Wrong number. (Completed)

Chapter Twenty-Three

STACY

I went up to my room after my parents quietly gave up on disciplining me and cried on my bed. It was soon time to get ready for seminary but I just had no desire to go. I reluctantly started the car back up and took Jared to the church building. But I sat in the car, still in the clothes that Nick broke up with me in. The events of this morning were still clear in my mind.

I glanced up in hopes to see my brother once seminary got out. My heart stopped and the tears welled up in my eyes when I saw Jared walking with Nick. I watched as Nick waved goodbye to Jared then sadly smiled at me. I quickly looked away and started the car back up. Once Jared was inside I drove away as fast as I could.

"Nick and you broke up?" Jared asked. "Why didn't you tell me?" I shrugged.

"It was just a silly high school relationship. I'll get over it. What did he want?"

"He just wanted to know how you were doing. He noticed you weren't in seminary."

"What did you tell him?"

"That you've been crying lately." I looked into the rear view mirror and frowned at my dark eyes.

I walked to my first class in hopes that I wouldn't see Nick but he was standing with Kyle and the drill team. I bet he misses that crowd. I've been keeping him from his real friends. He always hung out with my mormon friends. I always felt bad for keeping him from the people he grew up with, especially Kyle. Maybe this is one of the many reasons he broke up with me. I was keeping him from having fun. How stupid of me.

I walked past them until Kyle stopped me. "Hey, Stacy!" I turned around at his voice and studied my shoes instead of the boy's eyes in whom I was in love with.

"Yeah?" I responded.

"We're all going four-wheeling on Friday, couples only. You and Nick should come." I finally gained up courage and looked into those deep blue eyes that I dreamed about every night.

"I uh ... said no." Nick said as he shoved the hands he would hold me with into his pockets.

"Of course not," I began, "you don't have a girlfriend."

Kyle chuckled. "Did you two break up?"

"Unless you've already moved on," I gestured to the girl leaning on Nick with her elbow on his shoulder. She was really pretty, and she was skinny. She was also tall with long legs and had blond hair. I quickly walked away and pushed back the tears that threatened to spill.

I ate lunch in the library and listened to Halsey and Billie Eilish as I sat and watched the rain fall, too depressed to have an appetite.

Nick and Kyle didn't come in during Library Aide. Part of me was glad the other part of me was sad.

The school day passed quickly and I was soon tying my running shoes around my feet in preparation of a four mile run.

I wore shorts and half way into my run, the chaffing began. It hurt like crap but I kept going. I looked at my phone and found that while still going in one direction, I had reached my goal of four miles. But the memories of Nick were still rampant in my mind. The pain coursing in my body wasn't strong enough. So I kept running.

NICK

My girl avoided me all day. I got a few glances but I knew that I had broken her heart. We had grown so attached to each other that even I felt like there was nothing left for me to live for if she wasn't part of my life. But letting her go was for the best, as cliche as that sounds. By breaking up with her, I'm helping her. By cutting ties, I can prove to myself if my changing was only for her. I wish I was more like her. She was getting skinnier for me and for herself. My change is one-sided. I didn't care what happened to my body or mind until she came along and gave me reason to live.