My Manhattan Summer

Prologue

"Matt!" I called my boyfriends name, slinging my backpack onto my shoulder as I practically ran down the dusty lane towards the barn. I'd been away at college, and now that it was summer, I had the freedom to finally come back home to the tiny little unknown town of Dalton, Wyoming. Despite its lack of anything but a small market, I adored my little town. It's where my heart was, along with my family, and of course Zion, my Quarter horse. During the summers, my boyfriend and I would participate in the local rodeos and were well known in a few towns. I had won almost every barrel race I entered, and I wore the title of 'the best around 'with pride.

I neared the barn and his family home, but nothing stirred asides from the horses grazing peacefully in the green pastures. One raised its head at me, swiveled his ears, then returned his attention back to his grass with a snort. I noted that Matt's truck was in the drive, but both his parents' trucks were absent.

So he was alone here. Maybe he's waiting to surprise me in the barn. I though to myself, the corners of my lips curling up into a smile. That would be absolutely perfect. Especially with the stressful semester I had just encountered. Quietly, I crept around the side of the barn and peeked around. It was all dark, with all the stall doors slid open.

Then I heard a sound coming from the tack room. Its door was closed, and yellow light filtered from beneath the door. Biting my lip, I came closer, excitement growing inside me. I began to get butterflies, as I hadn't seen Matt in at least a month. When I talked to him a few nights ago, he was thrilled I was finally coming back to Dalton.

Then my heartbeat faltered as I heard a female voice in the tack room, followed by a low moan, and the clang of something hitting the barn wall.

For a second, I stood and listened, not wanting to barge in and be presumptuous. I tried to fight the awful thoughts that began flooding my mind, but it was nearly impossible.

Swallowing, I slowly turned the door knob until it gave a quiet click, and looked around the door.

My mouth fell open in disbelief at what I prayed I was hallucinating.

A girl, half naked except for her shirt, sat atop the counter, with my boyfriend between her legs, pants down. A girl I recognized... My best friend, Brooke. For a second, I was completely frozen. I couldn't register a single thought in my head as I watched Brooke rake her nails down his back, and the way he kissed her neck as he thrust into her.

My stomach twisted in knots, and I felt as if I was going to be sick. Hot tears stung my eyes. I'd seen enough.

I kicked the door back and heard it slam into the wall.

"Oh my God! Lacey!" Matt stumbled and hurriedly pulled up his pants, and Brooke raced to find her jeans as he approached me, giving me empty apologies.

"I'm so sorry, honey, I don't know what the hell happened, honest!" He dropped to his knees, pleading to me. "Give me a chance to explain, please—" I slapped him hard across his face, leaving a harsh red mark across his cheek. Brooke watched, her eyes wide, clutching onto a blanket she had found in the corner to shield her exposed lower half.

I met her eyes and narrowed mine. "They were right, you know. The kids in high school." For a second, she looked hurt, but I didn't care. "You are a slut. And I'm sorry I doubted them."

Hot tears stung my eyes, but before they could see them run down my cheeks, I turned and ran, back towards the road. I was nearly blind from the tears in my eyes and stumbled a few times, but managed to make it back to the road. I only lived a few miles down the road. I could walk there, but the sweltering hot day would make it hard. At this point, I was too in shock to even care.

"Lacey!" I heard the rumble of Matt's truck engine behind, and I wished more than anything that he would just go away.

"We need to talk about this, babe." God, I couldn't stand his voice now. I ignored him and kept walking as he drove alongside me, keeping my vision set on the road. "At least let me give you a ride home. You're going to kill yourself walking in this heat." The idea was tempting, but I knew it would repulse me to be anywhere next to him. I shook my head and bit my lip.

"Can you just leave me alone? That's all I'm asking." I said through gritted teeth, avoiding his gaze. I refused to let this asshole see me cry. "Just go back and finish what you were doing." The words made me think of what I had just witnessed, and my heart felt as if someone was squeezing it in my chest. I had never felt so heartbroken in my entire life. It was worse than when my pet hamster died when I was nine. I thought that was as bad as things could get.

I saw him throw up his hands in defeat and didn't watch him when he turned and drove back to his driveway. Part of me had wanted him to get out of the truck and hold me, but the other part of me wanted to stab him with something. I hated him so much. But I loved him so much more. And it hurt so, so bad.

It was then I made a pact with myself. It was time to focus on me. For the past five years, I'd focused on Matt and creating a future for us. Wanting to have his children, be his wife, and all that white picket fence shit. The thought of all the time I wasted put a bitter taste in my mouth, and I swallowed what felt like bile. I'd never resented someone so much in my life.

And to do this with my best friend? The one I'd cried to after Matt and I argued. The one that helped me pull off all sorts of pranks. The one I had sleepovers with. The one that had always been there for me.

She always claimed she had hated Matt, and that he wasn't good enough for me. But I guess he was good enough for her. Rumor had it she had always messed around with other girls' boyfriends, but she had been my best friend, and I refused to believe she'd ever behave that way. But karma was a bitch, and it would come for her.

Hopefully after she finds the love of her life and they're married. Then I hope he cheats on her and smashes her slutty little heart.

Perhaps the thoughts running through my mind were cruel, but I couldn't help thinking them. These had been two people that I had loved unconditionally, and it felt as if they had teamed up to hurt me. I wiped at the tears falling down my face and sniffled, hugging myself as I walked.

Things needed to change. I needed a fresh start. Somewhere far, far away from here.

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