UNBREAKABLE

Chapter 9

"YOU DID NOT?" AVERY'S eyes widened after hearing my story. I couldn't blame her. The words that came out of my mouth when Art asked about Ashton surprised me, too.

The confirmation I uttered left Art speechless. And it resulted in a big problem. A huge one!

It had been weeks since I told Art. Weeks I'd been pulling my hair. Whatever came to me that had caused my dropping the bomb on Art, I didn't know as well.

But the truth was, everything I told Art was a lie. There wasn't Ashton and me. But, what I knew the time we were dancing, I wanted to have the last word. It felt like there was a competition between us. A giant scoreboard above us reminded me how many times I'd lost by Art breaking my heart. And giving the final blow would make me win.

Ashton is my boyfriend now.

Art's face said it all. It was clear as day. I didn't just win. I hurt him.

Before the music ended, I wanted to take back what I'd said. That there was no Ashton and me. And despite him having hurt me several times, it was only him. There was no one else.

There will never be anyone else. I tried, but no one else came close.

"Let him go. If he comes after you, it was meant to be." Maybe cuz Raul was right after all.

"Why are you pulling your hair?" Avery's face was in front of mine. "Is there something going on between you and Ashton that you haven't told me?" she asked.

"Ahhhhh," I screamed with my hands on my hair.

"What's going on?" Avery asked.

"It was a huge mistake! Why did I tell Art that Ashton is my boyfriend?"

I kept pulling my hair while I was shaking my head.

"I don't know!" Avery scrunched her face. "I wanted to ask you the same question. What do you want to achieve?"

Suddenly, Avery's eyes started blinking. "Did you want to make Art jealous?"

"No! Of course not. I wasn't thinking, okay." I closed my eyes, trying to erase the scene flashing back on me.

"Why don't you calm yourself and wait?" Avery held my hands. "This might be the eye-opener we have been praying for."

"What if I really hurt Art?"

Avery slowly put my hands down and cupped my face. "Then I guess we can now call it even between you guys. How does that sound?"

AVE!!!

***

Weeks turned into a month. If we had avoided Art before like a plague, he had been MIA since the night we last saw and talked to each other.

I tried playing it cool to make it appear I wasn't affected.

I never asked my mom or Auntie Jenny. Every info about Art came from Avery. She played my eyes and ears on anything Art. A role she gladly accepted.

The last week before our return to school, Avery and I prepared a pre-birthday surprise for Art, as usual. Every year, we came to his house to bring our gifts and do a movie marathon of his favorite movies of the year.

On our drive to Art's, Avery asked where my gift was. I just smiled and showed him the card I had made. When she asked me what was inside, I told her I had written an apology for not hearing Art's plea the past weeks. And with my apology, I invited him to have a meal with me so we could talk.

I'm ready to listen and hear you out. I have something to tell you. Let's have lunch together.

"Short and sweet, not bad." Avery snickered.

Avery and I were so excited when Auntie Jenny opened the door for us. But confusion replaced our excitement when instead of calling Art, Auntie Jenny came down from Art's bedroom with two envelopes.

"I'm so sorry, girls. But Art isn't home. He left for D.C. yesterday." She handed us an envelope with our names in Art's handwriting.

Immediately, Avery opened hers. She looked at me and covered her mouth in shock. I couldn't seem to breathe. I felt heaviness on my chest. Auntie Jenny made us sit on the couch.

My hands shook as I opened the envelope in my hand.

Silently my tears fell. I couldn't think. My mind turned into a blank canvas.

My Dear Shelly,

I'm sorry for leaving without saying goodbye. It pains me more than ever not to see you, for I know it will be long before we see each other again. But I know it will be better for both of us.

I couldn't count the time I had caused you pain, the times I broke your heart. And I'm terribly sorry for all of it. So my leaving is not to run away from you, but it's my punishment to myself for hurting you.

I know you deserve to hear my apology in person; I can't assure myself not to change my mind if I see you.

By the time you read this, I'm already in D.C. with Uncle Tim, my mom's younger brother. I accepted his long-time offer to make me work a summer job at his I.T. company. But, unfortunately, it just won't be a summer job anymore. So I begged him and my mom to allow me to continue and finish high school here in D.C.

Please take care of yourself. Be happy. Whatever happened or did not happen between us, I want you to know one thing. You are special to me, Shells. You will always be.

My mind and heart are yours, forever.

Love, A

The tears in my and Avery's eyes concluded our reaction to Art's letters. Auntie Jenny cried too. But instead of making us go home, she insisted that we stay and sleep in Art's room like before.

Avery and I tried calling him, but he didn't answer our calls. We decided we would call him again the next day on his birthday.

Before I gave in to sleep, I prayed hard and promised I would take any chance I could get to talk to and see Art again.

"I'm sure he wouldn't let tomorrow pass without talking to us. It's his birthday," Avery said in between sobs.

I slept believing Avery was right. But the next day turned into days. Days turned into weeks, into months, to a year, and another year.

Art never came home.

***

Before our high school graduation, Avery and I agreed to ask for the same graduation gift from our parents.

"If Art won't come to us, we will come to him!" 

So together we planned the greatest trip of our lives. 

***