Zoey 101: You Must Of Had A Broken Heart ☑

Chapter 58

“Lola,” I explained lowly, “what do I really have? If it weren’t for you and Chase, I wouldn’t even exist, or I might as well not exist. I need more than school and sports to keep me wanting to move forward. I can’t be that person anymore, not now that I know the difference.”

Lola sat silently, breaking off pieces of her cookie without eating them.

“Are you sure there isn’t a way for you to move out of their house?” she finally questioned. “If you get caught…” She couldn’t look me in the eye.

“I won’t get caught,” I assured her. We sat in silence for a moment, picking at our food.

“Are you going to the award ceremony tomorrow night?” Lola asked, changing the subject.

“I put it on the calendar, and they didn’t say anything, so I think so.”

“Are you staying at school, or should my parents and I pick you up at your house?”

“I’ll probably stay here. I have to work on the newspaper and my History paper, so there’s no point in going home.” There was never a point in going home, but it was unavoidable, no matter how much I delayed the return. I didn’t have any other choice.

~~~##~~

“Congratulations,” she offered as Lola and I walked into the cool spring evening.

I approached her but not with the shock of our first encounter. I wasn’t surprised to see her, but I was surprised by her sobriety. My mother appeared uncomfortably nervous standing on the sidewalk. She had her hands in her jacket pockets, glancing from the ground to my face, awaiting my reaction.

Lola didn’t continue to the parking lot but waited a short distance away to give us room to talk. I walked closer to the frail woman who I barely resembled except for her dark brown hair.

“I am so proud of you,” she said gently, glancing up at me. “Captain next year, that’s great, Zoey.”

“Co-captain,” I corrected. She smiled lightly as she held my gaze with her sparkling eyes.

“I saw you play.” She smiled bigger.

“I know,” I answered quietly. “I heard you yelling in the stands.”

“I’ve decided to stop drinking,” she declared proudly. “I haven’t had anything to drink since December.” I could only nod, uncertain if I believed her words. I had no proof of the alleged truth other than her current condition.

“I got a new job too,” she continued. “I’m an executive assistant at an engineering firm a couple towns over.”

“You moved to Connecticut?” I questioned, shocked by this revelation.

“I wanted to be closer to you,” she told me with an eager expression. “I was hoping we could see each other… if you wanted to.”

My shoulders pulled back at this request. “We’ll see,” I replied, unable to commit. She nodded with her shoulder slumped in disappointment.

“I understand,” she whispered, looking at the ground. “Are you okay?” She looked up at me again, searching for more than the three words asked.

“I’m okay,” I assured her with a tight smile. Her concerned eyes didn’t release their scrutiny.

“Would you mind if I went to some of your track meets? I know they’re usually during the week, but if you have a weekend meet, would it be all right?”

I shrugged. “If you want.” I really wanted to tell her not to come - that I preferred not to see her again. But I couldn’t look into her desperate eyes and reject her so blatantly.