Despite What They Say

01 :: pulled along

01 :: pulled along

My friends were annoying; my parents, controlling. My boyfriend was a liar; my brother was an egotistical womanizer. All of these people were considered to be important to me, but they didn't believe in me. Thus, I began to lose belief in them. East Grove was a small, quiet town located in northern Michigan with little purpose all year until the summer months. It was the cliché small town where everyone knew everyone and secrets were never truly secret. I wanted out of such a helpless place—I just wanted to get away.

I was a very observant girl, as most would describe me. Too observant of one's actions and tells that it was almost too easy to find out the lies that were folded upon me. My boyfriend was a grade A douche. He was a liar, and I figured instantly from the moment his eyes found mine Friday evening. We sat on the public beach just south of downtown East Grove sharing the peaceful sound of waves crashing against the sand and admiring the end of the day's sunset.

"I love you," he said, a genuine smile formed across his smooth face. His light brown hair fell atop his forehead—giving him a look of innocence. I bit my lip, searching the waves as if they'd give me a response.

"Grant, I—" I turned my head to look into his eyes. They were definitely full of something, and it wasn't love. It was guilt.

"Come on Madeline, just say it back," his eyes full of regret and tone full of plead, "I need you to say it back to me."

I couldn't bring myself to say such words in a meaningful way. When he grabbed my arm with force, the words tumbled out of my mouth in a rather rushed manner, "Grant, I love you. Okay?"

Grant's grip loosened and his head tilted towards the sand. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For everything. For being a dick lately. For some other things—uhm—other things you just don't know yet," He scratched his head, messing up his soft hair.

"Spit it out, Grant," I tensed my jaw, gripping the sand tightly between my palms. I had a numbing feeling as the where this conversation was going. He either didn't love me as much as he used to or he cheated on me. Whichever came from his lips would leave me pissed nevertheless.

"I cheated on you," he whispered ever so quietly, but it seemed that all surrounding sounds paused just to hear the faint sounds passing through his soft lips that I once enjoyed. "But, Maddie, it meant absolutely nothing, I swear! It happened at a party and I was completely wasted. I had no clue about what I was doing and—and I'm just really sorry babe."

I could hear some form of disappointment he held against his actions, but I could care less about how disappointed he was in himself. He still allowed himself to bang some chick. I held my breath and let my grip of the sand go. A dry laugh erupted from my throat. 

"Who was it? Hmm, Cassandra? Lillian? No, maybe it was Brooklyn." I stood up glaring at the prick, all humor evaporated. "You know what, I really don't care."

I snatched my flip-flops up from the dirty sand and ripped off the diamond necklace he bought me for our two-year anniversary from my chest and chucked it at Grant's stupid face.

"You know, babe, if it wasn't obvious already, we are most definitely over." I stormed away with a scowl imbedded to my face. He didn't love me, and now I didn't love him. I didn't love him; he was a lying, dirty scumbag. I could hear loud curses erupt from behind me and eventually loud padding of feet against the sand.

"Madeline. Where are you gonna go? Your parents are out of town and you left your keys in your house. I'm not letting you break in." He grabbed my arm, spinning me around.