Finding Me Again Read Free

him to call and apologize. I thought for sure it was a mistake, something said in error on a bad night. But he never called or texted. I tried calling him a couple of times demanding an explanation, but he never responded. In one desperate moment I showed up at his house and talked to his mom. She appeared to have sympathy for me, but she didn’t have any answers for me either.
    I still have no idea about the real reason why Tripp broke things off that day.

 
    Four
    Tripp
     
    I wake up in a cold sweat. It takes me a minute to figure out where I am. I don’t recog nize the bedroom with the bare white walls and nothing but a bed and some boxes in it. Then the details come back to me with extreme clarity. Not wishing to move my body yet, I keep my head on the pillow.
    I had been dreaming of the day I broke up with Hadley. It was the worst day of my life. Sure, I’ve had some pretty bad ones, but that topped it all. The hardest thing I’ve ever done was tell her it was over. When I said the words, it was like having my heart ripped from my chest. I couldn’t bear to look at her, and when I did it almost killed me. It took all my willpower not to pull her into my arms and tell her I didn’t mean a word of it.  But I couldn’t do that. It had to happen the way it did. I had no other choice.
    And I still don’t.
    The sound of drawers opening and closing slip under my door. Mom must be up and about. I roll my shoulders a little and prepare to get out of bed. This part of my day is never fun. Mornings are always the worst. My aching and stiff joints make it so difficult to do something as simple as hop out of bed. It’s funny the things most people take for granted in life. Things like moving with ease, things like having no pain, or doing what you want when you want to do it. Not everyone has that same luxury. Some of us have to work hard to do what others do so easily. There are many days where just getting out of my bed seems like an unsurmountable mountain. A mountain so tall and imposing I don’t think I can ever climb it. On those days I find myself hiding back under my covers, pretending it’s completely normal to spend an entire day in bed.
    As much as I’d love to do that today, I know I can’t. Mom needs my help and it’s really the least I can do for her. She’s given up so much for me already. I may not have agreed with her idea to move back here, but if it makes her happy then I want to be as supportive as I can.
    However, I dread the day I run into Paige or Colt or any of my high school friends for that matter. I know it’s inevitable. This town isn’t that big. When I lived here before I could rarely take a trip to the grocery store without running into dozens of people I knew from school. It’s not that I don’t like Paige and Colt. In fact, Colt and I became pretty good friends before I left. But I don’t want to have to explain myself to them. I’m sure they were just as shocked as Hadley was when I left without a word to anyone. I still have no idea what I’ll say to them when the time comes. The truth isn’t something I’m ready to share. However, any other excuse or made up story seems so far-fetched.
    I had a good life here, and Hadley and I had something really special. We hardly ever fought and we weren’t jealous or petty like some other couples. Our love for each other was something neither of us ever questioned.
    When I fell for Hadley I fell hard. Harder than I ever imagined I could. She was just so different than any girl I’d ever met. So sweet, kind, talented and beautiful. But the funny thing is that she had no idea how special she was. I had been so used to girls who thought they were God’s gift to the male population. Hadley was humble, shy even. And that made her even sexier.
    Not to mention the fact that Hadley saved me. She helped me to have the courage to finally stand up to my dad; to have courage for my family. And she supported me through the months after my