I love you too.

Zaria Jones

I sat down the case filled with unopened beer bottles and I spun around my bat, eager to release some of my pent up anger. My hand grabbed a bottle up and placed it on the stool in front of me. Almost instantly, I swung my bat as hard as I could sending broken glass flying and beer spraying over me and the concrete.

"Fuck you Mom," I spoke grabbing another one and sending it flying just like the other.

I hum to "Winner at a losing game" sung by Rascal Flatts. Sometimes country songs really get me in my feelings okay? Another beer bottle finds its way on the stool and I get ready to swing again.

"Fuck you Dad," I said swinging at the bottle.

My hands found another and I set it up the same. I could feel tears hitting the backs of my eyes like fists. Fingers crawled up my throat in sobs that I would refuse to let out.

"Fuck you Em," I spoke and I stopped mid swing realizing the name that was about to come out of my mouth.

"Fuck your cursed beliefs," I whispered and I swung harder than the rest.

I ripped out my headphones and I grabbed another bottle. I wanted to hear it shatter. I wanted to hear the beer drip on the concrete. The bat swung into it and it shattered and splattered and the sound just made me more upset. It reminded me of what I was just trying to ignore. I was breaking just like these bottles were.

I slammed the bat into the beer case over and over and over again until my arms were sore. My body dropped to its knees. I felt the small pieces of glass through my jeans. The cries were no longer possible to hold back. I just sat there on my knees in broken glass and beer and I cried. My arms found their way around me and I hugged myself because no one else was there to. Emma would hug me. She wouldn't say anything. She would just hold me and she would just play with my curls and she would just be there. Why isn't she here?

I've never felt so dumb. After all I have been through I should have known me and Emma would end up the same. Life has never given me a break. I decided to clean up the self pity scattered around me and I made myself look presentable. Maybe some waffles from my favorite diner would make everything better.

When I had walked in I took a seat and gave my order and of course the little puppy dog was there too. I mean I should have known. I knew his mom worked there. Levi locked eyes with me and I could see anger spreading a tint of red across his skin. He walked over and sat across from me.

"First I can't have ice cream and now I can't have waffles?" I asked.

"That wasn't slick or cool of you at all the other day. Mentioning what had happened to you and Emma to Olivia was too far," he said angrily and I glared at him.

"Emma mentioned what had happened to you," I said and he rolled his eyes.

"I am her best friend," he said and I scoffed.

"How can you be her best friend when you barely even know who she really is?" I asked.

"I have known her my whole life. I am pretty sure I have a better idea of who she is than you. You have just come in and screwed her whole life up. We both can see how much she has changed since she has started hanging out with you," Levi ranted and I shook my head.

"Yeah she has grown out of her shell and she has started sticking up for herself. That Emma that you knew was just a mask for all of you. A quiet girl who would let everyone make choices for her," I began ranting and he interrupted.

"That was fine! That was normal! Everything was okay. Me and her were okay. She wasn't corrupted or whatever you have influenced her to be," he fired back.