Nineteen

Chapter Three

I ended things with Ty only after a month of starting them. Not to my surprise, he had a new girlfriend shortly after. The news of him moving on so fast hurt, but not as bad as when I heard about Link.

During the summer Link began dating a girl a year younger than I was. I was hurt. She was getting the boy I tried hard for but could never have. I was jealous and heartbroken. I felt the pain all over my body as the summer kept passing me by. I deleted them both off social media just so I didn't have to look at them. It's hard to imagine how many tears I shed that summer before going back to school and back to Ty.

He was a senior this year and I was a sophomore. I dated him a total of five times that year, all ending the same as the last. It was a routine that kept me busy and I used it to mask the pain. 

Link was attending a local community college, or so I heard. We spoke a few times when he came to pick up his girlfriend, purely out of respect and to avoid an awkward meeting, but nothing like it was before. 

My 10th grade year of school ended my on-and-off relationship with Ty. I heard he transferred to another school to prepare for college track, and I'm sure he enjoyed the new selection of girls that was laid out for him.

At that point I hadn't heard from or seen Link in months. I was reading more and more novels throughout the year. I found it comforting to know that someone else felt the way I did and was able to put it into words.

I was sulking more and more wishing I would go back to my life freshman year when I began the 11th grade. 

I always knew what kind of boy I was interested in: stylish, built, athletic, sweet, popular; all the usual.

The year went fast; I was rebuilding myself. I was no longer heartbroken when the year ended and I was ready to focus on myself and the friends around me.

Then I met Bailey.

He was a living version of the boy I wanted and dreamed of.

We dated all throughout senior year and made plans to go to college together. He became friends with Clark and Liah seemed to enjoy him. 

We both got accepted into a few colleges, but Miami University was the only one that we both made it into, so the choice was obvious. 

I was finally happy with someone who wanted me as much as I did him, even after many months together. He broke down all my walls and made me feel whole again. 

But something was missing.