Changes That Make Us

Heartbreak

I was standing at my locker grabbing books when I felt his hand touch my arm. I grin to myself, grab the last of my things, and turn around to face him. Ever since we started dating he always meets me at my locker in the morning and walks me to class, it's like our morning ritual. I still can't understand how he always looks so good in the morning. I dumbly stand there staring into his beautiful brown eyes waiting for him to kiss me. He doesn't, something seems different about him today. His smile doesn't reach his eyes and seems forced. I lightly put my hand on his arm and try to think of what could be bothering him. Maybe he didn't get his football scholarship his dad wanted him to get so badly? Or maybe his mom had a relapse and started drinking again? I was shook out of my thoughts when he touched my face and pushed a small hair behind my ear. I softly smiled at him, wishing I could make everything okay. I needed to know what was bothering him so I can help him make it better.

"Kade, what's wrong? What happened?" I whispered to him so the kids in the hall around us couldn't hear.

He pulled away from me and looked down at his shoes. It must be really bad if he can't tell me. He knows I'll always be here for him, so why won't he confide in me? The bell rings signaling for all students to get to first period and Kade turns and walks away, without me. He walks in the opposite direction of my first class, meaning he was going to his class and wasn't walking me to mine this morning. I just stood there in front of my locker holding my books in shock. The hallways cleared out and I was the only one left. The second bell rang signaling that I was late for my first class. I shuffled to my class wishing Kade was walking me there. All throughout first period I couldn't think straight, all I thought about was Kade. I analyzed everything that went on this morning. When it was time for fifth period, my last class, I was the first person in the room. This was the only class Kade and I had together and I wasn't going to loose my chance to talk to him. I waited for him to walk in, and as the empty seats around me filled with kids, I started loosing hope. Was he not coming to class? Where could he have gone? My thoughts were interrupted when the door opened again, it was Kade. He was the last person to come in, and he was late. I smiled at him and he just looked away and walked to his seat, behind me. I couldn't think straight all through class with him behind me, so I tried focusing on other things. Mrs. Keller, our teacher, was handing out worksheets on today's lesson, which I wasn't listening to. I'm going to be so lost, I'm going to fail. She handed me my paper and I looked around on my desk for my pencil. Great, I was so distracted that I forgot to bring the one thing I needed. I looked around for someone I could ask for a pencil. I definitely wasn't going to ask Kade, I taped the person In front of me on the shoulder and he turned around in his seat to face me. I sat there gawking at him because of how handsome he was. His brown hair was pushed back and his blue eyes sparkled like the ocean.

"Um, hi," he said and smiled with his perfect white teeth.

"Sorry, do you have a pencil I could borrow?" I whispered to him so we wouldn't get in trouble for talking.

"Yeah, anything for you pretty girl," he said as he handed me a pencil and grinned.

I started blushing and that definitely took my mind off of Kade for awhile, I almost forgot he was sitting right behind me. With ten minutes left of class, I ripped a piece of paper out of my notebook and wrote on it, Are you new here? I haven't seen you around. I'm Sarah. I folded the paper, taped him on the shoulder once again, and handed it to him. I continued to do my work as I waited for his response. A minute later he slipped the paper back onto my desk, I opened it and read his response, I just moved here last week and started at this school today. I'm Ben, nice to meet you Sarah. Bellow his note he wrote his phone number. I smiled and wrote back, Nice to meet you too Ben, but I have a boyfriend. I folded the note and put it on his desk. I watched him unfold it and read it, then scribble a response back. He turned around and caught me staring at him and he smiled as he handed me the note. That's alright, we can be friends for now, is what he wrote. I drew a smiley face on it and handed it back to him. With a few minutes left of class I was rushing to get my work done, but yet again I was interrupted. Kade taped me on the shoulder and handed me a piece of paper. Maybe he was jealous that I was passing notes with Ben. I opened the note and it said, Meet me in the parking lot after school, we need to talk. I sat there staring at the note for the last few minutes of class. Was he mad I was talking to Ben or was he doing it to tell me what was wrong this morning? I never wrote back and when the bell rang he hurried out the door before I could say anything to him. I tried following after him but Ben stoped me.

"So since were friends you'll still call and text me right?" Ben asked.

"Yes, of course, that's what friends do," I told him and I couldn't help but smile.

"Good, I'll talk to you later then," he said as he walked out of the classroom door.

I got my things together and followed after him. I hurried to my locker, I didn't want Kade to leave without talking to me. I threw everything in my backpack and tossed it over my shoulder. I ran out of the closest door and headed to the parking lot to meet Kade. He saw me before I saw him and he waved me over to him. I pulled him into a hug because I felt like that was what he needed. He pushed me away and I could see the hurt in his eyes.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"For what?"

"We need to break up"

"What?" I asked as tears welled in my eyes. Why would we break up? Everything has been so perfect lately, nothing was wrong with our relationship.

"Our lives are going to be so different when we go to college and we want different things in life," he paused to take a breath and looked down at the ground, "We just won't work out in the long run, so it's better we end it now"

"Kade," I said while trying to hold back tears.

"No, I have to go," he said and then walked away, leaving me alone in the parking lot.
This doesn't make sense, everything was just fine a few days ago. What changed? I walked back to the school, sat next to the wall, and cried. Kids and teachers walked by occasionally but none of them said a word to me. Eventually I got up and walked to my car and went home.