Forlot: The Car on the Side of the Road - Book Forty-Two

Chapter Seven

I did not ask why we could not break up. He would just give me a lame reason. I would not be giving up on this relationship if there was something to hold onto. I was not about to let Rick ruin my day. I threw up my hands and spun around. I started storming down the hall.

Rick grasped my arm. "Did you not hear me, Ella? You cannot break up with me. Please. After the trip. Then I will leave you alone."

I sighed and faced him. It was not the first time that he and his friends planned a trip without telling me. I ran my hand through my hair. "You did not inform me of a trip - again."

He released my arm and massaged the back of his neck and flashed me a nervous smile. "It was supposed to be a surprise. I wanted to surprise you."

"You are only saying that because you forgot to tell me. But I do not care because I am done with you."

"Ella. I am begging you. Do not break up with me until we return from the trip. I will be the only single person there."

"Your friends are not dating one another, so you will fit right in. Nothing wrong with being single."

"But this trip is for you. My buddies and I worked hard to make this happen. Now we need to cancel it because you are not good enough for me."

I would not have been surprised if my face was red. My blood boiled. I was so furious that I nearly slapped him to oblivion. I have no clue how I composed myself. I do not know what I saw in him. He was full of himself. He could not understand why I did not love him anymore. Maybe he did not want to. I wanted to explain why this relationship was not working. I cannot love a man who is not appreciative of me. Both partners must be on the same terms. While I was showering Rick with gifts and affection, he spent all his time with his friends and just avoided me like the plague. I was like a disease to him.

I am not saying that gifts are important. And I am also not saying that you should never spend time with your buddies. If you want a girlfriend, treat her like a queen. If that is an inconvenience - if I am an inconvenience - than stay single.

Why do people shame the singles?

I flipped my hair and brought my face close to his until our noses connected. "Rick. It is not that I am not good enough for you. It is that you are not good enough - for me. I pray that your next girlfriend - if there is a next - satisfies you better than I ever could."

Rick had on this concerned expression. He grabbed my hands. "I do not want another girl. I want you, Ella. I-I will die without you. I cannot imagine life without you. Do not slam the door on us. Please."

I jerked my hands free. "I wish you the best. Bye, Rick. It was nice while it lasted."

Why did I shed a tear?

I turned back around and sprinted down the hallway. I knew that running was prohibited. I just had to leave. I had to get away from him before he grabbed me for the hundredth time.

Rick's voice bounced off the walls. "I will make it up to you! I promise to give you all my attention on this trip! Just please come. My heart will break if I lose you."

It was dinnertime. I was at the round table and playing with my meal. I noticed from the corner of my eye that I was being watched by Mom and Dad. I was their only source of entertainment. They were enjoying their food and watching me die inside.

"Ella," Dad said softly. "You have been awfully quiet. Is everything okay? Mom can make you something else if you do not want spaghetti."

I did not look up from my spaghetti. "Do not bother. It will not matter."

"Are you not hungry?" Mom asked. "Hope that you are not coming down with anything."

I clutched my napkin tightly and dropped my fork onto my plate. "I would rather be sick than go on a trip."

They looked at each other before looking back at me.

"'Trip'? What trip?" Dad questioned. "Are you going on a field trip?"

I crumpled the napkin into a ball and uttered a whoosh of air through my nose. "I wish."

"Why are you not eager to go on whatever trip that you are attending?"

"It is a road trip."

Mom smiled. "You like road trips. I remember our first road trip. You were a tiny human. You laughed at what you saw out the windows. So precious."

"I love road trips because I am surrounded by the folks who love me. You and Dad. But I will be on a long road trip - be in the same car - with Rick and his dumb pals. A whole week with them. I will never make it."

Dad put a hand over mine and had on a confused look. "You told us that you were breaking up with Rick."

"I did. I mean...I tried. But he would not take no for an answer. And he promised to pay attention to me on the trip. So I am giving him another chance. A final chance to clean up his act."

Dad rubbed the bridge of his nose with his other hand. "Cannot believe that you gave Rick another chance. He will never change unless that you put your foot down."

I tapped a finger on the table. "I promised myself that I would cut him out if he does not stick to his word."

"What if he does?" Mom asked. "You want to save your relationship?"