schedule the next day, and the day after that, just going through the motions. The routine becomes so familiar I lose track of the days, and the days turn into weeks. The weekends become all about homework and laundry.

Harper keeps asking me what happened with Garret and I just tell her we decided to stop hanging out. I don’t give her the whole story because I don’t like talking to people about my problems. I’ve always been that way, even with friends. I figure nobody wants to hear that stuff. They have their own problems to deal with.

Even though I haven’t told her what’s going on, Harper can see how depressed I am and she keeps trying to cheer me up. She offers to take me shopping or out to eat, but I have no money to do either of those things. Then she invites me to play tennis which we do, but I suck at tennis and she’s really good so that doesn’t work. I’m afraid that if I don’t get out of this sad, gloomy state soon, Harper will stop hanging out with me and I’ll lose her as a friend.

As if things aren’t bad enough, my mom is haunting me even more now. The anniversary of her death is coming up and it’s not like I sit around and cry about it, but it’s not exactly the happiest time of year.

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