When I Was Fifteen

Chapter 22- Don't Hurt Me

Unknown- Hey kiddo, can I talk to you?

Tommy- um who is this?

Unknown- It's James

Tommy- Oh hi

Unknown- Don't tell Kels I texted you, just please hear me out

Tommy- uh okay what is it?

Unknown- I didn't cheat. Those red lipstick marks were actually stamps. Lindsay and Natalia both knew that it was all going to be staged and fake. I don't like either of them, just I know that's what would work the best. I'm doing to Kelsey what Serena did to Dan... I didn't cheat, but she's never going to let me go unless she thinks I did. I love her so much, but I can't forever make her happy. I'm toxic.

Tommy- what are you talking about?

Unknown- there's a picture that went up just a couple minutes ago, I doubt she's seen it yet

"You knew about it?" I ask.

"I didn't know whether or not to tell you, I was hoping you wouldn't give up on him," he answers and tears roll down my cheeks.

"Why does he keep texting me then and trying to get me to forgive him?" I question.

"I texted him this morning because I saw him texting you, you left your phone downstairs," Tommy states.

Tommy- James?

James- Yeah?

Tommy- Why won't you leave Kelsey alone?

James- I made the biggest mistake of my life. I miss her. When I saw her yesterday I knew I had messed up

Tommy- has she talked to you?

James- no, god I'm an idiot

Tommy- I can't help you

"What should I do?" I ask.

"Whatever feels right," Tommy replies and walks out of my room. I run downstairs to grab my phone and I call James.

"Hello?" He says as he picks up the phone.

"I'm coming over, text me your address," I reply and then hang up. I had never been to his house. The only thing he told me about his family was that they had issues which is why he preferred not to be there.

I wait five or so minutes and he still hasn't sent his address. I go upstairs, grab a clean pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt, then go take a shower. I'm in the shower for what feels like hours, but when I get out I realize it's only been twenty minutes. James still hasn't replied so I just get dress and start watching a movie. An hour after my call to him, he finally replies with his address. I plug it into the maps on my phone to see the distance, and I realize he just lives in the next neighborhood over which is about a mile away. I grab another coat and some gloves, then I am out the door.

~~~~~~

Eventually, I've arrived. I am walking up to a house that looks way too familiar, maybe because it looks almost identical to my house. That's just how things are in the neighborhoods we live in.

I walk up to the door and knock on it. I wait there for a few seconds, and then the door opens. A girl about sixteen years old is standing there and I realize it's Lily. Her sun freckles have died down, her red hair is now silver, and her green eyes and are now a beautiful, light blue.

"Hi, can I talk to James?" I ask, shivering. It's even colder than I thought.

"Yes, he is waiting for you in the kitchen, come on in, want some tea?" She asks and I nod my head. I don't see any shoes sitting by the rug, so I just leave mine on, and follow Lily.

"Hi," James says as we walk into the kitchen. His is a lot smaller than mine, but it is still a decent size. He is standing with his elbows on the counter and he's turning off his phone. He stands up straight and I realize as I look at him that he looks like a mess.

"Hi," I reply.

"Well, I'm going to go watch some tv," Lily says and walks out of the room.

"Why'd you never invite me here?" I ask in a soft voice as I awkwardly stand there.

"I told you, my family has issues. My sister is semi normal, but my parents can be intense, so I just waited for them to leave before answering your text. You can only be here for like an hour though, they just went to dinner," he answers, still not giving me the total clarification I want.

"So what did your texts with Tommy mean?" I question.

"I knew that guy would show you," he replies.

"So?" I snap, and look down at my feet. I never get this worked up.

"Look, my birthday is next Sunday and I kind of freaked out. I'm going to be eighteen, that's the age of an adult, the age I'm not a minor. You're still going to be fifteen," he says.

"You say that as if it's a bad thing," I mutter.

"That's not it, just usually people date people their age or within a year, not three or four years away," he replies.

"A lot of couples are perfectly fine and are not that close in age," I snap as I take a step closer to him.

"But Kelsey, we're in high school, and soon I'm not even going to be in high school," James replies and takes a step closer towards me.

"What do you want from me then? Why couldn't you leave me alone then? You're just going to hurt me, aren't you?" I state, growing more angry, and taking another step.

"I just, I love you Kelsey, and I want to be with you but I don't know if I can," he mumbles and then walks towards me, he wraps his arms around me, and I rest my head on his shoulder.

"Don't hurt me," I cry and we just stand there together in the middle of his kitchen.