One in a Million
Hurting
Zach’s POV:
She walks away and I don’t know what to do or feel. I fall against the wall and try not to let it sink in. Cameron walks up.
“Class is going to start soon. Zach, what happened?” He asks when he finally sees me.
“Lyssa, she’d known about Andrea since homecoming.”
“And you’ve been lying to her since homecoming.” Cameron puts the pieces together and my heart breaks apart.
“You know how I was when Andrea left?” I ask him.
“Yeah, you were basically dying, Zach.”
“Well now I’m dead. All my feelings for any girl were magnified with Lyssa. So the heartbreak from Andrea, it’s worse now with Lyssa.”
“I wish I knew what to say, but I don’t. I’ve dealt with one heartbreak from Anna but I don’t think it would help to tell you all guys are jerks and you’ll find the right one.”
“No, that wouldn’t help.” I sort of laugh but it’s not the same.
“Maybe Lyssa just needs some time to cool off and then you can talk about it calmly.” Cameron says but he didn’t see the look in her eyes.
“Sure, let’s go with that.” I stand up and head for class. “Are you coming?” I ask Cameron.
“Wait, you’re not upset now?” He asks.
“No, I don’t need to waste my time on her. In the words of Rascal Flatts, we broke up and it’s tough but I’m not afraid of movin on.” I tell him and he shakes his head.
“This is going to bite you in the butt at lunch.”
“Lyssa already said we’ll be friends. We hang out with the same group now so we’re going to see each other. Why try to hide it?” I ask him.
“Because I know my friend and I know you still love her.”
“And I need to move on from her. This is life, Cameron, welcome to it.” I start to walk off to class.
“I’m going to ignore that comment because I know you’re hurting, Zach, but stop acting like an ass. It won’t get you far.” Cameron walks off to class and I know I was really rude to make him to speak that way.
“Cam, hey, I’m sorry. I don’t really know what I’m doing.”
“I know you don’t.” And I have my friend back. “Try to figure it out, Zach, that’s what life is.”
“Glad you could join us, boys. You’re five minutes late.” Our teacher says.
“Sorry, I just had some stuff to deal with.” I say and she raises an eyebrow. She pulls me aside.
“Your eyes are red so what is this stuff?” She asks me.
“My girlfriend just broke up with me.” The stinging pain comes back. She leans back in the class and calls Cameron out.
“Just go, both of you. I don’t want him crying in my class. Go talk to someone, ditch this class and cry, ditch this class and go be boys. I don’t care, just clear your mind. I’ll let you know what you missed tomorrow.”
“Thanks, Mrs. Ryan.” I say.
“Zach, you can talk to me any time you need to.” She tells me.
“I’ll be okay; I just need a few minutes.” We walk off.
“Trouble makers don’t get away with a lot.” I hear her cover for us.
****************************
.
She walks away and I don’t know what to do or feel. I fall against the wall and try not to let it sink in. Cameron walks up.
“Class is going to start soon. Zach, what happened?” He asks when he finally sees me.
“Lyssa, she’d known about Andrea since homecoming.”
“And you’ve been lying to her since homecoming.” Cameron puts the pieces together and my heart breaks apart.
“You know how I was when Andrea left?” I ask him.
“Yeah, you were basically dying, Zach.”
“Well now I’m dead. All my feelings for any girl were magnified with Lyssa. So the heartbreak from Andrea, it’s worse now with Lyssa.”
“I wish I knew what to say, but I don’t. I’ve dealt with one heartbreak from Anna but I don’t think it would help to tell you all guys are jerks and you’ll find the right one.”
“No, that wouldn’t help.” I sort of laugh but it’s not the same.
“Maybe Lyssa just needs some time to cool off and then you can talk about it calmly.” Cameron says but he didn’t see the look in her eyes.
“Sure, let’s go with that.” I stand up and head for class. “Are you coming?” I ask Cameron.
“Wait, you’re not upset now?” He asks.
“No, I don’t need to waste my time on her. In the words of Rascal Flatts, we broke up and it’s tough but I’m not afraid of movin on.” I tell him and he shakes his head.
“This is going to bite you in the butt at lunch.”
“Lyssa already said we’ll be friends. We hang out with the same group now so we’re going to see each other. Why try to hide it?” I ask him.
“Because I know my friend and I know you still love her.”
“And I need to move on from her. This is life, Cameron, welcome to it.” I start to walk off to class.
“I’m going to ignore that comment because I know you’re hurting, Zach, but stop acting like an ass. It won’t get you far.” Cameron walks off to class and I know I was really rude to make him to speak that way.
“Cam, hey, I’m sorry. I don’t really know what I’m doing.”
“I know you don’t.” And I have my friend back. “Try to figure it out, Zach, that’s what life is.”
“Glad you could join us, boys. You’re five minutes late.” Our teacher says.
“Sorry, I just had some stuff to deal with.” I say and she raises an eyebrow. She pulls me aside.
“Your eyes are red so what is this stuff?” She asks me.
“My girlfriend just broke up with me.” The stinging pain comes back. She leans back in the class and calls Cameron out.
“Just go, both of you. I don’t want him crying in my class. Go talk to someone, ditch this class and cry, ditch this class and go be boys. I don’t care, just clear your mind. I’ll let you know what you missed tomorrow.”
“Thanks, Mrs. Ryan.” I say.
“Zach, you can talk to me any time you need to.” She tells me.
“I’ll be okay; I just need a few minutes.” We walk off.
“Trouble makers don’t get away with a lot.” I hear her cover for us.
****************************
.