Collide

Chapter Sixteen

Zach

I felt sick to my stomach. This day had been one massive wreck.

My truck wouldn't start. Turned out the battery was dead and I was the last person home. So I walked to the neighbors and asking if I could have a jump, only to get caught in the middle of an awkward conversation between a mother and her sixteen year old daughter.

"Look! Boys don't want girls who have everything hanging out! And you will not wear that horrible bra! It is lace! Only married woman can wear that!" She was ranting and raving and I was standing in the door way awkwardly not able to get away.

Needless to say I was stuck there with my cheeks flaming for 20 minutes before the mother actually turned to asked what I needed.

When I finally got to school i couldn't find a parking spot anywhere. It was like the whole freaking city decided to come to the college today! When I found a parking spot and got to class. It turns out I missed half of it. the teacher Refused to let me catch up with the rest of the class. Why they did that I didn't have the slightest inclination!

Later when I bumped into Natalie, and tried to tell her I was sorry for missing our run this morning, she just shrugged me off.

"Hmm? Yeah? No problem?" Natalie said in a distant tone as she walked.

I scruntched my eyebrows together. "Natalie, I really am sorry.." I said slowly.

She just nodded and kept walking. Her eyes were fixed on the ground and I'm not sure if she even heard me.

Needless to say.It was a bad day.

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I got home home after practice. And I was soaking wet. Not only had it rained on us while we were at practice but when I got out and to the truck I found my window had been left open. And it wouldn't close. So i drove home with rain hitting me in the face the whole way.

I jumped into the shower when I got home. Hoping I could warm up in the water. But would you look at that, no hot water. "You've got to be kidding me!" I shouted Angrily. There was no one home to hear me though.

I grumbled and finished taking my shower. I got out, dried off and wrapped the towel around my waist before padding back to my room only to be stopped by the phone ringing. I sighed and trudged down the hall to pick up the phone.

"Hello." I said a bit too gruffly into the phone.

"Uh, um, is, uh this um, Zach?" A small voice squeaked accrost the phone.

"Who wants to know."

"Well uh, you see, I'm, um Susan... from your history and um, well it's stupid really...But uh.."

Any other day I would be highly amused by this. But today it was just getting on my nervers how she couldn't just spit out what she was trying to say. So...... I hung up and stomped back to my room, slamming the door behind me.

I dressed in a pair of sweats and a shirt, then flopped down on my bed. The bed bounced and something flew off and hit the floor.

It was that stack of letters. I groaned picked them up. I wished I'd never found this stupid stack. It's like its making my life miserable because I won't give it to Natalie.

There I said it. I refuse to give this to Natalie. If there is any chance of her ever wanting to be with me... then I know I can never give her those.

Natalie feels so close one moment but then she's so far away the next.

I just don't want to loose her.. I don't know what I'd do if I lost her all together.

There's no point fooling myself into thinking that I'm trying to protect her... I'm just being selfish now... and there's no justifying it.

I put my arm over my eyes. The letters were still clutched in my hand as I fell a sleep.

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Everything was wrong.. I didn't remember getting in my car. I wasn't even sure where I was exactly.

I was driving fast, but I couldn't pick my foot up off the gas. I watched things fly pAst my window and disappear.

Nothing looked familiar.

I heard honking and I looked up to see the head lights of a truck headed straight towards me. Then pain.

I was wreathing in pain and no ons was there to help me.

Then it was dark and the pain was so much that I tried to scream out but nothing would come out.

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I jerked awake in bed. I was sweaty and sore. My heart was pounding in my chest as I gasped for air. I fell back onto my pillow with a groan. This had been happening a lot lately. Almost every night. it was a punishment. I knew it was. it was punishment for what I was doing to Natalie... for being selfish and not giving her those letters.