Next Lifetime

Chapter 5

She smiles at me now and nods her head as Megan and Shawnna pull her away asking her about her hair journey. I shook my head and texted back Hunter about the plans for tonight. He wanted me to be his wingman after the bar I was just going to go to Alex's since her daughter is still with her father. I caught up with them as they go hair supplies and dropped the girls off at home and drove Amber off to the park. We got out and began walking around the tension was thick but I wasn't going to say anything first.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I'm sorry for leaving after what happened between us, for moving without telling you, for ignoring your calls and text messages. I'm sorry."

"Why did you do it"?

I asked looking at her as she wrung her hands together. We were now sitting on a bench with me facing her and her sitting forward with her head down.

"Nick. After we had sex I panicked. We were drunk, young and I knew things would be different. I wasn't a friend I am a girl you had sex with. Then when I got home my mom got a promotion and we were moving to Atlanta, I didn't want to go but had no choice. So I told Michelle. Then when we got to Atlanta a lot of things happened. I was still dealing with the fact you had feelings for me and I felt guilty. Guilty, so much guilty so I didn't answer. I didn't want to face your sadness and dove into what was going on in Atlanta"

"So you dumped me as a friend basically"?

She looks up at me now as she sighs.

"I didn't know how to deal. . ."

"The first few days I understand not being able to deal. No you ran. You dumped me as a friend you took the coward way out. I told you if you didn't feel the same I would still be there for you. I told you that did I not? How did you think I would feel when you left? You were my best friend the girl I told all my secrets too. Hell the girl I let stay at my house for weeks when your dad was beating you before he left. I was there. I thought we were at least in a friendship where we talked things out. You dumped me as a friend without a blink of an eye and for that I can't trust you. You didn't call back. I cried on your fucking voicemails wondering why you weren't answering. I thought something happened. I was fucking worried then had to find out through social media a year later oh fucking Amber is having the time of her life in Atlanta with her boyfriend. You moved on. You didn't care. You didn't have feelings okay but at least be fucking woman enough to tell me head on. At least have the decency to treat me like someone who's had your back since we were in diapers. You didn't. I was broken. I haven't forgiven you and I feel your reason isn't good enough. I need to go back to get ready"

I stood up. Pissed. Hurt. I felt her hand grab mine.

"Nick please understand we were young"

"We were old enough to know how to hurt one another. I guess we weren't really best friends huh? You obviously didn't know me well enough"

I stated as she sobbed and walked away to my car and got in waiting for her. She climbed in with tears still going down her face.

"Nick you were my best friend. No matter what you will always know me better than anyone"

"I use to believe that Amber, but now I don't feel I know you anymore"?

"Nick things happened in Atlanta, things that I would never be able to forget even if I tried"

"What"?

Her lip quivered as she looked away.

"Things that I buried"

She stated as she turned away staring out the window.

"You never felt anything back"?

I asked sitting there staring at her side profile.