Chapter 1
1612 Words
Theo
Isaac hadn’t been the same since Courtney had been kicked out of school. I, for one, couldn’t believe Barraman would stoop so low, but it’s Barraman, if he doesn’t get what he wants, he throws a tantrum. He throws his dummy out of the cot! I know something happened between him and Courtney but Issac would tell anyone he either didn’t know or he wanted to keep it to himself.
We’d all tried our best to be there for him since Courtney had been expelled. He’d told us she’d been sent to a private school, and they would only be able to converse when it was lights out or all of her homework was done. It was okay to begin with. They spoke regularly for about a month, then it went from every night to two or three times a week and eventually, five months in, it was one day a week. Soon it would be zero. We had all told him to let go of her long distance. It wasn’t going to do either of them any good. But he ignored us and here we are six months on and everyone can see the change in him. He'd become distant and hardly talked anymore to anyone. He looked like, well, he looked like the living dead walking, and that was putting it politely.
Today he looked even worse. Had he been crying? No, that’s impossible. Issac never cries. I nudged the others, who all looked up and worry spread across their faces. “You don’t think?”
“Only one to find out, ask him.”
He walked gloomily over to us. “Hey Isaac.”
“Guys.” He said his tone was even low and that it wasn’t Isaac. He was always so full of life until that prick got Courtney expelled.
“Are you okay dude?”
He shook his head as a no.
“You can tell us, Issac, we’re your friends.”
“Courtney left me.” He said quietly, just enough for us to catch it.”
“Did you just say Courtney left you?”
He nodded to say yes.
Oh no, we tried to warn him if only he’d listened to us months ago.
“She told me to forget about her and live my life without her.”
“Wow, that’s harsh,” Simone said.
I agree. “Are you sure that’s what she said?”
“I’m positive, we talked a little while last night, and she apologized for what she was about to do, and I asked her what. She replied by saying that she still loved me, but it was getting too much to continue the long-distance thing. I begged her to reconsider. She said it was for the best and that I should let her go and live my life.”
“Has he found anyone else?”
“She would’ve said if she had.”
I nodded. “I’m sure she will be back one day, Isaac. We all have college coming up next year, and we have that to look forward to. Maybe you can reconcile then.”
He shook his head. “I don’t think so, guys. She made it quite clear, to forget about her, how am I supposed to forget about her? We talked about going all the way when we both turned sixteen and going to college together. I’m sorry guys, but there won’t be anyone else. She’s the only one.”
“Give it time to sink in, Isaac. Then, once it has, see how you feel then.”
“I know how it will feel exactly the same.”
The bell rang, there was no reasoning with him when he was like that, so we all just said goodbye, going to class.
Courtney
I sat alone. I felt awful for all the things that I’d said to Issac last night, but it had to be done. We were slowly drifting apart due to the distance between us. We’d begun to communicate less and less over the months. Maybe it was because there was nothing new to share. It felt weird coming here and losing all of my friends and losing Issac, though I hadn’t completely lost any of them, I felt as if I had.
“Are you okay Courtney?”
I looked at Bentley, and smiled. “I’m fine.”
“You don’t look at it Courtney, did you tell your boyfriend it was over?”
“Yeah.” I sighed.
“You did the right thing, Courtney. Long distance is meant to be just that, it never works.”
He leaned forward, going to kiss me. I moved away. “I’m sorry Bentley, I’m not ready for that just yet.”
He smiled at me. “I’ll give you some time, Courtney, but I won’t wait forever.”
I smiled, he’d waited for six months for me to break it off with Issac, but I still loved Issac. I needed time to get over him before I could move on. I remember the first day I met Bentley. I was in the cafeteria minding my own business when he came up to me. “So you’re the new chick everyone’s talking about?”
“I guess I am. Courtney.”
He smiled. “Bentley Giovanni.” He said, winking.
I guess I had my work cut out to try and avoid this guy. He reeks bad boy.
He sat next to me way too close. “I’d like you to join us Courtney, me and my friends. We could do with a girl like you with us.”
“You don’t even know me.”
“Oh, I do, princess. I know everything about everyone in this school.”
“Oh.”
“So will you join us?”
“I don’t know, give me some time to think.”
“Whilst you think my offer over, I’d like you to meet my friends.”
“But..”
“They don’t bite Courtney, that’s unless you want to let them, of course.” He said, winking.
Of course. I thought sarcastically.
He led me out of the cafeteria to a secluded area where his friends were leaning on the walls smoking. It smelt funny. It didn’t smell like cigarettes I was used to them. Tucker had taken it up along with Ashton when they went into year nine and hid the cigarettes wherever they could, so mom and his parents couldn’t find them. This s**t was more potent. I’d smelt it a few times before to know that it was drugs, spiff to be more precise. He introduced me to all of them. He asked me to go out with him a month after I began there, and I declined, telling him I already had a boyfriend back home. He’d told me he’d wait until I broke it off with Isaac.
Six months in a long-distance relationship had gotten too much, and I had decided to end it. Maybe when I finished in this dump we could reconcile, but until then I wanted him to be happy even if it wasn’t with me. We’d planned so much together. It was tough just to let it all go. I made friends with Bentley and his friends and decided to join his little posey. Now he wants something I’m not even sure I can give.
Issac
I haven’t been myself since my kitten broke off with me. I knew we were heading for this since the last time we had seen each other she had become distant. She wasn’t the Courtney I knew and loved. She had changed since she had gone to that damn private school. She’d made new friends and I had a gut feeling there was a guy or a few guys pursuing her, and it was only a matter of time before she caved in and began a relationship with them. I wouldn’t be surprised if she had given us up, so she could start a new relationship with another guy. I know she wouldn't go behind my back after what had happened with Ashton fuckin Barraman. To know she would never do it again.
I felt like s**t and didn’t even want to return to school, but my parents had told me I had to though my mom knew how the break-up had affected me. My friends were all sympathetic though they were all thinking the same; “I told you so.” I knew they were right, but I just didn’t want to admit it. Courtney and I were meant to be together no matter what threw us apart, but I guess it was not meant to be. I had to carry on and pretend one of my best friends, my girl, my kitten, was no longer my everything. I had to forget about her and continue my studies, so I could get good grades and continue in my father's footsteps, which he had always wanted me to do, because my brother was a prick and was a disgrace to my mom and dad.
He didn’t give two shits about working hard for a living. Just getting his end away, his next fix, he was a s*x addict and I pity the girl he ends up with because I know one thing, that he will never be faithful to her. He’s a hit ’em and goes to the next.
I have to forget about the girl I fell head over heels for and concentrate on my life. Maybe one day we’ll meet up again and see if the sparks still fly between us.
- Writer
