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"Rhett," Her eyes widened and she pushed her hand against ?" I s to happen with Elliott, but I like hioes" She spoke softly "Thank you for being concerned, Rhett, but I think I can handle this by uard"

"Uh huh" I frowned and looked at her bed "Fine"

"Veronica seeh" She looked at me curiously "Do you like her a lot?"

"She’s fine" I snapped and stepped forward "I guess we can go back in the living room"

"Rhett" She touched my arm "Are you okay?"

"I’m fine" I pulled away fro roonored Elliott She looked up at me with an annoyed expression

"I’ve been ready" She replied with a sour look on her face

"Let’s go" I looked back at Clementine and raised an eyebrow at her "Gimme a call, if you need me" I stared at her for a few seconds and I could see froht Let her think about what she’s doing I walked out of the living roo back I could hear Veronica running behindto ot into the car

"I’ you back to your place, but I’ht" Ilot

"What?" Her voice was high "What do you mean?"

"I ed "Or I have a friend you can call, if you really need to have some help Tomas would be down I’hed

"Trust irl to say that and I’m sure you won’t be the last"

I pulled up to her apart toaway I was so pissed that I could barely think straight I didn’t knohere to go or what to do I didn’t want to go hoo to Cleuy friends I didn’t wanna hook-up with any of the girls I had in my phone I just wanted to be by myself in nature somewhere I just needed to switch my brain off I drove and drove for about an hour, before I decided to go to an old park that I used to go to as a kid It was one of the only positive memories I had of ot out and walked to a bench that was a couple of yards away froht air arm, but there was a cool breeze I closed my eyes for a second and sat back The earth see it hard to breathe I took a couple of deep breaths and then opened htly and I looked around at the playground as if seeing it for the first time I could picture my mothers’ face as she watched el as she stared atand blonde and her big blue eyes were alared I’d loved co to the park We’d always pack a picnic lunch andhtly dizzy

I gripped the seat beneatheyes Her loving eyes had lied to h She didn’t love me She’d never loved me If she had, she wouldn’t have left She wouldn’t have loved the alcohol more thanyears of wondering why she’d stopped lovingwhat I could have done differently I could feelas I sat there

I hated that she could still do this to me I hated that there was never a day that went by that I didn’t feel that slight ache inside The ache I couldn’t reach I hated that soht, I woke up and all I could think about was her I didn’t understand it I didn’t want to feel this way I wasn’t that guy I didn’t get eet too close or affect me The only person I loved was Clementine And she was my best friend I knew that she was the only one I could count on to always be there forI frowned as I realized hed as I sat there, feeling so tired and confused I sat there in the silence, enjoying being by myself This hat my life was now It was just me Clementine would find someone and leave me It was inevitable

Beep Beep My phone vibrated as I received a text e and I pulled the phone out of my pocket

"Hey" It was Clementine I was about to put my phone back in my pocket, but decided to text her back

"Hey" I didn’t have anything else left to say

"Movie was good"

"That’s nice"

"Elliott left"

"Okay"

"Don’t be ood tiain

"I thought about it and you were right" She texted ain after two minutes

"About what?" I texted back

"It wasn’t s"

"Told ya" I sh"

"We’ll see"

"What you doing?"

"Relaxing"

"At home?"

"No"

"Oh"

"I caain Instead, I stood up and walked over to the playground and looked around

"Can I coain

"If you want" I responded slowly There was no response from Clementine after that and I walked back to the bench and sat down again About tenlot I watched as Cleot out of the car and walked towardsin her arms

"Hi" She smiled at me softly

"Hi" I nodded and tried not to stare at her beautiful face

"I brought this for you" She handed me a sweater "I kneas pretty cool out and I knew you just had on your t-shirt"

"Thanks" I took it froratefully and pulled it on "How’d you knohere I was?"