Damaged Love

Chapter Eight: Finale

Chapter Eight-Finale

Uncertainty plagued the next two weeks. I called out of work; I ended up confiding in Janie and I told her that I had to take a short personal vacation. She remembered about my apprehensions concerning my relationship and Crissy. I continued to stay at Kona's. Callie ended up going home after a couple nights. Thankfully, Wes didn't show up at her house or anything. Still, I feel like I instilled some worry into my best friend—and of course that didn't help my personal anxiousness.

I changed my phone number, deactivated all of my social media. Wesley spent about four days attacking me with emails, but those eventually stopped. I constantly wonder what he's up to. I am always stuck between wanting him to leave me alone and wishing that he were thinking about me. But I wanted him to think about me in a way that he missed me. I wanted him to still love me.

Callie did come every morning to check up on me, though. I had just finished setting the kitchen table and Kona poured us all some coffee.

"I'm going to my parents' house in a week," I announced, taking a seat.

"Is that settled?" Kona asked.

"Yeah; I told them that I'd explain everything when I got there. I didn't think it was the proper scenario to talk about over the phone."

"Are you going to tell them?" Callie inquired. "Like, everything?"

"I don't know yet. If anything, I might just say that Wesley and I broke up. I ended up telling them that we did have a huge argument, but that's it."

"How long are you going to stay there? What about law school and work?"

"Maybe I can transfer and also find a new job. I just can't stay here."

"You don't have to change your life because of what happened," Kona said, placing a hand on my shoulder, "We'll protect you."

"I just know that I need to get away for a little while. But you're wrong about the changing. I do need to change my life. I'm lost. I don't know where I'm supposed to be or what I'm supposed to be doing anymore."

"You're still Mia, even without Wesley," Callie assured me.

"I'm afraid. I'm still constantly questioning everything and everyone around me. I thought that I'd be on my way to graduating and I'd be engaged and that I'd have the perfect fairytale life with my prince and successful best friends. I didn't think that—"

I trailed off as I started tearing up.

"You can still have that; it's just not going to be with the person you thought you'd end up with," Kona said.

"How am I supposed to ever fall in love again?"

"You will cross that bridge when you get there, but right now you just need to focus on yourself," Callie said.

"And you can take this with you," Kona said, walking over to a kitchen drawer. He pulled out a photo and handed it to me.

"The sunset," I said.

"When you come back from your parents' house, we can work on your photography some more. You have so much potential," Kona replied.

"Think of how hard it would be if my parents still lived in this town; Wes would find it so much easier to track me down and—"

"Stop thinking about him," Callie warned. "It's not good for you; it's not good for any of us."

"Wesley does not dictate your life. He never did, and he never will," Kona added.

"Callie, do me a favor?" I requested.

"Anything," she replied.

"Move in with Kona."

"Huh?"

"Or at least somewhere in this neighborhood; I don't trust Wes to—I know it sounds insane, but I don't think that it's a good idea that Wes knows where you live."

"I..."

"I know it's a big thing to ask, but I'm concerned about your safety."

"Mia, I'll be fine. And actually, I've been meaning to find a new place anyway."

"Really?" I asked, and she nodded.

"Maybe we can all live together," Kona suggested. "It'll be like an episode of Friends."

I smiled. "Living with my two best friends; that would be nice."

"When you get back, we'll figure out everything," Callie said.

"Things are going to be better, I promise," Kona gave me a hug.

"I love you," I told him.

"Whoa—what?" Callie gasped.

"And I love you," I told Callie, urging her to join the hug.

"But you loved me first, right?" Kona joked.

"Shut up," I said, laughing.

"We haven't heard you laugh in a while," Callie pointed out.

"Yeah; it feels good," I admitted.

*

My friends continued eating their breakfast. I sat in my chair, staring at the photo of the sunset in my hands. Maybe someday, I would have everything figured out. I don't know if Wesley is ever going to show up in my life again. I have no real reassurance that I am safe.

Later on, as I helped Kona wash the dishes, the doorbell rang.

"Are you expecting anybody?" Callie asked.

"No," Kona replied, "I wonder who it is."

He walked up to the front door. We all waited in hesitation. My heart raced. If Wesley somehow found out where Kona lives, I'd be dead. We'd all be dead. And maybe...

It was just the UPS guy.

"I ordered some new camera equipment; I forgot," Kona said, closing the door with a box in his hands.

"For a second, I thought it was Wesley," I whispered.

"It's normal to think that," Callie said.

"Am I going to be like this for the rest of my life? I'm always going to be thinking he could show up anywhere."

"It'll take time, Mia. A lot of time, but you will get better."

"I hope so; I really hope so."

"I'll finish up the dishes," Kona told me. "I know we just had breakfast, but maybe you just need to lie down again."

"Yeah, maybe," I said. I headed into the bedroom and crashed against an old pillow. I closed my eyes, just spacing out for a second.

I sat up and grabbed my phone. I hesitantly activated my social media accounts again. I ended up opening up my Facebook page. There were no messages from Wesley. However, the first post on my timeline was from his page. He had liked a quote.

To the damaged, I am sorry, love. Goodbye.

But in the corner, I saw his profile picture. It was of him and Crissy. I signed out and chuckled to myself—it was more of a self-pity laugh. I thought, in the words of Wesley, "that little fucker."