Runaway

Chapter 33

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~Uploaded December 18th, 2014

Worst. Week. Ever.

Why? Let me count the ways.

First off, Christine had gotten back from maternity leave early, something about not being able to stand being at home anymore, so I was out of a job.

With that came too much free time that I didn't know how to fill, so I started looking for another job. Not easy in a small town where almost all the jobs slots are filled.

Free time meant too much thinking and as I may have mentioned before, that could be dangerous given my situation. And I couldn't go running anymore because of the snow outside and I didn't have any winter running shoes. I could've gone to the Willis sports store, but lacked motivation to actually go.

Oh, and the guy I liked thought of me as nothing more than a sister. Can't forget that.

Avoiding him in this town had proven to have the same level of difficulty as finding a job: nearly flipping impossible. I should consider moving into the attic.

God, this is exactly how I felt after Ajax turned me down. I felt sad, pathetic, frustrated and confused. There's only so many emotions a girl could handle at once.

Not that Dylan had noticed, mind you. He was still as happy-go-lucky as ever, talking and smiling and acting as if his words hadn't hurt someone. Namely me.

What am I doing thinking like this?, I scolded myself. I had liked Ajax for far longer than I've liked Dylan, and I had gotten out of it just fine. Sure, it hurt for a while afterwards, but I recovered.

So why did it feel like I wouldn't this time?

Stop over thinking. You're only eighteen. That's too young to make such a big deal out of stuff like this. You'll handle this problem like you do with everything else in life; a quick round of exercise, a tub of chocolate mint ice cream, and avoiding the source of the problem at all costs. I wasn't running; I was just saving myself the ache of having to interact him.

Unfortunately, it looked like my first method wasn't going to work. A simple workout of jumping jacks, crunches and push ups wasn't going to help in the slightest. I needed to run, to swim, to hit something. And my pillow wasn't exactly satisfying.

So I settled for my second method: ice cream. I donned my coat and winter boots and set out for the grocery store. I needed the sugar.

"Hey Dani!" I managed a smile as Nolan greeted me from the cash register. He couldn't be bothered by my problems. I had to keep up the facade that I wasn't hurting.

"Hey Nolan. What're you so happy about?" He was smiling brighter than usual, and that's saying something.

Nolan turned as red as his hair. "What do you mean? I'm just happy to see you. Feels like you haven't been around lately."

I frowned. "What do you mean? I was over at your place with everyone else two days ago."

"I mean, you were there physically. But mentally? You were lost somewhere at the opposite end of the Delta Quadrant. Ian's been making me watch Star Trek with him", he explained.

"I'm fine. Just tired." Of what? From the lack of sleep? From hiding who I am and how I'm feeling? Of being rejected and called a sister by the only guys I had ever genuinely liked? "I'm fine", I repeated.

"Okay, if you're sure." He sounded unconvinced but waved me off as I went to go find the ice cream.

Mint chocolate chip. Where the heck is the mint chocolate chip? I scoured up and down the aisles until I found the refrigerated section with all the cold food stuff. Rocky road, vanilla, triple chocolate fudge.