Status: Finished
All Hail the Heartbreaker
1/1
I’ve been thinking about her again, more than usual. Almost as much as when she first moved, five years ago. All the guys have been poking fun at me, teasing me about her. They want to know why I don’t contact her.
Truth is… I’m scared.
She’s probably so different from when I knew her. She’ll be sixteen now, just a few months younger than me. I can’t get her out of my head.
I just want to see her again.
I pick up the photos from second and third grade, which is all I have of the both of us. The only years we were in the same class.
I know I’ve changed. What if she doesn’t want to be friends anymore? What if we don’t…click like we used to?
My mom’s voice calls to me from the kitchen, and I put down the photos.
It doesn’t matter what I do.
It shouldn’t affect her life anymore.
***
“So, what did you say?”
I roll my eyes at my three eager friends.
“No, obviously. I mean, I feel bad, but….”
Bree laughed, and so did the other two.
I shake my head. He was a nice guy and all, but…I don’t know. I just couldn’t see myself going out with him…or any of the guys that had so far asked me out this year. It just didn’t feel right.
“All hail the heart breaker!!” Lane yelled.
I laughed with the rest of them when Ellie started “bowing” to me.
“Guys I have to go, okay?”
They rolled their eyes and said goodbye.
I had a trip to take today, and I sure wasn’t going to miss it.
***
I walk to the corner store to wait for my friend Connor to get off work. He greets me as I walk in, but I only shrug. He knows I’m thinking about her again, and nods. I go to the back of the store, as always, and look through the new issue of Rolling Stone.
I hear the bell above the door ring, and assuming it’s the guy taking over Connor’s shift, I look up.
That hair…those eyes look so familiar….
But it can’t be. I haven’t seen her in years. Why would she be here, of all places?
She met my gaze, and her eyes widened. Did she recognize me, too?
It felt like my heart was being ripped apart from the seams again.
I’ve been trying to forget her, but now I’m stuck again.
Her pale, freckled skin and long, black eyelashes catch me.
She looks away, embarrassed, and addresses Connor.
“Blue raspberry slushie, please?”
***
I knew it. I knew there was a reason I went into that store. It was him. That’s why I couldn’t go out with any of the other guys in my class. I was still stuck on him…or the thought of him. We hadn’t even spoken in years.
I walked back to my car in a sort of daze, so I didn’t see who was behind me until they grabbed me by my wrist.
I spun around, not sure who to expect. But it was him.
“Hey.”
“Hey….”
We just kind of stared at each other for a moment. His face still looked the same, but it had thinned out, and he had gotten much taller. His hair was longer, now just short enough to be out of his eyes. Still the same pale brown it had always been.
“Callie?”
I nod, confused. How did he recognize me? I was so different. My hair was shorter, I had glasses now…. Maybe it was the same instinct that told me it was him at the back of the store.
***
When she said my name, my heart skipped a beat. How many times had I sat and re-read her emails to me, and looked at our pictures. Now she was here again. I couldn’t let her go.
I grabbed a pen out of my pocket, and took her wrist.
“What are you doing?” she asked innocently.
I looked up from her wrist and smiled.
Then I finished writing my number below her palm, and stepped back.
“Call me.” I say and turn to go back into the store.
“Wait!”
She takes my hand, and does the same, writing her name in delicate, bold letters. As if I would forget whose it was.
Then she smiled a bit and went back to her car.
I watched her drive away.
***
I couldn’t stop thinking about him the whole time I was with my friend.
“Sorry Kenzie,” I say, “I’m just…”
“Stuck? Yeah, I can tell. Don’t worry about it. IF it wants to work itself out, it will.”
I smile and nod.
“Thanks.”
***
I dial her number later, and wait for her to pick up. I assume it’s her cell from the song playing. I don’t leave a message when she doesn’t answer, and my torn heart sinks a little more. I can’t help thinking she’s just another girl now that I’m away from her.
But those looks she gave me…I thought….
Maybe if she knew how I felt, she would come back, or call me.
But who would want someone with nothing but a shredded, broken heart to love them with? She deserves all of me.
I call back, and this time, I leave a message.
***
I don’t get his message until halfway through the next day.
When I hear his voice again, I know I have to talk to him again.
So I call.
Three rings, no answer.
I debate hanging up.
I don’t.
I leave a message.
I get impatient and call back once again.
No answer.
Story of my life.
All hail the Heartbreaker.
Right?
Truth is… I’m scared.
She’s probably so different from when I knew her. She’ll be sixteen now, just a few months younger than me. I can’t get her out of my head.
I just want to see her again.
I pick up the photos from second and third grade, which is all I have of the both of us. The only years we were in the same class.
I know I’ve changed. What if she doesn’t want to be friends anymore? What if we don’t…click like we used to?
My mom’s voice calls to me from the kitchen, and I put down the photos.
It doesn’t matter what I do.
It shouldn’t affect her life anymore.
***
“So, what did you say?”
I roll my eyes at my three eager friends.
“No, obviously. I mean, I feel bad, but….”
Bree laughed, and so did the other two.
I shake my head. He was a nice guy and all, but…I don’t know. I just couldn’t see myself going out with him…or any of the guys that had so far asked me out this year. It just didn’t feel right.
“All hail the heart breaker!!” Lane yelled.
I laughed with the rest of them when Ellie started “bowing” to me.
“Guys I have to go, okay?”
They rolled their eyes and said goodbye.
I had a trip to take today, and I sure wasn’t going to miss it.
***
I walk to the corner store to wait for my friend Connor to get off work. He greets me as I walk in, but I only shrug. He knows I’m thinking about her again, and nods. I go to the back of the store, as always, and look through the new issue of Rolling Stone.
I hear the bell above the door ring, and assuming it’s the guy taking over Connor’s shift, I look up.
That hair…those eyes look so familiar….
But it can’t be. I haven’t seen her in years. Why would she be here, of all places?
She met my gaze, and her eyes widened. Did she recognize me, too?
It felt like my heart was being ripped apart from the seams again.
I’ve been trying to forget her, but now I’m stuck again.
Her pale, freckled skin and long, black eyelashes catch me.
She looks away, embarrassed, and addresses Connor.
“Blue raspberry slushie, please?”
***
I knew it. I knew there was a reason I went into that store. It was him. That’s why I couldn’t go out with any of the other guys in my class. I was still stuck on him…or the thought of him. We hadn’t even spoken in years.
I walked back to my car in a sort of daze, so I didn’t see who was behind me until they grabbed me by my wrist.
I spun around, not sure who to expect. But it was him.
“Hey.”
“Hey….”
We just kind of stared at each other for a moment. His face still looked the same, but it had thinned out, and he had gotten much taller. His hair was longer, now just short enough to be out of his eyes. Still the same pale brown it had always been.
“Callie?”
I nod, confused. How did he recognize me? I was so different. My hair was shorter, I had glasses now…. Maybe it was the same instinct that told me it was him at the back of the store.
***
When she said my name, my heart skipped a beat. How many times had I sat and re-read her emails to me, and looked at our pictures. Now she was here again. I couldn’t let her go.
I grabbed a pen out of my pocket, and took her wrist.
“What are you doing?” she asked innocently.
I looked up from her wrist and smiled.
Then I finished writing my number below her palm, and stepped back.
“Call me.” I say and turn to go back into the store.
“Wait!”
She takes my hand, and does the same, writing her name in delicate, bold letters. As if I would forget whose it was.
Then she smiled a bit and went back to her car.
I watched her drive away.
***
I couldn’t stop thinking about him the whole time I was with my friend.
“Sorry Kenzie,” I say, “I’m just…”
“Stuck? Yeah, I can tell. Don’t worry about it. IF it wants to work itself out, it will.”
I smile and nod.
“Thanks.”
***
I dial her number later, and wait for her to pick up. I assume it’s her cell from the song playing. I don’t leave a message when she doesn’t answer, and my torn heart sinks a little more. I can’t help thinking she’s just another girl now that I’m away from her.
But those looks she gave me…I thought….
Maybe if she knew how I felt, she would come back, or call me.
But who would want someone with nothing but a shredded, broken heart to love them with? She deserves all of me.
I call back, and this time, I leave a message.
***
I don’t get his message until halfway through the next day.
When I hear his voice again, I know I have to talk to him again.
So I call.
Three rings, no answer.
I debate hanging up.
I don’t.
I leave a message.
I get impatient and call back once again.
No answer.
Story of my life.
All hail the Heartbreaker.
Right?