Page 68 of Right Place, Right Time (Second Chances)
“Kate?” I spin around. It’s Jay’s friend, Johnny.
“Hi, Johnny,” I say, trying to keep it together. “You haven’t talked to Jay, have you?”
He frowns. “Sorry, Kate. He left. Said he was going back home and…that he’s not coming back.”
Home. He’s going home. He’s really through with me. With us. It’s over.
“I’m sorry, Kate.”
I wipe the fallen tears from my cheeks. “Thanks, Johnny. Take care, okay?”
He gives me a sad smile. “You too, Kate.”
I walk to my car in a trance.
He left.
He’s gone.
He’s not coming back.
He wenthome.
He wasmy home.
I get in my car and lock the doors, then send Casey a text letting her know where I am and letting her know that Jay is gone.
I consider sending Jay a text, but what would be the point? He left. He’s gone. He’s not coming back. I rest my head on my steering wheel and cry.
I cry for what I lost.
I cry for what we could have had.
I cry for Jay.
And I cry for myself, because I’m not sure I’m ever going to love someone as much as I love him.
I barely register the knocking on my window, but when I look up, I see my best friend’s face. How long have I been sitting here? I unlock the door and fall into her arms.
“It’s okay,” she says, holding me tight. She steers me towards the back door, and we get in the backseat. It’s then I notice Decker is here, too. He gets in the driver’s seat and takes us home. I cry with my head on my best friend’s lap the entire way home.
He left.
He’s gone.
He’s not coming back.
***
After calling out sick for three days in a row, I quit my job at the restaurant. I have a good pot of cash saved up, and I just don’t feel like working anymore. I don’t feel like doing anything anymore. I do nothing but sit around the apartment all day eating ice cream, ordering the occasional pizza, and watching horror movies.
Casey’s worried about me. I know this. She tried getting me to watch a chick flick the other day, and I yelled at her. Chick flicks are always love stories.
Fuck love.
She’s still mostly homebound as she’s still recovering, so our shared presence in the apartment is making things a bit crowded. I spend a lot of time in my room.
Alone.
The way it should be.
