loved anyone like I loved Hadley Summers. Like I still love her, if I’m being completely honest. “No. She doesn’t live here anymore anyway. She’s away at school, remember?”
“But her parents still live here , so I’m sure she comes to visit.”
My hand rests on the box, her words sinking in. “Is that the real reason we came back now? It’s almost summertime. Did you bring me here because you had hoped I would rekindle things with Hadley?”
Mom wrings her hands near her waist. “It’s just that you miss her so much, I can tell. Why don’t you at least talk to her?”
“About what?” I stand up. “I broke up with her three years ago. I’m sure she’s moved on.”
“But you never told her why. Don’t you think she deserves an explanation?”
“No. It’s better this way.” I wave away her words. “Trust me.”
“I just want you to be happy, Tripp.” Mom’s eyes crinkle at the corners in a look of pity.
I can’t bear that look. The last thing I want is for her to feel sorry for me. “I am happy.” I force a smile.
“You know what I mean,” she says.
I nod. “I’m fine, Mom. I don’t need you meddling in my love life.”
She throws up her arms in surrender. “Okay, point taken.”
Grateful, I heave a sigh of relief and reach toward the box again. I’m tired, and all I want to do is sit down, but there is a lot to get done still. There was a time when I could do so much and never run out of energy or stamina. If only I could get back to those days. If only. It’s a phrase to describe much of my life. So often I wish I could go back in time and make things turn out differently. But life doesn’t work like that. I have to make the best of the card I’m dealt, no matter how difficult.
Three
Hadley
I shove the last suitcase into my trunk and then slam it shut. Sun beats down on my bare shoulders peeking out of my red tank top. Sweat beads along my forehead, so I swipe it off with the back of my hand. As I make my way around the vehicle, I see Brad approaching, and my heart sinks. I’d successfully avoided him the last few days and thought I’d get out of here without running into him again. No such luck.
“Hey.” He jogs toward me, his blond hair glistening in the sun. “You leaving for the summer?”
I nod, biting my lip.
“And you were gonna leave without saying goodbye?” The pain in his voice cuts to my heart.
“I’m sorry. It’s just…” my voice trails off as I scramble to come up with something to finish the sentence with. It’s just what? That I’m still in love with my high school sweetheart? A boy who dumped me three years ago? How pathetic does that make me? I mean, Brad is a nice guy. He’s cute, he’s sweet, and he likes art. He’s perfect for me. So why can’t I like him the way I should?
“Is it about the guy you told me about?”
I cock an eyebrow. Did I mention he’s perceptive? “I don’t know, Brad. I guess I just have some things to work through before I can jump into another relationship.”
“Hey, I get it. Break- ups are hard. Sometimes you just have to give yourself time to get over it.”
I’m so glad I didn’t tell him how much time has already passed. He’d really think I was a nutjob then. “Thanks for understanding,” I answer sheepishly.
“Sure.” He smiles, swiping a finger across my cheek. “Have a good summer. See ya in the fall.”
“Sounds good.” As he jogs off, I sigh contentedly. That went a lot better than I thought it would. As I slide into the driver’s seat, I watch his retreating back in my rearview mirror and wonder if I’ve made a huge mistake. I mean, it’s not like Brad’s going to wait all summer for me. And even though I can’t get over Tripp for some reason, we’re never going to get back together. He made that very clear the day he broke up with me.
I turn on the ignition and pull out of my parking space as the details of that day swim to the surface of my mind. As
“But her parents still live here , so I’m sure she comes to visit.”
My hand rests on the box, her words sinking in. “Is that the real reason we came back now? It’s almost summertime. Did you bring me here because you had hoped I would rekindle things with Hadley?”
Mom wrings her hands near her waist. “It’s just that you miss her so much, I can tell. Why don’t you at least talk to her?”
“About what?” I stand up. “I broke up with her three years ago. I’m sure she’s moved on.”
“But you never told her why. Don’t you think she deserves an explanation?”
“No. It’s better this way.” I wave away her words. “Trust me.”
“I just want you to be happy, Tripp.” Mom’s eyes crinkle at the corners in a look of pity.
I can’t bear that look. The last thing I want is for her to feel sorry for me. “I am happy.” I force a smile.
“You know what I mean,” she says.
I nod. “I’m fine, Mom. I don’t need you meddling in my love life.”
She throws up her arms in surrender. “Okay, point taken.”
Grateful, I heave a sigh of relief and reach toward the box again. I’m tired, and all I want to do is sit down, but there is a lot to get done still. There was a time when I could do so much and never run out of energy or stamina. If only I could get back to those days. If only. It’s a phrase to describe much of my life. So often I wish I could go back in time and make things turn out differently. But life doesn’t work like that. I have to make the best of the card I’m dealt, no matter how difficult.
Three
Hadley
I shove the last suitcase into my trunk and then slam it shut. Sun beats down on my bare shoulders peeking out of my red tank top. Sweat beads along my forehead, so I swipe it off with the back of my hand. As I make my way around the vehicle, I see Brad approaching, and my heart sinks. I’d successfully avoided him the last few days and thought I’d get out of here without running into him again. No such luck.
“Hey.” He jogs toward me, his blond hair glistening in the sun. “You leaving for the summer?”
I nod, biting my lip.
“And you were gonna leave without saying goodbye?” The pain in his voice cuts to my heart.
“I’m sorry. It’s just…” my voice trails off as I scramble to come up with something to finish the sentence with. It’s just what? That I’m still in love with my high school sweetheart? A boy who dumped me three years ago? How pathetic does that make me? I mean, Brad is a nice guy. He’s cute, he’s sweet, and he likes art. He’s perfect for me. So why can’t I like him the way I should?
“Is it about the guy you told me about?”
I cock an eyebrow. Did I mention he’s perceptive? “I don’t know, Brad. I guess I just have some things to work through before I can jump into another relationship.”
“Hey, I get it. Break- ups are hard. Sometimes you just have to give yourself time to get over it.”
I’m so glad I didn’t tell him how much time has already passed. He’d really think I was a nutjob then. “Thanks for understanding,” I answer sheepishly.
“Sure.” He smiles, swiping a finger across my cheek. “Have a good summer. See ya in the fall.”
“Sounds good.” As he jogs off, I sigh contentedly. That went a lot better than I thought it would. As I slide into the driver’s seat, I watch his retreating back in my rearview mirror and wonder if I’ve made a huge mistake. I mean, it’s not like Brad’s going to wait all summer for me. And even though I can’t get over Tripp for some reason, we’re never going to get back together. He made that very clear the day he broke up with me.
I turn on the ignition and pull out of my parking space as the details of that day swim to the surface of my mind. As
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