She made it to the lunchroom before her legs gave out. She dropped her head onto her palms and worked on slowing her breathing.
“Hey, babe.” Turner plopped down by her at the table.
Maizie flinched. She couldn’t do this right now.
She looked at Lindsay who sat across the table from her, giving her a look that said “Now or never.”
She took a deep breath. She had to do this. Right now. Before she ran away from it.
“Listen, Turner.” Maizie faced him, but he had already started eating and wouldn’t be slowing down soon. She huffed out a breath, she couldn’t wait for him to finish.
“I think we should take a break,” she said, louder than she had intended. The whole cafeteria went silent, and Turner looked at her.
“What do you mean?”
She fiddled with the clasp of her bracelet. “I mean, I don’t think we should date anymore.”
His dark eyes turned to flint, and he shot from the table like a rocket being launched. “Why?”
Maizie wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans. “Well, I uh, just don’t think we are a great fit. Plus, we are going away to college soon.”
“Don’t give me that crap.” Maizie had seen Turner angry, but never this angry. It only heightened her resolve to be free of him. “Let’s call it how we see it, M. I was way out of your league anyway.”
Heat surged through her body, and she wished she could disappear. But she had too much pride to let him get away with that one. She stood up face-to-face with him, debating momentarily about climbing on the chair to have the height advantage.
“Well, thank heavens I won’t be holding you down anymore. You’ll be flying with the pigs in no time.”
The cafeteria broke into laughter, and his eyes turned even colder. “You’re no fun without Mack,” he said before stalking out of the lunchroom.
A bomb exploded in her heart, hollowing her out from head to toe. He was right. She was nothing without Mack.
“Don’t listen to that jerk,” Lindsay said, sliding up next to her. Maizie leaned into the support her best friend offered, but Turner’s words still stung. They’d never not sting.
She let out a shaky breath and faked a smile for the remainder of the crowd still fixated on her. Didn’t they have anything better to do?
Maizie breathed, trying to expel the pain from her chest. She knew she wasn’t the perfect girl, but the reminder only cut the knife deeper. “I could think of a few more choice words for him.”
“Me too.” Lindsay looked around the lunchroom, glaring at those that still stared at them. It worked for everyone but Stephanie.
“It was nice of you to cut him free,” Stephanie said, closing in on their table. “I knew he was bored when he called to hang out last night.”
This information didn’t surprise Maizie in the slightest. Stephanie had been after Turner for the last couple of months, just like she’d been after Maizie’s spot as Drill captain all year.
“Do you realize you just insulted yourself more than Maizie?” Lindsay said.
Stephanie pouted then headed out the same door Turner had escaped through.
“The brains on that one,” Lindsay said with a shake of her head. “She will go far in life.”
Maizie laughed for the first time since heading for lunch. But it didn’t feel genuine.
“Are you okay?” Lindsay asked her, her tone serious.
Maizie nodded. She should feel something. But feeling something was worse than feeling nothing. When she lost nothing, it didn’t hurt.
She debated telling Lindsay about Mr. Hayes’s request, but the emotions were still too raw. Instead she focused on something more tangible.
“Guess I’m going stag to the grad night dance,” Maizie said, then immediately regretted it. It was just a high school dance. Not the end of the world. That day had already come and gone three years ago.
