Escaping Love (Rewrite) [Book #1]

Chapter 6

|| JACKIE ||

|| Saturday, September 14th ||

I shut the door and leaned against it. Sliding down, I banged my head against the wood.

"Gosh, how could I be so stupid?" I sighed. There was a knock on my door. "Go away," I said.

"Jackie, let me in," I heard Charlotte say.

"No, I don't want to see anybody."

"Well, either you open the door and let me in, or we have our conversation through the door," Charlotte said.

"I'd rather do neither."

"Fine, then let's talk about Friday night when I told you I love you. Then you lied and told me you have a girlfriend. Let's let your parents hear this conversation," she said.

I immediately stood up and opened the door, "You wouldn't dare," I hissed.

"It got you to open the door." Right as I was about to close it, her foot stopped me from doing so.

I knew I couldn't close the door on her. So, I decided to open it all the way and let her in. I closed my door and locked it, standing there and watched her pace around the room.

"Charlotte," I sighed.

"I seriously can't believe you," she started, "You lied to me!"

"I know, I got-"

"I'm not finished!" She raised her voice, and I flinched. She never raised her voice at me before, and it scared me. I'm not sure if she noticed because she continued, "When I came to your house on Friday after Amber drove you home, and Shay came over, accusing you of cheating, were you with her at the time?"

"Charlotte," I sighed.

"Answer the question!" She said.

"No, I wasn't," I said.

"She kissed you in front of me," Charlotte said.

"I know. I shouldn't have allowed Shay to do it. Like I shouldn't have lied to you."

"Why did you lie?" Charlotte asked.

"I was afraid," I mumbled.

"Of me? Of us?" She asked, sounding hurt.

"No, of course not," I walked closer to her, but she took a step back every time I moved forward.

"I don't understand. You wanted this to happen. It's been over a year," Charlotte said. "I didn't come here just for my job. I came to tell you how I feel, too."

"I know, I should have been honest with you," I said, looking away from her.

"Please, look at me," she said.

I turned to her, and I felt tears in my eyes, making my vision blur.

"Sweetie," she said, walking over to me.

As she got closer, I put my hands out and stopped her, "Stop, please," I said as my hands were on her shoulders. I looked down at the ground as tears continued to fall. "I liked you. I loved you and had feelings for you. They were a bunch of mixed emotions. When I found out how impossible it was for us to be together, it shattered my heart. I gained feelings for my best friend, who couldn't return them."

Charlotte tried to move forward, and my hands continued holding her in place. I don't want her any closer to me.

"I moved here with my parents for their job, and I also moved to get rid of the heartbreak. I escaped the pain by starting a new life in a new state. I uniquely met a girl, and she betrayed me. Three times. Three! I should have gotten out of it sooner, but she did kind things that I would have missed if I broke up with her. I know it's stupid, and I was an idiot to believe she would be loyal to me after the first time she cheated. I don't need anyone rubbing it in my face. Then you came along... beautiful as ever, in the school that I attend, and as my math teacher. I thought I was going to have a heart attack when I saw you again for the first time in over a year. I had joy because I wanted to reconnect with you, like old times. But, I also had pain, because it reminded me of the times our relationship was completely platonic. It reminded me why I needed a fresh start in the first place."