The New Kid (Book 1)

Chapter 24

Elliot

I hated this pain. The ache in my chest with every breath I took or every step I walked. It was even worse when I would actually see him in school. Every time I saw him I would look over at him, hoping he'd come over to talk to me, to explain why he broke up with me. But every time, he just looked away, like he didn't even know who I was.

That was the worst part. I thought I had meant something to him, I really did. I couldn't have just meant absolutely nothing to him, right?

I just wanted to know why he thought we didn't belong together. Was that too much to ask?

It's been a little over two weeks since he broke up with me, and now I'm starting to think he'll never speak to me again, or at least, never tell me why he ended it.

"You need to get out more." The voice ripped through my thoughts, bringing me back to the present, with Jared sitting down at our lunch table next to me. "Seriously. You haven't been doing anything fun for the last two weeks, Elliot."

"That's 'cause there's nothing I want to do except talk to him," I muttered, putting my head into my hands.

"Get over him," Jared said sternly. "Obviously it wasn't meant to be."

Even though I've been thinking the same thing over the course of the last sixteen days, his words still sent a dagger through my heart.

I lifted up my head suddenly. "Why does he hate me?"

Jared sighed, trying to stab a pathetic-looking fry with a fork. "Stop asking me that. I don't know."

Letting out a frustrated groan, I turned my attention back to my own neglected lunch. I really didn't feel like eating, but then again, I haven't felt like eating in weeks. Actually, I think I might have lost weight because of my lack of an appetite.

"You are not just going to stare at your food all period again, dude."

"I won't," I said, grabbing my sandwich, although I didn't move to take a bite yet. "I'm just not hungry."

"No. You're heartbroken. There's a difference." I rolled my eyes. "Being upset doesn't give you an excuse to not eat."

"You're not my mother," I mumbled, but took a small bite anyway.

"No, but if I told them you weren't eating lunch, they'd be all over you to eat more. Don't deny it."

I nodded, not bothering to answer. I put up a front around them, I knew that. If they knew just how upset I was over the fact that Colton broke up with me, they would constantly hover. I didn't want that. I just wanted to be left alone.

Before I knew it, I had eaten my whole sandwich and the bell ending lunch was ringing. I keep finding myself completely losing track of time recently, and I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

When I got up from the table, grabbing hold of my books, I just felt defeated. How much longer can I do this, the endless routine that just doesn't have a point anymore? There really was no point. Obviously I wasn't happy, and there didn't seem to be anything that would make me feel like a normal person again.

Not even football was helping me. I was slacking, even I knew that without the coaches yelling at me to do better every time I stepped onto that field. There was just no enjoyment in it anymore. I wanted there to be, but I just couldn't make myself be happy any more than I could make him talk to me.

"-ing later tonight?"

I turned to Jared, who was now looking at me expectantly. "What? Sorry, I missed that."