Zoey 101: You Must Of Had A Broken Heart ☑

Chapter 47

“Okay,” I said slowly. “That’s great, right?”

“It was really great,” she glowed.

“How did it happen?” I asked, trying not to think of our night at the movies and how they hit it off, because then I’d have to think about that night with Chase – and how I’d never get it back.

“I called to return his flashlight. We started talking. Then he called me later that night, and we talked some more. He asked me out and I said yes.”

“Leaving out the details?” I noticed. A vague account of dates wasn’t Lola’s style.

“I didn’t know if it was going to be weird for you since he’s Chase’s brother. But I had to tell you, or else I was going to burst. I can leave out the other stuff if you’d rather not hear it.”

“No, I want to hear everything,” I replied honestly.

Lola went on to talk about their dinner date in Boston and another in New York. Her eyes sparkled as she gushed about her time with Eric. As much as I was happy for her, this strange hollow sensation filled my stomach. Was I jealous? I pushed away the selfish emotion and smiled.

“And the second night, he kissed me. It was the most amazing kiss ever. I thought I was going to fall over.” Lola beamed as the memory danced across her eyes.

“What are you going to do now? I mean, he’s going back to New York, right?”

“Yeah, he left this morning,” she sighed. “It was the best time I’ve ever had, but he goes to college in New York.” She shrugged, smiling contently.

“That’s it?”

“Yeah, that’s it. Honestly, I didn’t expect anything else. I knew when I went out with him that that was probably going to be it.”

“Then why’d you do it?” I questioned in confusion.

“Why not?!” she answered enthusiastically. “I’d rather have these incredible memories of the two nights I spent with him, knowing that I probably won’t go out with him again, than not to have had them at all.”

“Huh,” I pondered, intrigued by Lola’s perception. Her words sat with me long after she left that afternoon.

I continued thinking about what she said when I lay in bed that night. Was it better to get as much out of the moment as possible, knowing it could slip out from under you in a second? Was the actual experience better than the inevitable conclusion? I guess I had to decide if the conclusion was a broken heart, or a broken bone, in order to weigh the risk.

I didn’t sleep well that night. My dreams swirled together in an incoherent jumble of images. I’m certain my restlessness was provoked by the conversation with Lola. Then again, I knew George was picking me up in the morning.

George and I sat in silence for the first part of the car ride – I stared out the window and he kept his eyes glued to the road.

“It would be best if you weren’t around Abby very much,” he finally said. His voice drew my attention. I wasn’t surprised he refused to look over at me. “She’s been under a lot of stress, and the new medication she’s on is affecting her moods. You can stay in your room and eat after we do, like you did before, but I’ll take care of the dishes. You just worry about getting your Saturday chores done while she’s out shopping.

“I spoke with the Martinez, They’re willing to help us out by letting you spend Saturday’s there, after you do your chores, and any Friday nights when you have a basketball game. They’re sympathetic to Abby’s stress and are very thoughtful to have offered. So please don’t make this any more difficult. Sunday’s you can spend at the library, like you have been. Zoey, I don’t think I have to remind you that what happens in our house, stays in our house.”