You Don't Know..What you Don't Know

Chapter 51- Summer

Another Summer. I couldn't believe how quickly the years were disappearing. In a few days I'd be packing for basketball camp, then another season would begin. Life refused to wait for anyone.

The next morning, I stayed in bed until the house was almost empty.

Jim had already left for Myrtle Beach with the senior class. Steve and the cousins were long gone. I waited until I heard the front door close before finally dragging myself downstairs.

The swelling in my lip wasn't nearly as bad as it had looked the night before. Once the dried blood was gone, it was little more than a bruise.

Mom noticed it immediately.

"What happened?"

"I ran into the pantry door."

She gave me a skeptical look but didn't press.

Good.

The fewer people who knew what had happened in that parking lot, the better.

I hoped Steve and Torri had made it home without things getting any worse. Part of me wanted to text Steve, but every time I picked up my phone, I put it back down.

Enough.

I was tired of trying to fix everyone.

After breakfast, I laced up my running shoes and headed toward the park.

Running had never been my thing. I was built for short bursts and fast breaks, not miles. Still, every step seemed to pound a little more clarity into my head.

By the time I finished, one truth was impossible to ignore.

Last night hadn't been one bad decision.

It had been years of bad decisions finally colliding.

Randy wasn't a bad person.

Neither was Torri.

But somewhere along the way, I'd allowed my life to become one endless triangle of emotions, jealousy, secrets, and apologies.

Every time I thought I'd escaped it...

I walked right back in.

Basketball camp started in three days.

For the first time in my life, I was leaving Richmond because of something I'd earned—not because of a boy.

I wanted to walk into camp with a clear head.

No unfinished conversations.

No promises hanging over me.

No wondering what Randy and I were supposed to be.

I stared at my phone for nearly five minutes before finally typing.

White flag. Can we meet one last time?

The reply came almost instantly.

Anywhere. Just tell me where.

I looked back toward Echo Lake, where the walking trails circled the water.

One last conversation.

One last goodbye.

If we couldn't get this right...

At least we could end it right.

Randy squeezed my hand as we followed the trail around Echo Lake.

"I still can't picture you as a junior," he said. "Seems like yesterday you were that little freshman making everybody crazy."