Set Free

Set Free Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

  "You tried to kill yourself?" I asked, not being able to believe that this was coming from the same exact guy who had told me that my own life was worth something.

  "Yeah, I did, and I know it's hard to believe that now, but that's only because I'm not the same person I was back then. I mean, I was really messed up when I lost Anna, but that was because I was like every other person born into this world who experiences a loss. I was searching for something. I wanted a kind of peace. And, luckily, I found it." Nick admitted.

  "How? What did you find?" I asked urgently, now more than curious, since I'd been after the same thing for who knows how long. Even before I'd met Justin I was always searching for something like that. It was the one mystery of the world that seemed to go unsolved.

  "I found.....or maybe I should say I was found by.....God. And, I know you don't buy into any of this, but stay with me for a minute. God loves me, and God loves you, and you're not gonna get anything worthwhile out of your life unless God's in it with you. And that's the honest truth." Nick said, but it was already too late.

Mid-sentence I was already shaking my head, refusing to believe for one second that someone else besides myself was in control of my life and the rest of the world. I just didn't, couldn't, believe in that. I wouldn't allow myself to even begin to try to believe in that.

  "Okay, okay, moving on. I'm not into religion. Nothing ever happens for a reason. All that stuff is pure crap." I said defiantly.

  I thought he would press me about it, but instead he just shrugged, and dropped it like I had asked. I was surprised.

  "So," I asked, "You skip school on this day every year? Why?"

  "Well.....it really just comes down to the fact that everyone still unfortunately remembers what went down two years ago with my sister, and I really don't enjoy being given those pity looks and being reminded about it all day long. So I just come sit here, and think about my life all day instead. I mean, it doesn't hurt to skip just one day a year, yknow."

  "Wait," I blinked repeatedly in confusion,"So, you've been here ALL day? Just sitting here thinking? Have you even eaten anything at all since this morning?"

  "Well, I brought lunch with me, so I have eaten, but yeah, I've pretty much been out here all day. But, hey, honestly, it's really good for me. Besides, lately there's been a lot going on in my life I really haven't had much time to think about, what with you being introduced into it. I mean, to be perfectly honest," Nick placed his hand lightly on my shoulder, "and don't take this the wrong way or anything....but you're kind of a handful."

  I made a face and removed his hand from my shoulder, but Nick just smiled and laughed at me, and soon enough, I was laughing along with him. I just couldn't help it, his smile, and his laugh, were completely contagious to me. I'd caught his disease, it seemed.

  Once our laughter died down, Nick appeared to be thinking about something, and I couldn't help but bluntly ask what it was.

  "Hey, you've gone all quiet, what's going on in there?" I tapped his head with my hand, and then  kept it there, ruffling his hair a bit.

  Nick reached his hand up and made mine stay still, wrapping his around mine on top of his head, and said, "Oh, I was just thinking about the fact that you missed me today." Nick smirked at mw.

  "What?" I said, retracting my hand from his and acting like I'd never heard of such a thing before in my life. "Who says?" I tried to feign shock, but it didn't work out too well. I was still smiling at him. I really couldn't control my expressions anymore around him. He seemed to be able to read me like an open book, even if I did mask my emotions, so what was the point of even trying?

  "Well, for one, your actions. And don't try to just lightly explain them away, Amber. You can't.  I mean, I skip school for one day and you totally freak out and come looking for me. I know you must've gone to my house to look for me, too, cause only my mom knew where I was." Nick smiled victory,

Unfortunately, I wasn't going to be able to tell a convincing enough lie to sway him this time, and I knew it.