HATE THE TOWN LOVE HER

Chapter 3

After talking to Parker, Chris walked home, feeling the weight of everything that had happened. His mind was still on Kaitlyn—how scared she had looked, the way she had run off. He felt like he had ruined everything.

When he stepped through the front door, he was ready to head upstairs to his room and just be alone for a while, but his mom's voice stopped him.

"Chris, come here. We need to talk."

Reluctantly, he walked into the living room, where his mom was sitting on the couch. She had that serious look on her face, the one she always had when something big was about to happen. His dad wasn't there, but he could feel the weight of the conversation before she even started.

"What's going on?" he asked, standing in the doorway.

His mom sighed, gesturing for him to sit down. "Chris, your dad and I have been talking. We're not sure if this place is going to work out for us... for work, I mean. We might have to move back."

Chris froze. Move back?

"I know you've had a hard time adjusting here," she continued, watching his reaction. "And we thought going back to where your friends are might be better for you too."

Chris blinked, trying to process what she was saying. A few weeks ago, this would've been the best news he could've heard. Moving back, being with his old friends, getting away from this town he didn't like—it would've been perfect.

But now? Now things felt complicated. Kaitlyn. Parker. The new life he was slowly starting to build here.

"I don't know anymore," Chris said quietly, surprising himself. "I don't know if I want to go back."

His mom looked at him with concern. "I thought you missed your friends. You haven't been happy here, Chris. This place has been hard on you."

Chris nodded. "Yeah, I did miss them. I mean, I still do, but... things are different now."

They talked for a few more minutes, his mom asking questions, trying to understand why he seemed so conflicted. Chris didn't know how to explain it fully, not yet. But the thought of leaving didn't feel as easy as it once did. There was something about this place now—something that made him hesitate.

Finally, he went up to his room, his mind spinning. He sat on his bed, pulling out his phone. He stared at the screen for a long time, thinking about texting Kaitlyn. He wanted to reach out, apologize for what happened, for losing control.

But then his mom's words echoed in his head: *We might have to move back.*

If he was leaving, there was no point in texting her, right? He had already made her upset. There was no use dragging it out if he was going to be gone soon anyway. The thought hit him hard, and his finger hovered over her name on his phone screen.

After a long pause, he put the phone down, laying back on his bed. He stared at the ceiling, trying to figure out what to do next.

The next day arrived far too quickly for Chris. His parents had made the final decision—they were moving back to their old town, and by tomorrow, they'd be gone. He sat at the kitchen table, barely able to eat breakfast, his stomach in knots. Everything felt heavy, like a weight pressing on his chest, but he knew he couldn't put it off anymore. He needed to talk to Parker.

Later that afternoon, he walked over to Parker's house, the sun already starting to dip in the sky, casting a golden glow over the neighborhood. It felt like everything was moving in slow motion, every step harder than the last. When he reached Parker's door, Parker opened it, his usual smile faltering when he saw the look on Chris's face.